Tag: statistics

Gac Med Mex. 2022;158(6):349-354. doi: 10.24875/GMM.M22000712.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: SARS-CoV-2 infection spatial and temporal distribution overlaps with endemic areas of vector-borne diseases (VBD), whose surveillance in Mexico has substantially changed since the first COVID-19 confirmed case.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate and compare the incidence rates of VBDs before and after the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 in Mexico.

METHODS: Retrospective study of VBD cases from 2014 to 2021. The incidence rates of each VBD in the period before (2014-2019) and after (2020-2021) the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 in Mexico were calculated and compared.

RESULTS: Before the introduction of SARS-CoV-2, the incidence rates of VBDs were high and after the introduction of coronavirus there was a decrease in epidemiological indices; however, there was only statistically significant difference in the incidence rate of malaria (p ≤ 0.05) and other rickettsiae (p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Some measures to reduce COVID-19 cases, such as social distancing, home confinement, reductions in public transport and working at home (home office), probably temporarily decreased the number of VBD cases; however, there may be a resurgence of VBDs in the near future.

PMID:36657121 | DOI:10.24875/GMM.M22000712

Australas Psychiatry. 2023 Jan 19:10398562231153006. doi: 10.1177/10398562231153006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to use clinical indicators to track changes in efficiency of a Consultation-Liaison service as part of a clinical audit cycle.

METHODS: This was a clinical audit cycle. The auditing phase involved measuring the efficiency of the service. The ‘intervention’ was simply the team’s awareness and involvement in tracking these statistics. Subsequently, these indicators were re-audited.

RESULTS: In the initial audit cycle, 315 referrals to the C-L service were audited over a 3 month period, showing a 24 hour time-to-seen rate of 80% and a 36 hour time-to-seen rate of 89.2%. Upon re-auditing of 112 referrals following our intervention, 24 hr timeliness had risen to 92% and 36 hr timeliness had risen to 96.4%.

CONCLUSION: The measuring of clinical indicators of efficiency in C-L may give service improvement personnel a reflection of the functionality of a C-L service. By involving team members in the measuring and tracking of these indicators, we may be able to boost overall clinical efficiency and outcomes.

PMID:36657114 | DOI:10.1177/10398562231153006

Gac Med Mex. 2022;158(6):343-348. doi: 10.24875/GMM.M22000711.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In older adults, the association of frailty and sarcopenia with vitamin D deficiency is well known, but the association of the components of frailty syndrome has been poorly studied.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of the components of frailty and sarcopenia with vitamin D insufficiency in older adults.

METHODS: Adults were studied, in whom age, education, marital status, history of fractures, hospitalizations, anthropometric indicators, sarcopenia, Charlson index, polypharmacy, Fried’s frailty phenotype, and plasma vitamin D were recorded; figures < 30 ng/mL were considered indicative of vitamin D insufficiency. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for statistical analysis. The association was determined by binary logistic regression.

RESULTS: One-hundred and seventy-five adults with a mean age of 71.7 ± 6.7 years (95% CI = 60-90 years) were studied. Binary logistic regression showed that the variables associated with vitamin D deficiency were exhaustion (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.0-6.5, p = 0.03), frailty (OR = 9.2, 95% CI = 2.5-34.1, p = 0.001) and pre-frailty (OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 2.1-10.0, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The frail and pre-frail phenotypes, as well as exhaustion, are associated with vitamin D insufficiency.

PMID:36657111 | DOI:10.24875/GMM.M22000711

Health Care Women Int. 2023 Jan 19:1-19. doi: 10.1080/07399332.2022.2164582. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model-based educational program on women’s genital hygiene behaviors. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 120 women diagnosed with genital infections and assigned to the experimental (n = 60) and control (n = 60) groups. Educational intervention was designed based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and implemented in the experimental group. Data were collected three times before (pretest), right after (posttest) and 1 month after the intervention using the personal information form, Data Form for Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs about Genital Hygiene and Genital Hygiene Behaviors Inventory (GHBI). After the educational intervention, the participants’ hygiene-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors improved in the experimental group at the posttest and follow-up test from the baseline. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups. We concluded that PRECEDE-PROCEED model-based educational program positively affected the women’s genital hygiene-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

PMID:36657105 | DOI:10.1080/07399332.2022.2164582

JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Jan 19:OP2200551. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00551. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The Accelerated Diagnostic Assessment Program (ADAP) manages patients with imaging abnormalities, with or without concomitant symptoms, where cancer is suspected. The ADAP is offered to primary care practitioners and emergency departments with cases triaged by a medical oncologist.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective patient chart review of electronic medical records from January 2019 until June 2021 to validate the program. We collected information on the referral pathways, patient demographics, wait-times, and diagnostic results. The control group consisted of outpatients who were referred for biopsy over a 1-year period outside the ADAP stream. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS software.

RESULTS: Of the 97 patients included, 54% were female, with ages ranging from 18 to 96 years. Twenty-nine percent (n = 20) of the malignant cases were incidental findings. Most patients referred to the ADAP were diagnosed with a malignancy (71%; n = 69), comprising hematologic (45%; n = 31), GI (26%; n = 18), or other cancers (29%; n = 20). The ADAP had decreased wait-times from referral to biopsy collection (17.6 days ± 10.7 [standard deviation (SD)]; n = 43) when compared with the control group (41.2 days ± 40.0 [SD]; n = 67; P < .001). ADAP patients with malignancies saw a treating specialist 7.6 ± 7.6 days [SD] after their follow-up appointment at the ADAP.

CONCLUSION: The ADAP accelerated time to biopsy in a statistically significant manner when compared with age-, referring physician-, and biopsy site-matched controls. It also outperformed national and provincial standards, suggesting that its model addresses a gap in care by providing an underserved population timely access to diagnosis and treatment.

PMID:36657095 | DOI:10.1200/OP.22.00551

Rom J Intern Med. 2023 Jan 19. doi: 10.2478/rjim-2023-0002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is still a global health problem nowadays. A particular COVID-19 patients develop severe symptoms. Some biomarkers can be used to determine disease severity and improve outcome. Homocysteine is one of the novel biomarkers. The objective of this study is to determine the role of serum homocysteine level in stratifying severity of COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Medan, Indonesia from May to December 2021. Subjects were obtained using consecutive sampling method. Inclusion criteria was COVID-19 patients aged 18 years or older and willing to participate in the study. Patients with malignancy, chronic kidney disease, thyroid disease, coronary heart disease, and who consume several medications including cholestyramine, metformin, methotrexate, fibrate, and contraceptive pill, were excluded. Data regarding demographic, laboratory, and biomarker were gathered from each subject. Statistical analyses were conducted at 95% confidence interval. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled. Most subjects were males (59%) and from Batak ethnicity (64%). Twenty percent subjects had severe COVID-19. The levels of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), D dimer, homocysteine, and procalcitonin were significantly higher in severe COVID-19 subjects. D dimer had the highest sensitivity (91.7%) and specificity (94.7%) in stratifying severe COVID-19, followed by hs-CRP (91.7% and 85.5%, respectively), homocysteine (87.5% and 78.9%, respectively), and procalcitonin (58.3% and 74.0%, respectively). Conclusion: Homocysteine can be used as a biomarker to determine COVID-19 severity.

PMID:36657014 | DOI:10.2478/rjim-2023-0002

Int J Nurs Educ Scholarsh. 2023 Jan 20;20(1). doi: 10.1515/ijnes-2022-0016. eCollection 2023 Jan 1.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate effectiveness of a multisite program promoting the successful transition of baccalaureate and graduate entry (with a prior degree) students into pre-licensure curricula. Faculty concern around nursing students’ successful completion of nursing programs and passage of the nursing licensure exam stems from challenges students encounter in core courses, study habits, and civility.

METHODS: One hundred eighty-five students participated in a quasi-experimental pre-post-test mixed-methods study. Students completed content modules and open-ended surveys.

RESULTS: Most students found the program helpful. Statistically significant improvements were shown in medication calculation, reading comprehension, and medical terminology. No statistically significant improvement was shown in anatomy and physiology.

CONCLUSIONS: Our Transition to Nursing program shows promise and adds to proactive strategies in preparing students for a successful transition into nursing programs. Our innovative approach may serve as a model to nursing schools and colleges around the world to promote student success.

PMID:36656999 | DOI:10.1515/ijnes-2022-0016

Clin Chem Lab Med. 2023 Jan 19. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2022-1256. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This tutorial shows how to perform a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies (DTA) based on a 2 × 2 table available for each included primary study. First, univariate methods for meta-analysis of sensitivity and specificity are presented. Then the use of univariate logistic regression models with and without random effects for e.g. sensitivity is described. Diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) are then introduced to combine sensitivity and specificity into one single measure and to assess publication bias. Finally, bivariate random effects models using the exact binomial likelihood to describe within-study variability and a normal distribution to describe between-study variability are presented as the method of choice. Based on this model summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves are constructed using a regression model logit-true positive rate (TPR) over logit-false positive rate (FPR). Also it is demonstrated how to perform the necessary calculations with the freely available software R. As an example a meta-analysis of DTA studies using Procalcitonin as a diagnostic marker for sepsis is presented.

PMID:36656998 | DOI:10.1515/cclm-2022-1256

Science. 2023 Jan 20;379(6629):228-233. doi: 10.1126/science.adg6746. Epub 2023 Jan 19.

ABSTRACT

Richard Gill is fighting the shoddy statistics that put nurses in prison for serial murder.

PMID:36656931 | DOI:10.1126/science.adg6746

Science. 2023 Jan 20;379(6629):232. doi: 10.1126/science.adg6747. Epub 2023 Jan 19.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:36656930 | DOI:10.1126/science.adg6747