Differences in health utilities between cancer patients and the general population: The case of Quebec using the SF-6Dv2.

A considerable debate persists in the literature about whose preferences should be considered in the calculation of quality-adjusted life-years. Some suggest considering only the preferences of the general population, while others advocate for the consideration of those of patients or a combination of both. This study aims to inform and measure the differences in health preferences between cancer patients and the general population in Quebec. A total of 60,976 observations representing the preferences of the general population for various health states were collected and used to develop a new value set using the SF-6Dv2. This value set was generated by combining 34,299 observations with time trade-off (TTO) and 26,677 observations with discrete choice experiment (DCE). Utility scores derived from this value set were compared to those of patients' preferences from a new value set in breast and colorectal patients for the SF-6Dv2. For both patients and the general population, the 'Pain' dimension was the highest contributor to the utility score. However, noticeable differences were observed in the estimates. Estimates of levels 2 and 3 were generally lower for cancer patients, while they were more likely to have greater estimates in severe levels. Significant differences in utility scores were also noticed with the general population showing higher mean utility scores for the same health states. These differences increased as the health states worsened. This study sheds light on the existing differences in preferences between cancer patients and the general population of Quebec for a better consideration in healthcare decision-making.

Cancer population norms using a new value set for the SF-6Dv2 based on the preferences of patients with breast or colorectal cancer in Quebec.

BACKGROUND: Because health resources are limited, health programs should be compared to allow the most efficient ones to emerge. To that aim, health utility instruments have been developed to allow the calculation of quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). However, generic instruments, which can be used by any individual regardless of their health profile, typically consider the preferences of the general population when developing their value set. Consequently, they are often criticized for lacking sensitivity in certain domains, such as cancer. In response, the latest version of the Short Form 6-Dimension (SF-6Dv2) has been adapted to suit the preferences of patients with breast or colorectal cancer in the Canadian province of Quebec. By extension, our study's aim was to determine cancer population norms of utility among patients with breast or colorectal cancer in Quebec using the SF-6Dv2. METHOD: To determine the cancer population norms, we exploited the data that were used in the development of a new value set for the SF-6Dv2. This value set was developed considering the preferences of patients with breast or colorectal cancer. Stratification by time of data collection (i.e., T1 and T2), sociodemographic variables (i.e., age, sex, body mass index, and self-reported health problems affecting quality of life), and clinical aspects (i.e., cancer site, histopathological classification, cancer stage at diagnosis, modality, and treatment characteristics) was performed. RESULTS: In 353 observations, patients were more likely to have negative utility scores at T1 than at T2. Males had higher mean utility scores than females considering type of cancer and comorbidities. Considering the SF-6Dv2's dimensions, more females than males reported having health issues, most which concerned physical functioning. Significant differences by sex surfaced for all dimensions except "Role Limitation" and "Mental health." Patients with multifocal cancer had the highest mean and median utility values in all cancer sites considered. CONCLUSION: Cancer population norms can serve as a baseline for interpreting the scores obtained by a given population in comparison to the situation of another group. In this way, our results can assist in comparing utility scores among cancer patients with different sociodemographic groups to other patients/populations groups. To our knowledge, our identified utility norms are the first for patients with breast or colorectal cancer from Quebec.

Canadian English translation and linguistic validation of the 13-MD to measure global health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The 13-MD is a new instrument designed to measure more globally the various aspects of the health-related quality of life. Its structure is balanced around physical, mental, and social aspects of health. OBJECTIVE: To translate the 13-MD into Canadian English and to ensure that it is conceptually equivalent to the original version in Canadian French. METHODS: Forward and back translations were conducted. A linguistic validation was performed in both Canadian French and Canadian English following an iterative process. This validation was conducted with 15 participants in each group (French and English speakers) using face-to-face cognitive debriefing interviews. This process was done in accordance with academic standards. RESULTS: The two forward translations resulted in 35.8% of identical sentences (59/165). Back translation indicated that 83.6% of the sentences were identical or almost identical to the original Canadian French version. The review of the back translation led to a few changes in the reconciled forward translation (4/165) and the original version (11/165), while the linguistic validation process led to 24 changes over a possibility of 165 sentences in the Canadian English version and 6 over 165 in the Canadian French version. Most changes provided were minimal and were done to ensure a better understanding of the 13-MD. CONCLUSION: The translation and linguistic validation processes were successful in creating a valid 13-MD in Canadian English (13-MD-CE) that is conceptually equivalent to the original version.

Second Version of the Short Form 6-Dimension Value Set Elicited From Patients With Breast and Colorectal Cancer: A Hybrid Approach.

BACKGROUND: Quality-adjusted life-year instruments help comparison among programs by capturing their effects in terms of utility. Generic instruments are applicable to everyone, and for this reason, they are known to lack sensitivity when measuring gains in some domains. Specific instruments tend to fill this gap but, in domains like cancer, existing instruments are either nonpreferences-based or based on the general population's preferences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study describes the development of a new value set for a well-known and highly used generic instrument, the Second Version of the Short Form 6-Dimension, to better consider the preferences of patients with cancer. In this aim, a hybrid approach combining the time trade-off and the discrete choice experiment was used. The population of interest was the Quebec population, Canada, with breast or colorectal cancer. Their preferences were elicited in 2 periods: before (T1) and 8 days after the beginning of a chemotherapy procedure (T2). RESULTS: A total of 2808 observations for the time trade-off and 2520 observations for the discrete choice experiment were used. The parsimonious model encompassing the 2 periods was the preferred model. The new value set allows a greater utility range than the EQ-5D-5L and the Second Version of the Short Form 6-Dimension reference value sets and helps in better considering patients experiencing severe health situations. A good correlation between these 2 instruments and other specific cancer instruments (ie, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, QLU-C10D, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General) was observed. Significative differences in utility values were also noted within periods and types of cancer.

Single-drug immunosuppression is associated with noninferior medium-term survival in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Patients are usually maintained on at least 2 immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs) after the first year post heart transplant. Anecdotally, some children are switched to single-drug monotherapy (a single ISD) for various reasons and varying durations. Outcomes associated with differences in immunosuppression after heart transplantation are unknown for children. OBJECTIVES: A priori we defined a noninferiority hypothesis for monotherapy compared to ≥2 ISDs. The primary outcome was graft failure, a composite of death and retransplantation. Secondary outcomes included rejection, infection, malignancy, cardiac allograft vasculopathy and dialysis. METHODS: This international, multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study used data from the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society. We included patients who underwent first-time heart transplant <18 years of age between 1999 and 2020 with ≥1 year of follow-up data available. RESULTS: Our analysis included 3493 patients with a median time post-transplant of 6.7 years. There were 893 patients (25.6%) switched to monotherapy at least once with the remaining 2600 patients always on ≥2 ISDs. The median time on monotherapy after the first year post-transplant was 2.8 years (range 1.1-5.9 years). We found an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.65 (95%CI: 0.47-0.88) favoring monotherapy compared to ≥2 ISDs (p = 0.002). There were no meaningful differences in the incidence of secondary outcomes between groups, except for a lower rate of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in patients on monotherapy (HR 0.58, 95%CI: 0.45-0.74). CONCLUSIONS: For pediatric heart transplant recipients placed on monotherapy, immunosuppression with a single ISD after the first year post-transplant was noninferior to standard therapy with ≥2 ISDs in the medium term. CONDENSED ABSTRACT: Some children are switched to a single immunosuppressive drug (ISD) for various reasons after heart transplant, but outcomes associated with differences in immunosuppression are unknown for children. We assessed graft failure in children on a single ISD (monotherapy) compared to ≥2 ISDs in a cohort of 3493 children with a first heart transplant. We found an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.65 (95%CI: 0.47-0.88) favoring monotherapy. We concluded that for pediatric heart transplant recipients placed on monotherapy, immunosuppression with a single ISD after the first year post-transplant was non-inferior to standard therapy with ≥2 ISDs in the medium term.

Case report of a lithopedion of tubal location, in a young woman.

Lithopedion is a rare situation, corresponding to an ectopic pregnancy which evolves beyond the first trimester toward death and fetal calcification. This ectopic pregnancy is most often abdominal in location. Through this case report, we report the case of a lithopedion of left tubal localization in a young woman, diagnosed on CT scan following abdominal pain and confirmed by laparotomy with excision.

Measuring quality of life at work for healthcare and social services workers: A systematic review of available instruments.

Quality of life at work is an important and widely discussed concept in the literature. Several instruments can be used to measure it, but with regard to healthcare and social services, the existing instruments are not well known. A review of available instruments intending to capture the quality of life of healthcare and social services workers (QoLHSSW) is necessary to better assess their working conditions and promote programs/guidelines to improve these conditions. The aim of this study was to identify the existing instruments used in measuring QoLHSSW and explore their characteristics. Particular attention was given to instruments adapted to the province of Quebec, Canada, which enabled the determination of which instruments are adapted for the measurement of QoLHSSW in Quebec and possibly elsewhere. A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the JBI methodological guide. The articles' selection procedure was performed according to the PRISMA flowchart. The search was conducted up to October 28, 2021, and then updated on January 25, 2023, in four databases: PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, and CINAHL. The selection and extraction were performed independently by two researchers. The analysis of the quality of the studies was performed with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments. From a total of 8178 entries, 13 articles corresponding to 13 instruments were selected. Among these instruments, the common aspects that were considered were work conditions, job satisfaction, stress at work, relationship/balance, and career development. Most instruments used a 5-point Likert scale. Various validation methods were used, including reporting Cronbach's alpha for overall scale reliability; factor analysis to test construct validity; different model fit indices to test model superiority; different language comparisons to test cross-cultural validity; and qualitative expert reviews to assess content validity.

Development of a balanced instrument to measure global health-related quality of life: The 13-MD.

Generic instruments are of interest in measuring global health-related quality of life (GHRQoL). Their applicability to all patients, regardless of their health profile, allows program comparisons of whether the patients share the same disease or not. In this setting, quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) instruments must consider GHRQoL to allow the best programs to emerge for more efficiency in health resource utilization. However, many differences may be perceived among the existing generic instruments relative to their composition, where dimensions related to physical aspects of health are generally depicted more often than dimensions related to mental or social aspects. The objective of this study was to develop a generic instrument that would be complete in its covered meta-dimensions and reflect, in a balanced way, the important aspects of GHRQoL. To this end, a Delphi procedure was held in four rounds, gathering 18 participants, including seven patients, six caregivers, and five citizens. The structure of the instrument derived from the Delphi procedure was submitted to psychometric tests using data from an online survey involving the general population of Quebec, Canada (n = 2,273). The resulting questionnaire, the 13-MD, showed satisfying psychometric properties. It comprises 33 items or dimensions, with five to seven levels each. The 13-MD reflects, in a balanced form, the essential aspects of GHRQoL by including five meta-dimensions for physical health, four meta-dimensions for mental health, three meta-dimensions for social health, and one meta-dimension for sexuality and intimacy. The next step will involve the development of a value set for the 13-MD to allow QALY calculation.

Validation of the Canadian French version of the fear of COVID-19 scale in the general population of Quebec.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to develop a Canadian French translation of the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) and assess its psychometric characteristics. METHODS: A forward and backtranslation process was conducted for the Canadian French version of the FCV-19S. The guidance of the ISPOR task force for translation and cultural adaptation was followed and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with six citizens. The final proofread Canadian French FCV-19S was then administered to a large sample of citizens from the province of Quebec in Canada through an online survey. A quota sampling was conducted in 2020. Respondents from the survey also completed the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE)-6D and the Sense of Coherence (SOC-3) questionnaires. Several psychometric tests were performed to investigate the reliability (internal consistency) and validity of the Canadian French FCV-19S, including construct validity, concurrent validity, and Rasch analysis. RESULTS: The translation process was conducted without any major difficulties. The cognitive debriefing interviews led to no change in the reconciled translation. The survey collected answers from 3428 citizens. Results indicated that the factor structure of the Canadian French FCV-19S is a unidimensional factor fitting well with the data. The scale showed adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha of .903) and concurrent validity, as indicated by significantly negative correlation with CORE-6D (r = -.410) and SOC-3 (r = -.233). The Canadian French FCV-19S properties tested using Rasch analysis was also very satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicated that the Canadian French version of FCV-19S is a unidimensional tool with robust psychometric properties in the adult's population of all ages residing in the province of Quebec, Canada.

Alternative to Body Surface Area as a Solution to Correct Systematic Bias in Pediatric Echocardiography z Scores.

BACKGROUND: Z scores are the method of choice to report dimensions in pediatric echocardiography. Z scores based on body surface area (BSA) have been shown to cause systematic biases in overweight and obese children. Using aortic valve (AoV) diameters as a paradigm, the aims of this study were to assess the magnitude of z score underestimation in children with increased body mass index z score (BMI-z) and to determine if a predicting model with height and weight as independent predictors would minimise this bias. METHODS: In this multicentre, retrospective, cross-sectional study, 15,006 normal echocardiograms in healthy children 1-18 years old were analyzed. Residual associations with body size were assessed for previously published z score. BSA-based and alternate prediction models based on height and weight were developed and validated in separate training and validation samples. RESULTS: Existing BSA-based z scores incompletely adjusted for weight, BSA, and BMI-z and led to an underestimation of > 0.8 z score units in subjects with higher BMI-z compared with lean subjects. BSA-based models led to overestimation of predicted AoV diameters with increasing weight or BMI-z. Models using height and weight as independent predictors improved adjustment with body size, including in children with higher BMI-z. CONCLUSIONS: BSA-based models result in underestimation of z scores in patients with high BMI-z. Prediction models using height and weight as independent predictors minimise residual associations with body size and generate well fitted predicted values that could apply to all children, including those with low or high BMI-z.

Dimensions Used in Instruments for QALY Calculation: A Systematic Review.

Economic assessment is of utmost importance in the healthcare decision-making process. The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) concept provides a rare opportunity to combine two crucial aspects of health, i.e., mortality and morbidity, into a single index to perform cost-utility comparison. Today, many tools are available to measure morbidity in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a large literature describes how to use them. Knowing their characteristics and development process is a key point for elaborating, adapting, or selecting the most well-suited instrument for further needs. In this aim, we conducted a systematic review on instruments used for QALY calculation, and 46 studies were selected after searches in four databases: Medline EBSCO, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and PubMed. The search procedure was done to identify all relevant publications up to 18 June 2020. We mainly focused on the type of instrument developed (i.e., generic or specific), the number and the nature of dimensions and levels used, the elicitation method and the model selected to determine utility scores, and the instrument and algorithm validation methods. Results show that studies dealing with the development of specific instruments were mostly motivated by the inappropriateness of generic instruments in their field. For the dimensions' and levels' selection, item response theory, Rasch analysis, and literature review were mostly used. Dimensions and levels were validated by methods like the Loevinger H, the standardised response mean, or discussions with experts in the field. The time trade-off method was the most widely used elicitation method, followed by the visual analogue scale. Random effects regression models were frequently used in determining utility scores.

Canadian French translation and linguistic validation of the health-related quality of life utility measure for pre-school children.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to perform a Canadian French translation and linguistic validation of the health-related quality of life utility measure for pre-school children (HuPS) conceptually equivalent to the original Canadian English version. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The translation process consisted of forward and back translations. The linguistic validation was performed with the parents of preschool children during face-to-face cognitive debriefing interviews. The whole process was done in accordance with academic standards and the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patient-reported outcome instruments. RESULTS: The results of back translations indicated that 89% of the sentences were identical or almost identical to the original English-language wording. The review of the back translations led to a change in 13 sentences out of 91 from the reconciled forward translation, while the linguistic validation process with 13 parents led to 14 additional changes. Preliminary reliability validation results indicate a Cronbach's alpha of 0.73. CONCLUSION: The translation and linguistic testing processes were successful in creating a valid HuPS in Canadian French (HuPS-CF). This translation should be the subject of reliability and validity studies in a wide variety of clinical and general populations before to use in research projects.

Patients, users, caregivers, and citizens' involvement in local health technology assessment unit in Quebec: a survey.

OBJECTIVES: Increasing emphasis is given on involving patients in health technology assessment (HTA). While this is mainly done at the level of regional and national HTA agencies, this tendency is also emerging in local HTA units. In this study, we provide the results of a survey conducted in local HTA units in the province of Quebec, Canada. The aim of the survey was to provide an overview of local HTA unit practices to involve patients, users, caregivers, and citizens in their process, their interest in doing so, and their information needs for this. METHODS: The survey was conducted in 2017 with a response rate of eleven units over a possibility of twelve. RESULTS: Three units out of eleven (27.3 percent) never involved patients or members of the public in their processes and all indicated that they will involve them in the next few years. The three most important needs for support identified in the HTA units were in: recruiting and selecting patients; integrating experiential knowledge; and knowing and implementing the best methods and practices for partnership. CONCLUSION: Patient involvement in local HTA units is quickly evolving and that is why they urgently need tools to involve more effectively patients and members of the public in their process.

Epilespie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent au Senegal

Introduction L'epilepsie constitue un probleme de sante publique au Senegal avec une prevalence de 8;3 a 14/1000. Elle concerne principalement les enfants. L'objectif de ce travail est d'etudier les aspects biographiques; phenotypiques et evolutifs de la maladie epileptique dans une cohorte d'enfants au Senegal. Methodologie Il s'agit d'une etude retrospective de dossiers d'enfants epileptiques suivis regulierement au CHU de FANN et a l'Hopital d'Enfants Albert Royer; de Juillet 2003 a decembre 2010. Les criteres d'inclusion etaient: epileptiques ages de moins de 18 ans; regulierement suivis depuis au moins 3 ans; ayant un traitement adapte; a dose efficace; avec une bonne observance therapeutique. Resultats Nous avons collige 522 enfants; ages de 3 mois a 16 ans; avec un sex-ratio de 1;7 en faveur des garcons. L'epilepsie etait idiopathique chez 57% des enfants et non idiopathique chez 43% des patients. Les facteurs etiologiques etaient domines par la consanguinite parentale; les anomalies de la grossesse et de l'accouchement; les infections du systeme nerveux central. Dans le groupe des epilepsies idiopathiques la consanguinite parentale et l'epilepsie familiale etaient retrouvees respectivement chez 64 enfants (21;62%) et 20 enfants (6;75%). Neuf enfants (3%) presentaient un trouble du langage isole; alors qu'un seul enfant (0;33%) avait un deficit cognitif global. Dans le groupe des epilepsies non idiopathiques; les signes associes a l'epilepsie etaient les troubles du langage (15;70%); du comportement (15%) et des deficits moteurs (10;32%). 22;41% des enfants scolarises avaient des difficultes d'apprentissage menant parfois a des redoublements scolaires ou une exclusion. Conclusion La classification syndromique a l'epilepsie est necessaire pour une bonne prevision pronostique et therapeutique. Le caractere idiopathique ou non en est pour une grande place; correle le plus souvent a une epilepsie familial ou une consanguinite ou affection perinatal ou infectieuse du systeme nerveux central

[Epidemiological, clinical and judicial aspects of sexual assault in Bamako (Mali)]. / Aspects épidémio-cliniques et judiciaires des agressions sexuelles au Mali.

BACKGROUND: Sexual assault rates are underestimated in Mali. This study was designed to assess the epidemiological, clinical and judicial aspects of sexual assault. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted from 1st July 2007 to 30 April 2010 in the health care centre of the 4th Commune of Bamako. The study included 37 sexual assault victims selected from the medical records and sexual assault certificates from a total of 1,810 patients attending the gynaecology clinic during the study period. RESULTS: The frequency of sexual assault was therefore 2%. 78.4% of the victims took legal action against the alleged perpetrator. Victims admitted at the request of Police officers accounted for 43.25%; 59.5% of victims attended the clinic within 24 hours following the assault. The age ranged from 2 to 40 years with a mean of 21 years; 37.9% were single and 48.6% were students. The assault was perpetrated by one person in 89.2%, a relative was involved in 5.4%; rape consisted of genito-genital intercourse in 64.9%; 32.4% of the victims had perineal and/or vulval injuries. CONCLUSION: Sexual assault is relatively frequent in Mali, particularly among students and housewives. It represents a real tragedy, which must be prevented by increasing the awareness of the population, judicial assistance to victims and prosecution of perpetrators.

Valeurs de reference des erythrocytes et des leucocytes chez le nouveau-ne a Bamako; Mali

Les valeurs de reference de l'hemogramme ne sont pas etablies a la naissance au Mali. Cette etude determine les valeurs de reference erythrocytaires et leucocytaires du nouveau-ne a Bamako. Le sang du cordon ombilical a ete preleve apres clampage sans delai et etudie pour les parametres erythrocytaires et leucocytaires chez 481 nouveau-nes a terme avec un poids de naissance 2500g; un score d'Abgar ? 7 a 5ou 10 minutes; sans mutant de l'hemoglobine et dont les mamans etaient consentantes; a Bamako; Mali. Outre les valeurs medianes et moyennes; les percentiles 2;5 et 97;5 ont ete calcules. Les valeurs considerees comme normes de reference locales apres un clampage sans delai du cordon ombilical (moyenne _///} 1SD et extremes) sont : GR = 4;00 _///} 0;46.1012/L (3;13 - 4;89); Hb = 14;12 _///} 1;49 g/dL (11;20 - 17;00); Ht = 40;27 _///} 4;71 (31;62 - 50;18); VGM = 101 _///} 5 fl (91 - 112); TCMH = 35;37 _///} 2;16 pg/cellule (30;70 - 39;59); CCMH = 35;06 _///} 0;93 g/dL (33;40 - 36;90); IDR = 17;79 _///} 7;33 (15;50 - 20;39); Reticulocytes (109/L) = 133;081 _///} 29;95 (66;62 - 200;86); GB (109/L) = 13;24 _///} 7;23 (7;20 - 23;70); PNN (109/L) = 7;16 _///} 4;70 (3;07 - 14;22); PE (109/L) = 0;28 _///} 0;26 (0 - 0;98); PB (109/L) = 0;05 _///} 0;09 (0 - 0;31); Lymphocytes (109/L) = 4;49 _///} 2;45 (1;96 - 9;42); Monocytes (109/L) = 1;06 _///} 0;73 (0;21 - 2;54); myelocytes = 1;43 _///} 1;51; erythroblastes = 4;52 _///} 7;83. A noter un taux des polynucleaires neutrophiles plus bas chez le garcon que chez la fille. Ces valeurs different de celles rapportees pour d'autres populations. La prise en compte de ces resultats dans l'interpretation de l'hemogramme du nouveau-ne au Mali; devrait eviter des erreurs de diagnostic et des explorations par exces chez une population a faibles revenues