Perinatal e-screening and clinical decision support: the Maternity Case-finding Help Assessment Tool (MatCHAT).

INTRODUCTION Screening tools assist primary care clinicians to identify mental health, addiction and family violence problems. Electronic tools have many advantages, but there are none yet available in the perinatal context. AIM To assess the acceptability and feasibility of the Maternity Case-finding Help Assessment Tool (MatCHAT), a tool designed to provide e-screening and clinical decision support for depression, anxiety, cigarette smoking, use of alcohol or illicit substances, and family violence among pre- and post-partum women under the care of midwives. METHODS A co-design approach and an extensive consultation process was used to tailor a pre-existing electronic case-finding help assessment tool (eCHAT) to a maternity context. Quantitative MatCHAT data and qualitative data from interviews with midwives were analysed following implementation. RESULTS Five midwives participated in the study. They reported that MatCHAT was useful and acceptable and among the 20 mothers screened, eight reported substance use, one depression and five anxiety. Interviews highlighted extensive contextual barriers of importance to the implementation of maternity-specific screening. DISCUSSION MatCHAT has potential to optimise e-screening and decision support in maternity settings, but in this study, use was impeded by multiple contextual barriers. The information from this study is relevant to policymakers and future researchers when considering how to improve early identification of common mental health, substance use and family violence problems.

Brief Report. A qualitative study of maternal mental health services in New Zealand: Perspectives of Maori and Pacific mothers and midwives.

OBJECTIVES: Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in New Zealand particularly amongst Maori and Pacific. We explored current maternal mental health (MMH) screening practices and supports. METHODS: Qualitative research included interviews and focus groups with maternity carers and mothers of Maori and Pacific descent. Thematic analysis used a general inductive approach. RESULTS: Both mothers and carers reported that MMH screening is ad hoc and discussed multilevel barriers that hamper screening and access to supports. CONCLUSION: There are gaps in MMH services, and service improvements need to be targeted at patient, provider, and systems levels.

Evaluating A Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference Checklist: Practice Versus Perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Presentation to multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCCs) supports optimal treatment of young women with breast cancer (YWBC). However, research shows barriers to MCC practice, and variation in professional attendance and referral patterns. A checklist may help overcome these barriers and support MCC practice with YWBC. METHODS: We developed, piloted and evaluated an MCC checklist in sites participating in a pan-Canadian study (RUBY; Reducing the bUrden of Breast cancer in Young women). A survey assessed checklist processes and impacts, and checklist data were analysed for checklist uptake, MCC presentation rates and MCC processes including staff attendance. RESULTS: Fifteen RUBY sites used the checklist (~50%), mostly for data collection/tracking. Some positive effects on clinical practice such as increased presentation of YWBC at MCC were reported, but most survey participants indicated that MCC processes were sufficient without the checklist. Conversely, checklist data show that only 31% of patients were presented at MCC. Of those, 41% were recommended treatment change. CONCLUSION: Despite limited checklist uptake, there was evidence of its clinical practice benefit. Furthermore, it supported data collection/quality monitoring. Critically, checklist data showed gaps in MCC practice and low MCC presentation rates for YWBC. This contrasts with overall provider perceptions that MCCs are working well. Findings suggest that supports for MCC are needed but may best take the form of clear national practice recommendations and audit and feedback cycles to inform awareness of good MCC practice and outcomes. In this setting, tools like the MCC checklist may become helpful in supporting MCC practice.

A primary care programme to improve identification and stepped-care support of Asians with mental health and lifestyle issues.

INTRODUCTION Asians living in Western countries have a higher incidence of mental health and lifestyle issues, but are less likely to disclose these to health-care professionals due to stigma. Instead, they tend to present to primary care with somatic concerns. AIM To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a well-validated electronic screening and stepped-care support tool (eCHAT) to identify mental health and lifestyle issues among Asian patients. METHODS A mixed-methods (interviews and survey) co-design approach explored patient and clinic staff perspectives on a translated version of eCHAT (AsiaCHAT). Recruitment was through a large primary care organisation with a high proportion of Asian patients. Of the 307 approached, 277 participated (92% acceptance rate). RESULTS Problems of depression (n = 12) and anxiety (n = 69) were identified among patients, as were sexual health concerns (n = 22) among younger participants. Overall, participants and clinic staff rated AsiaCHAT as a useful and acceptable tool for disclosing and discussing patient concerns. Problems of finances, time constraints and competing demands made long-term implementation challenging. DISCUSSION AsiaCHAT is a promising tool for identifying mental health and lifestyle concerns among Asians presenting to primary care. The electronic screener supports patient and provider discussion of sensitive topics and the stepped-care support function helps direct care. Its flexible functionality means that there is potential to integrate it into busy clinic settings as well as online patient portals, and the programme aligns with current policy to improve Asian health in New Zealand.

What Young Women with Breast Cancer Get Versus What They Want in Online Information and Social Media Supports.

Purpose: Young women are high users of social media (SM), but information is lacking on whether online supports including SM meet the needs of young women (<40 years) with breast cancer (YWBC). YWBC are a vulnerable population who experience many psychosocial challenges alongside cancer diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to gather data on what YWBC get versus what they want in online support. Methods: Semi-structured interviews explored YWBC's perceptions and use of online information/SM, including visions for ideal support. YWBC between the ages of 18-40 were recruited via two urban oncology clinics. Recruitment continued until redundancy of responses was achieved. Results: Thirteen YWBC participated in the study. Some reported benefits of online supports included connection with similar others, emotional support and ease of use. These benefits were balanced by drawbacks, such as a lack of appropriate/credible information and/or distressing information. Respondents spontaneously mentioned coping strategies such as managing information exposure and regulating SM use to mitigate against harms of online supports. Collectively, participants described nine facets of an ideal online support hub, which could function as a one stop shop for informational, practical and emotional supports for YWBC. Conclusion: Developing a multifunction online support hub may help women to find credible and useful information, rapidly, and address current limitations of online supports.

A review of factors affecting patient fertility preservation discussions & decision-making from the perspectives of patients and providers.

Women undergoing cancer treatments and their healthcare providers encounter challenges in fertility preservation (FP) discussions and decision-making. A systematic review of qualitative research was conducted to gain in-depth understanding of factors influencing FP discussions and decision-making. Major bibliographic databases and grey literature in English from 1994 to 2016 were searched for qualitative research exploring patient/provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to FP decision-making. Two researchers screened article titles, abstracts and full-texts. Verbatim data on research questions, study methodology, participants, findings and discussions of findings were extracted. Quality assessment and thematic analysis were conducted. The search yielded 74 studies dating from 2007 onwards; 29 met the inclusion criteria. Analysis revealed three types of barriers: (a) FP knowledge, skills and information deficits contributed to discomfort for providers and discontent for patients; (b) psychosocial factors and clinical issues influenced providers' practices around FP discussions and patients' decision-making; and (c) material, social and structural factors (e.g., lack of resources and accessibility) posed challenges to FP discussions. Potential facilitators to FP discussions and decision-making were also identified. A discussion of ways to improve physician's knowledge and facilitate women's decision-making and access to FP is presented, along with areas for policy development and further research.

Scoping clinicians' perspectives on pre-treatment multidisciplinary care for young women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Young women with breast cancer (YWBC) experience worse medical and psychosocial outcomes than their older counterparts. Early input from a multidisciplinary team via pre-treatment multidisciplinary cancer conferences (pMCCs) may be important for addressing the complex needs of YWBC. However, pMCCs are not common. This study has two parts: a survey and workshop aimed at assessing clinicians' perspectives on pMCCs, including the importance of pMCCs in the care of YWBC, as well as barriers to, and strategies for supporting their implementation. METHODS: Survey results highlight variability across sites in the delivery of multidisciplinary care in general. However, both survey and workshop results emphasize clinicians' agreement on the importance of pMCCs and suggest that numerous practical and systems levels barriers be addressed before pMCCs can be implemented. CONCLUSIONS: pMCCs have the potential to improve surgical treatment and psychosocial outcomes for YWBC. A combined practical and policy approach to their implementation, which sees extension of existing standards to include pMCCs, may support their adoption and subsequent audit practices to assess the effect of pMCCs on outcomes for YWBC.

Predicting nonadherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in women with early stage breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Failing to take endocrine therapy (ET) as prescribed (nonadherence) increases risk of morbidity and mortality from breast cancer recurrence. We explored predictors of nonadherence, including demographic, clinical, treatment, and personal factors, among women newly prescribed ET for early stage breast cancer. We also examined predictors of their thoughts about stopping treatment (TST). METHODS: A baseline survey prior to ET assessed demographics, illness beliefs, beliefs about medicines, fear of recurrence, symptoms, and negative affect. A follow-up survey at 3 months repeated these measures with additional questions about nonadherence and TST. Nonadherence and TST were analyzed using logistic and multiple regression, respectively. Patient record review provided clinical data. The baseline survey was completed by 125 women, with a 96% retention rate at follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent reported nonadherence, and 30% reported TST. Results of regression analyses showed that TST was most strongly associated with symptom severity at follow-up, whereas, lower coherence beliefs, and the absence of comorbid conditions were the strongest predictors of actual nonadherence. CONCLUSION: This is the first longitudinal study to examine concurrently the association of demographic, personal and treatment factors with nonadherence, and TST. Findings have potentially important clinical implications; interventions to improve adherence and reduce TST may need to target women's understanding of their diagnosis and treatment, illness beliefs, and symptoms prior to starting therapy.

Randomized Trial Comparing the Electronic Composite Psychosocial Screener YouthCHAT With a Clinician-Interview Assessment for Young People: A Study Protocol.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are common and burdensome in young people, particularly those with long-term physical conditions such as asthma and diabetes. In New Zealand, "screening" for such problems is undertaken routinely only with Year 9 students in low-decile schools and opportunistically in pediatric settings using a nonvalidated and time-consuming clinician-administered Home, Education/employment, Eating, Activity, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, Safety (HEEADSSS) interview. The Youth version, Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool (YouthCHAT) is a relatively new, locally developed, eTablet-based composite screener for identifying similar psychosocial issues to HEEADSSS. Based on individually validated screening instruments, it is self-administered within minutes. Preliminary testing has revealed its acceptability to young people, but further research is required to expand its modules to cover all HEEADSSS domains, to evaluate its acceptability for young people with and without long-term physical conditions, and to compare its effectiveness against HEEADSSS. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to (1) ascertain acceptability and utility of YouthCHAT for children with long-term physical illness and high school students, (2) validate three additional YouthCHAT domains against comparable HEEADSSS domains, and (3) compare the performance of YouthCHAT and HEEADSSS in the high school setting. METHODS: During the first phase of the study, three additional YouthCHAT domains were codesigned with high school students. During the second phase of the study, the updated version of YouthCHAT will be administered to 30 young people with long-term physical conditions, and to 150 high school students either before or after HEEADSSS in the form of a randomized trial with counter-balanced design. Primary outcomes include comparability between HEEADSSS and YouthCHAT in detecting psychosocial issues, and time to administer; acceptability of YouthCHAT as an acceptable alternative or companion to HEEADSSS assessment; and the utility of YouthCHAT in helping streamline assessment processes. RESULTS: Recruitment for the first phase of this project commenced in November 2016, and the phase will run from February to November 2017. CONCLUSIONS: If YouthCHAT is found to be acceptable to study participants and as effective as a HEEADSSS assessment, it could be an innovative and more efficient means of routine screening for common psychosocial health issues in young people with and without long-term physical conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12616001243404p; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371422 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6rmlEiM1L).

Electronic screening for lifestyle issues and mental health in youth: a community-based participatory research approach.

BACKGROUND: We previously developed YouthCHAT, a youth programme for electronic screening and intervention for lifestyle risk factors and mental health issues. Our aim was to tailor the YouthCHAT package for use in a clinic catering for disadvantaged youth, assess its acceptability and utility, and develop a framework to scale-up its implementation. METHODS: We used a community-based participatory research approach to implement YouthCHAT in a rural clinic in New Zealand. Modifications to the programme were developed using an iterative process involving clinicians and patients. Electronic YouthCHAT data were collated and descriptive statistics produced. Quantitative data from post-consultation youth surveys were analysed, with thematic analyses undertaken of free text responses and staff interviews. A generic implementation framework was developed with modifiable components. RESULTS: Thirty youth, predominantly female Maori, completed electronic screening then attended their clinician. Consultations included discussion of YouthCHAT responses, with joint problem-solving and decision-making regarding intervention. Twenty-seven (90 %) screened positive for at least one domain. Nineteen (67 %) had one to three issues. Sixteen (53 %) wanted help with at least one issue, either immediately or later. Patients gave YouthCHAT high acceptability ratings (M = 8.29/10), indicating it was easy to use, helped them think about and identify problems, talk with their doctor, and assisted their doctor to be aware of these issues. They liked that YouthCHAT kept them busy in the waiting room and gave them time to reflect on their responses, and what to discuss with their clinician. Clinicians felt that YouthCHAT was acceptable to their young patients because it was electronic and reinforced their privacy. They indicated YouthCHAT identified problems that would have not been identified in a normal consult, and improved consultations by making them faster. The clinic continues to use YouthCHAT post-study. CONCLUSIONS: A community-based participatory approach was used to engage key stakeholders (patients and clinic staff) for 'real life' translation of an electronic mental health and lifestyle screening and intervention package into a specific youth clinic context. Patients and staff found the programme acceptable and useful, and a framework was developed for scaled up and sustainable tailored implementation in other settings.

A Population-Level Data Analytics Portal for Self-Administered Lifestyle and Mental Health Screening.

This paper describes development of a prototype data analytics portal for analysis of accumulated screening results from eCHAT (electronic Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool). eCHAT allows individuals to conduct a self-administered lifestyle and mental health screening assessment, with usage to date chiefly in the context of primary care waiting rooms. The intention is for wide roll-out to primary care clinics, including secondary school based clinics, resulting in the accumulation of population-level data. Data from a field trial of eCHAT with sexual health questions tailored to youth were used to support design of a data analytics portal for population-level data. The design process included user personas and scenarios, screen prototyping and a simulator for generating large-scale data sets. The prototype demonstrates the promise of wide-scale self-administered screening data to support a range of users including practice managers, clinical directors and health policy analysts.

Can team training make surgery safer? Lessons for national implementation of a simulation-based programme.

AIM: Unintended patient harm is a major contributor to poor outcomes for surgical patients and often reflects failures in teamwork. To address this we developed a Multidisciplinary Operating Room Simulation (MORSim) intervention to improve teamwork in the operating room (OR) and piloted it with 20 OR teams in two of the 20 District Health Boards in New Zealand prior to national implementation. In this study, we describe the experience of those exposed to the intervention, challenges to implementing changes in clinical practice and suggestions for successful implementation of the programme at a regional or national level. METHODS: We undertook semi-structured interviews of a stratified random sample of MORSim participants 3-6 months after they attended the course. We explored their experiences of changes in clinical practice following MORSim. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a general inductive approach to develop themes into which interview data were coded. Interviews continued to the point of thematic saturation. RESULTS: Interviewees described adopting into practice many of the elements of the MORSim intervention and reported positive experiences of change in communication, culture and collaboration. They described sharing MORSim concepts with colleagues and using them in teaching and orientation of new staff. Reported barriers to uptake included uninterested colleagues, limited team orientation, communication hierarchies, insufficient numbers of staff exposed to MORSim and failure to prioritise time for team information sharing such as pre-case briefings. CONCLUSION: MORSim appears to have had lasting effects on reported attitudes and behaviours in clinical practice consistent with more effective teamwork and communication. This study adds to the accumulating body of evidence on the value of simulation-based team training and offers suggestions for implementing widespread, regular team training for OR teams.

Multidisciplinary operating room simulation-based team training to reduce treatment errors: a feasibility study in New Zealand hospitals.

AIMS: Communication failures in healthcare are frequent and linked to adverse events and treatment errors. Simulation-based team training has been proposed to address this. We aimed to explore the feasibility of a simulation-based course for all members of the operating room (OR) team, and to evaluate its effectiveness. METHODS: Members of experienced OR teams were invited to participate in three simulated clinical events using an integrated surgical and anesthesia model. We collected information on costs, Behavioural Marker of Risk Index (BMRI) (a measure of team information sharing) and participants' educational gains. RESULTS: We successfully recruited 20 full OR teams. Set up costs were NZ$50,000. Running costs per course were NZ$4,000, excluding staff. Most participants rated the course highly. BMRI improved significantly (P = 0.04) and thematic analysis identified educational gains for participants. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated feasibility of multidisciplinary simulation-based training for surgeons, anesthetists, nurses and anaesthetic technicians. The course showed evidence of participant learning and we obtained useful information on cost. There is considerable potential to extend this type of team-based simulation to improve the performance of OR teams and increase safety for surgical patients.

Beliefs about medicine and illness are associated with fear of cancer recurrence in women taking adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Adjuvant endocrine therapy for early-stage breast cancer has greatly reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with breast cancer recurrence. Despite this, a significant proportion of women report fears of cancer recurrence. This study examined the associations between fear of cancer recurrence (FoR) and illness perceptions, medication beliefs, and treatment side effects in women taking adjuvant endocrine therapy following breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 153 post-menopausal women with early-stage breast cancer completed a postal survey. Analyses were conducted to examine the association between FoR and illness perceptions, medication beliefs, treatment side effects, demographic factors, and emotional distress and to identify which of these factors would be most strongly associated with FoR in a regression model. RESULTS: All illness perceptions (apart from personal control) were associated with FoR, as were patient beliefs about endocrine therapy. Although treatment side effects, being unemployed, and higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with FoR, only illness perceptions (identity, treatment control, timeline, and emotional representation) and medication necessity beliefs were significantly correlated with FoR in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that, in addition to directly targeting FoR, it may be worthwhile to address the illness and medication beliefs supporting the fear. Additionally, helping women to differentiate everyday symptoms from those indicative of breast cancer may help to reduce fear of recurrence. STATEMENT OF CONTRIBUTION: What is already known on this subject? A significant proportion of women report fear of cancer recurrence following breast cancer. The literature shows that illness perceptions, side effects of treatment, and beliefs about medicines are related to fear of recurrence among cancer patients. However, because these variables have often been looked at in isolation, it is not clear whether some perceptions or cues are more likely to relate to fear of recurrence than others. What does this study add? This study shows illness perceptions and medication beliefs are strongly related to fears of cancer recurrence. The results point to ways in which the self-regulatory model of illness may be used to reduce patients' fear of recurrence. The study results show that women with higher fear of recurrence may be balancing a tension between believing that they need to take the medication to protect their future health alongside concerns that the treatment may not be working.

Headache sufferers' drawings reflect distress, disability and illness perceptions.

OBJECTIVE: Drawings have recently been used with patients with heart problems to assess their perceptions of their illness. This study aimed to investigate whether drawings could be a useful way to assess headache patients' perceptions of their headaches and their reactions. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 65 university students who experienced persistent headaches were asked to draw a picture of how their headaches usually affected them. Drawings were assessed in three ways: they were categorized based on content; their size was measured; and image analysis software assessed their darkness. Associations between drawings, illness perceptions, mood, and health outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven people drew an external force to the head and these people had greater ratings of average pain and were more likely to attribute their headache to stress. Darker drawings were associated with greater emotional distress and lower vitality. Larger drawing size was associated with perceptions of worse consequences, worse symptoms, worse emotional representations, lower vitality, higher pain, and more days of restricted activity, lower happiness, and higher sadness. CONCLUSION: Drawings offer an additional way to assess peoples' experience of their headaches and reflect illness perceptions and distress. People draw how they see themselves experiencing their headache and often include expressions and reactions. The inclusion of force to the head, darker drawings, and larger drawings are associated with worse perceptions of the headache and higher pain. Drawings may be a useful way for clinicians to understand patients' experience of pain.

Expressive writing in context: the effects of a confessional setting and delivery of instructions on participant experience and language in writing.

OBJECTIVES: Manipulations of the setting and instructions were tested for effects on language use and reported health following expressive writing (EW). METHODS: Participants (N=76) wrote in one of three conditions that differed by setting and the delivery of writing instructions. RESULTS: The results showed that altering the context for EW influences participants' language use and their perceptions of the experience. There was no effect of conditions on self-reported health. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should attend to the ways in which manipulations of EW context affect proposed mediators such as language, as well as outcomes of EW.