Caregiver perceptions and experiences of paediatric emergency department attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns were raised about reduced attendance at hospitals, particularly in paediatric emergency departments, which could result in preventable poorer outcomes and late presentations among children requiring emergency care. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on health-seeking behaviour and decision-making processes of caregivers presenting to paediatric emergency services at a National Health Service (NHS) Trust in London. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study (survey and semi-structured interviews) across two hospital sites between November-December 2020. Data from each study were collected concurrently followed by data comparison. RESULTS: Overall, 100 caregivers participated in our study; 80 completed the survey only, two completed the interview only and 18 completed both. Our quantitative study found that almost two-thirds (63%, n = 62) of caregivers attended the department within two days of their child becoming ill. Our qualitative study identified three major themes which were underpinned by concepts of trust, safety and uncertainty and were assessed in relation to the temporal nature of the pandemic and the caregivers' journey to care. We found most caregivers balanced their concerns of COVID-19 and a perceived "overwhelmed" NHS by speaking to trusted sources, predominantly general practitioners (GPs). CONCLUSION: Caregivers have adapted their health-seeking behaviour throughout the pandemic as new information and guidance have been released. We identified several factors affecting decisions to attend; some existed before the pandemic (e.g., concerns for child's health) whilst others were due to the pandemic (e.g., perceived risks of transmission when accessing healthcare services). We recommend trusted medical professionals, particularly GPs, continue to provide reassurance to caregivers to seek emergency paediatric care when required. Communicating the hospital safety procedures and the importance of early intervention to caregivers could additionally provide reassurance to those concerned about the risks of accessing the hospital environment.

Differences in Comorbid Conditions Among Older Adult Participants in Cardiac Rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: Most older adults eligible for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) do not participate or participate with low frequency, although it is a standard of care for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Identifying the barriers to older adult participation is key in improving CR efficacy. METHODS: A range of patient characteristics was analyzed in relation to on-site frequency of participation in a CR program by older adult patients. These characteristics included demographics and indications for referral, as well as CVD and non-CVD diagnoses. The prevalence of these characteristics was compared among three patient cohorts, ranging from high contact frequency to minimal contact frequency of on-site participation in CR. RESULTS: Among the three participation frequency cohorts, no differences were noted in demographic factors, indications for referral, or CVD diagnoses. However, patients with hearing impairment (OR = 4.15: 95% CI, 1.32-13.08) or visual impairment (OR = 4.11: 95% CI, 1.46-11.59) at time of enrollment were more likely to be found in the minimal contact cohorts than the moderate or high contact frequency cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas differences in CVD had little bearing on frequency of CR participation in older patients, differences in hearing and visual impairment varied significantly. Patients with hearing and vision impairments attended less frequently. Sensory impairment has previously been demonstrated to impact health care utilization by older adults, but is rarely considered in the treatment of CVD or CR. As sensory impairments are extremely prevalent among geriatric patients, further study of these potential barriers to care might open possibilities for older adult participation in CR.

Problem-solving in clinical practice: a baby who won't stop bleeding.

Spontaneous bleeding in the neonatal period is an unusual presentation, and yet one that can pose a challenge of both diagnosis and management to the general paediatrician. This case chronicles the diagnostic journey of an 8-day-old baby who presented with unrelenting bleeding from the umbilical cord and explores the clinical approach to bleeding in a neonate.

Predictive Modeling of Drug Response in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

We combine mathematical modeling with experiments in living mice to quantify the relative roles of intrinsic cellular vs. tissue-scale physiological contributors to chemotherapy drug resistance, which are difficult to understand solely through experimentation. Experiments in cell culture and in mice with drug-sensitive (Eµ-myc/Arf-/-) and drug-resistant (Eµ-myc/p53-/-) lymphoma cell lines were conducted to calibrate and validate a mechanistic mathematical model. Inputs to inform the model include tumor drug transport characteristics, such as blood volume fraction, average geometric mean blood vessel radius, drug diffusion penetration distance, and drug response in cell culture. Model results show that the drug response in mice, represented by the fraction of dead tumor volume, can be reliably predicted from these inputs. Hence, a proof-of-principle for predictive quantification of lymphoma drug therapy was established based on both cellular and tissue-scale physiological contributions. We further demonstrate that, if the in vitro cytotoxic response of a specific cancer cell line under chemotherapy is known, the model is then able to predict the treatment efficacy in vivo. Lastly, tissue blood volume fraction was determined to be the most sensitive model parameter and a primary contributor to drug resistance.