Co-designing strategies to improve advance care planning among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with cancer: iCanCarePlan study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Advance care planning (ACP) describes the process of supporting individuals at any age or stage of health to consider and share their personal values, life goals, and preferences regarding future health care. Engaging in ACP is associated with better-quality of care in which people receive care in lines with their wishes, values and preferences. Direct translations of ACP guides and resources do not attend to the considerable inter- and intra-ethnic variations in cultural and religious or spiritual beliefs that shape preferences among people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. ICanCarePlan is a three-year project that aims to determine the prevalence of ACP documentation among people from CALD backgrounds with cancer, identify resources available and their use to support ACP among CALD communities, identify barriers and facilitators of person-centred ACP, and to develop, through co-design with consumers and clinicians, approaches that enhance the process ACP for people from CALD backgrounds. METHOD: A mixed-method sequential approach will be used comprising of four studies. Study one is retrospective medical record review of approximately 1500 medical records to establish the prevalence of ACP documentation among CALD patient records in cancer services. Study two is a document analysis synthesising the resources available in the Australian health system to support ACP. Study three is a qualitative study with healthcare staff and consumers to explore barriers and enablers of person-centred ACP. Evidence generated from studies one to three will inform the conduct of co-design with stakeholders to develop approaches to improve ACP processes among CALD communities. Language, technical and financial support for meaningful involvement with consumers from CALD backgrounds throughout this project is outlined. A plan for distress management is also made due to sensitive nature of the topic. The research project has also established a project steering group consisting of three consumer members who are from CALD backgrounds. DISCUSSION: The project will address a national priority issue for a growing population of CALD communities in Australia. The project will provide novel evidence of ACP among CALD communities and novel strategies developed with stakeholders to enhance uptake and experiences of ACP.

Artefactual inflation of type 2 diabetes prevalence in WHO STEP surveys.

OBJECTIVES: In view of erroneous type 2 diabetes prevalence reported in 3 small Pacific Island countries, a study was conducted to investigate whether this error occurred in other countries which have conducted WHO STEPS surveys associated with glucose thresholds for point-of-care (POC) measuring devices calibrated to plasma. METHODS: Published STEPS surveys conducted over 2001-2017 were obtained. For each survey, information was obtained on diabetes prevalence, POC glucose measuring device, blood sample tested and the fasting glucose threshold used for prevalence calculations. POC device user manuals were obtained to determine calibration. The current WHO glucose threshold for type 2 diabetes was used: ≥7.0 mmol/l for plasma glucose; ≥6.1 mmol/l for whole blood glucose. RESULTS: POC devices were used in 75 of the STEPS surveys identified to measure blood glucose. An incorrect glucose threshold was employed in 17 surveys (23%) to define diabetes. The correct threshold was applied in 20 surveys (27%). Estimates from meta-analysis and meta-regression show that diabetes prevalence in surveys using the incorrect glucose thresholds have prevalences 50% higher than surveys which use the correct glucose threshold. A definite conclusion could not be made for 38 surveys (51%) because of the absence or unclear information on the glucose metre and/or the threshold employed. CONCLUSION: WHO STEPS surveys with likely incorrect published diabetes prevalences have been conducted across the globe, resulting in a 50% artefactual inflation. Inaccurate reporting of diabetes prevalence from widely cited STEPS surveys would have significant impacts on disease burden monitoring, policy development and resource allocation.

OBJECTIFS: Compte tenu de la prévalence erronée du diabète de type 2 rapportée dans 3 petits pays insulaires du Pacifique, une étude a été menée pour déterminer si cette erreur s'était produite dans d'autres pays ayant mené des surveillances STEPS de l'OMS, associées à des seuils de glucose pour des appareils de mesure aux points de soins, calibrés sur du plasma. MÉTHODES: Les surveillances STEPS publiées, menées entre 2001 et 2017 ont été obtenues. Pour chaque surveillance, les informations ont été obtenues sur la prévalence du diabète, l'appareil de mesure du glucose aux points des soins, les échantillons de sang testés et le seuil de glycémie à jeun utilisé pour les calculs de prévalence. Les manuels d'utilisation des appareils ont été obtenus pour déterminer l'étalonnage. Le seuil de glucose actuel de l'OMS pour le diabète de type 2 a été utilisé: ≥ 7,0 mmol/L pour le glucose plasmatique; ≥ 6,1 mmol/L pour le glucose du sang total. RÉSULTATS: Les dispositifs de mesure aux points des soins ont été utilisés dans 75 des surveillances STEPS identifiées pour mesurer la glycémie. Un seuil de glucose incorrect a été utilisé dans 17 surveillances (23%) pour définir le diabète. Le seuil correct a été appliqué dans 20 surveillances (27%). Les estimations issues de méta-analyses et de méta-régressions montrent que la prévalence du diabète dans les surveillances utilisant des seuils de glucose incorrects est supérieure de 50% à celle des surveillances utilisant le seuil de glucose correct. Une conclusion définitive n'a pu être tirée pour 38 surveillances (51%) à cause de l'absence ou du manque de clarté des informations sur le glucomètre et/ou le seuil utilisé. CONCLUSION: Les enquêtes STEPS de l'OMS avec des prévalences de diabète publiées probablement incorrectes ont été menées dans le monde entier, entraînant une inflation artéfactuelle de 50%. Des reports inexacts de la prévalence du diabète provenant de surveillances STEPS largement citées auraient des impacts significatifs sur la surveillance de la charge de morbidité, l'élaboration de politiques et l'allocation des ressources.

Fracture risk assessment in home care patients using the FRAX® tool.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ten-year risk of hip and osteoporotic fracture in home care patients using the FRAX® tool. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional observational study including patients aged ≥ 40 and ≤ 90 years and receiving home care from a private provider. The risk of fracture was calculated using an online calculator. High risk was defined as risk of hip fracture greater than 3% or risk of osteoporotic fracture greater than 20%. Data were expressed as absolute number (n), relative frequency (%), mean, standard deviation (±) and probability value (p). RESULTS: Eighty-three (37.7%) out of 222 patients were at high risk of fracture. Of these, 81 (36.7%) were at high risk of hip fracture, as follows: 18 patients aged 70-80 years (17 female) and 63 patients aged 80-90 years (51 female). High risk of osteoporotic fracture was limited to two female patients (0.1%) aged over 80 years. CONCLUSION: FRAX® analysis revealed similar fracture risks in the sample and the older adult population overall. Prospective investigation of fracture rates in home care patients, identification of true risk factors and construction of a home care patient-specific clinical score are warranted.

Fracture risk assessment in home care patients using the FRAX® tool / Estimativa do risco de fratura óssea em pacientes em Atenção Domiciliar por meio da ferramenta FRAX®

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the ten-year risk of hip and osteoporotic fracture in home care patients using the FRAX® tool. Methods A retrospective, cross-sectional observational study including patients aged ≥ 40 and ≤ 90 years and receiving home care from a private provider. The risk of fracture was calculated using an online calculator. High risk was defined as risk of hip fracture greater than 3% or risk of osteoporotic fracture greater than 20%. Data were expressed as absolute number (n), relative frequency (%), mean, standard deviation (±) and probability value (p). Results Eighty-three (37.7%) out of 222 patients were at high risk of fracture. Of these, 81 (36.7%) were at high risk of hip fracture, as follows: 18 patients aged 70-80 years (17 female) and 63 patients aged 80-90 years (51 female). High risk of osteoporotic fracture was limited to two female patients (0.1%) aged over 80 years. Conclusion FRAX® analysis revealed similar fracture risks in the sample and the older adult population overall. Prospective investigation of fracture rates in home care patients, identification of true risk factors and construction of a home care patient-specific clinical score are warranted.

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar o risco de fratura de quadril e fratura osteoporótica, em 10 anos, em pacientes em atenção domiciliar, de acordo com a ferramenta FRAX®. Métodos Estudo transversal, retrospectivo, observacional realizados com pacientes de uma empresa de Assistência Domiciliar com idade ≥40 e ≤90 anos. Foi avaliado o risco de fratura por meio da calculadora on-line, tendo sido considerado elevado risco de fratura de quadril acima de 3% e elevado risco de fratura osteoporótica quando acima de 20%. Os dados foram expressos em número absoluto (n), frequência relativa (%), média, desvio padrão (±) e valor de significância (p). Resultados Dos 222 pacientes, 83 (37,7%) apresentaram alto risco de fratura, sendo 81 (36,7%) casos por elevado risco de fratura de quadril. Destes, 18 deles tinham idade entre 70 e 80 anos (sendo 17 do sexo feminino) e 63 entre 80 e 90 anos (sendo 51 do sexo feminino). O risco elevado de fratura osteoporótica ocorreu em apenas duas pacientes do sexo feminino (0,1%), ambas com idade acima de 80 anos. Conclusão O risco de fratura óssea verificado pela ferramenta FRAX® foi semelhante na população do estudo em relação ao da população idosa em geral. A avaliação prospectiva da incidência de fraturas nos pacientes em Atenção Domiciliar, a identificação dos reais fatores de risco e a personalização do escore clínico para este grupo de pacientes se fazem necessárias.