Should we share breast density information during breast cancer screening in the United Kingdom? an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE: Dense breasts are an established risk factor for breast cancer and also reduce the sensitivity of mammograms. There is increasing public concern around breast density in the UK, with calls for this information to be shared at breast cancer screening. METHODS: We searched the PubMed database, Cochrane Library and grey literature, using broad search terms in October 2022. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of each included study. The results were narratively synthesised by five research questions: desire for information, communication formats, psychological impact, knowledge impact and behaviour change. RESULTS: We identified 19 studies: three Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs), three cohort studies, nine cross-sectional studies, one qualitative interview study, one mixed methods study and two 2021 systematic reviews. Nine studies were based in the United States of America (USA), five in Australia, two in the UK and one in Croatia. One systematic review included 14 USA studies, and the other 27 USA studies, 1 Australian and 1 Canadian. The overall GRADE evidence quality rating for each research question was very low to low.Generally, participants wanted to receive breast density information. Conversations with healthcare professionals were more valued and effective than letters. Breast density awareness after notification varied greatly between studies.Breast density information either did not impact frequency of mammography screening or increased the intentions of participants to return for routine screening as well as intention to access, and uptake of, supplementary screening. People from ethnic minority groups or of lower socioeconomic status (SES) had greater confusion following notification, and, along with those without healthcare insurance, were less likely to access supplementary screening. CONCLUSION: Breast density specific research in the UK, including different communities, is needed before the UK considers sharing breast density information at screening. There are also practical considerations around implementation and recording, which need to be addressed. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Currently, sharing breast density information at breast cancer screening in the UK may not be beneficial to participants and could widen inequalities. UK specific research is needed, and measurement, communication and future testing implications need to be carefully considered.

Survey of nursing integration of genomics into nursing practice.

PURPOSE: Translating clinically valid genomic discoveries into practice is hinged not only on technologic advances, but also on nurses-the largest global contingent of health providers-acquiring requisite competencies to apply these discoveries in clinical care. The study aim was to assess practicing nurse attitudes, practices, receptivity, confidence, and competency of integrating genomics into nursing practice. DESIGN: A convenience sample of practicing nurses was recruited to complete an online survey that assessed domains from Roger's Diffusion of Innovations Theory and used family history utilization as the basis for competency assessment. METHODS: Results were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. FINDINGS: Two-hundred-thirty-nine licensed registered nurses, 22 to 72 years of age, with a median of 20 years in practice, responded, for an overall response rate of 28%. Most were White (83%), female (92%), and held baccalaureate degrees (56%). Seventy-one percent considered genetics to be very important to nursing practice; however, 81% rated their understanding of the genetics of common diseases as poor or fair. Per-question response rates varied widely. Instrument assessment indicated that modifications were necessary to decrease respondent burden. CONCLUSIONS: Respondents' perceived genomic competency was inadequate, family history was not routinely utilized in care delivery, and the extent of family history varied widely. However, most nurses indicated interest in pursuing continuing genomic education. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings from this study can lead to the development of targeted education that will facilitate optimal workforce preparation for the ongoing influx of genetics and genomics information, technologies, and targeted therapies into the healthcare arena. This pilot study provides a foundation on which to build the next step, which includes a national nursing workforce study.

Palliative care outcomes in surgical oncology patients with advanced malignancies: a mixed methods approach.

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare outcomes and processes of hospital-based early palliative care with standard care in surgical oncology patients (N = 152). METHODS: A randomized, mixed methods, longitudinal study evaluated the effectiveness of a hospital-based Pain and Palliative Care Service (PPCS). Interviews were conducted presurgically and at follow-up visits up to 1 year. Primary outcome measures included the Gracely Pain Intensity and Unpleasantness Scales and the Symptom Distress Scale. Qualitative interviews assessed social support, satisfaction with care, and communication with providers. Survival analysis methods explored factors related to treatment crossover and study discontinuation. Models for repeated measures within subjects over time explored treatment and covariate effects on patient-reported pain and symptom distress. RESULTS: None of the estimated differences achieved statistical significance; however, for those who remained on study for 12 months, the PPCS group performed better than their standard of care counterparts. Patients identified consistent communication, emotional support, and pain and symptom management as positive contributions delivered by the PPCS. CONCLUSIONS: It is unclear whether lower pain perceptions despite greater symptom distress were clinically meaningful; however, when coupled with the patients' perceptions of their increased resources and alternatives for pain control, one begins to see the value of an integrated PPCS.

Effects of systematic oral care in critically ill patients: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: No standard oral assessment tools are available for determining frequency of oral care in critical care patients, and the method of providing oral care is controversial. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of a systematic program of oral care on oral assessment scores in critically ill intubated and nonintubated, patients. METHODS: Clinical data were collected 3 times during critical care admissions before and after institution of a systematic program of oral care in 3 different medical centers. The oral care education program consisted of instruction from a dentist or dental hygienist and a clear procedure outlining systematic oral care. The Beck Oral Assessment Scale and the mucosal-plaque score were used to assess the oral cavity. Data were analyzed by using linear mixed modeling with controls for severity of illness. RESULTS: Scores on the Beck Scale differed significantly (F = 4.79, P = .01) in the pattern of scores across the 3 days and between the control group (before oral education) and the systematic oral care group. Unlike the control group, the treatment group had decreasing scores on the Beck Scale from day 1 to day 5. The mucosal-plaque score and the Beck Scale scores had strong correlations throughout the study; the highest correlation was on day 5 (r = 0.798, P < .001, n = 43). CONCLUSIONS: Oral assessment scores improved after nurses implemented a protocol for systematic oral care. Use of the Beck Scale and the mucosal-plaque score could standardize oral assessment and guide nurses in providing oral interventions.

Evaluating a hybrid web-based basic genetics course for health professionals.

Health professionals, particularly nurses, continue to struggle with the expanding role of genetics information in the care of their patients. This paper describes an evaluation study of the effectiveness of a hybrid basic genetics course for healthcare professionals combining web-based learning with traditional face-to-face instructional techniques. A multidisciplinary group from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) created "Basic Genetics Education for Healthcare Providers" (BGEHCP). This program combined 7 web-based self-education modules with monthly traditional face-to-face lectures by genetics experts. The course was pilot tested by 186 healthcare providers from various disciplines with 69% (n=129) of the class registrants enrolling in a pre-post evaluation trial. Outcome measures included critical thinking knowledge items and a Web-based Learning Environment Inventory (WEBLEI). Results indicated a significant (p<0.001) change in knowledge scores. WEBLEI scores indicated program effectiveness particularly in the area of convenience, access and the course structure and design. Although significant increases in overall knowledge scores were achieved, scores in content areas surrounding genetic risk identification and ethical issues regarding genetic testing reflected continued gaps in knowledge. Web-based genetics education may help overcome genetics knowledge deficits by providing access for health professionals with diverse schedules in a variety of national and international settings.

The association between the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 (PPARG2) Pro12Ala gene variant and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a HuGE review and meta-analysis.

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma gene (PPARG) has been implicated in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and has been investigated in numerous epidemiologic studies. In this Human Genome Epidemiology review, the authors assessed this relation in an updated meta-analysis of 60 association studies. Electronic literature searches were conducted on September 14, 2009. Population-based cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, or genome-wide association studies reporting associations between the PPARG Pro12Ala gene variant (rs1801282) and type 2 diabetes were included. An updated literature-based meta-analysis involving 32,849 type 2 diabetes cases and 47,456 controls in relation to the PPARG Pro12Ala variant was conducted. The combined overall odds ratio, calculated by per-allele genetic model random-effects meta-analysis for type 2 diabetes and the Pro12Ala polymorphism, was 0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.81, 0.90). The analysis indicated a moderate level of heterogeneity attributable to genuine variation in gene effect size (I(2) = 37%). This may reflect the variation observed between ethnic populations and/or differences in body mass index. Work on PPARG Pro12Ala should now focus on the observed heterogeneity in the magnitude of the association between populations. Further investigations into gene-gene and gene-environment interactions may prove enlightening.

Are you asking the right admission questions when assessing dyspnea?

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is an important admission parameter to detect undiagnosed cardiopulmonary conditions. The typical admission question, "Are you short of breath?" can give insufficient or misleading data. OBJECTIVES: A group of clinical research nurses sought to improve dyspnea assessments by using a more accurate measure that would not unduly lengthen the admission process itself. The methodology used to achieve this outcome was research utilization. METHODS: On admission, 103 patients were given the standard question "Are you short of breath?" followed by 4 Visual Analog Scales of Dyspnea (VASD). These response measures assess the degree of dyspnea in relationship to variable exertion activities on a scale of 0 to 10. All responses to VASD were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The results showed that 30% of patients who responded "No" to the shortness of breath query scored 5 or more for dyspnea on the VASD. All scores of 5 or more were reported to the primary care provider for further workup. CONCLUSION: The results from this project gave impetus to designing a more formal research study that could validate VASD use in clinical admission assessments.

Long-term planning to meet UK government coronary heart disease revascularization targets.

The National Service Framework (NSF) for Coronary Heart Disease, published in the UK in 2000, gave target intervention rates of 750 procedures per million population (pmp) for both percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This paper describes how one Regional Office of the Department of Health, with CABG and PTCA rates of around half the NSF target levels, designed a strategy to plan rationally to meet the derived population need for these procedures. A bottom-up needs assessment model was used to predict the population need for these procedures for the Eastern Region of the UK. The Excel-based model took account of the effects of demographic change, anticipated reduction in incidence of heart disease due to primary prevention programmes and the expected improvement in cardiology and cardiac surgery technologies. The model predicted that excess procedures would be required across the region over the next 20 years. Further access study modelling was used to determine the best location for additional tertiary cardiac centres. Further, a commissioning tool was produced that could compare the predicted need, including additional procedures needed to meet waiting list targets, with capacity available from a range of providers. These tools have been used successfully in the Eastern Region to increase the regional revascularization rates from 371 pmp CABG and 322 pmp PTCA in 2000 to planned rates of 453 pmp CABG and 447 pmp PTCA in 2002/2003, to recommend the building of a new tertiary cardiac centre in Essex in the next decade and to inform the commissioning of revascularization rates in three coronary heart disease networks.