Healthcare-associated infection management has advanced rapidly in recent years. With the development of more standards and guidelines, infection control measures become more standardized and evidence-based. Evidence-based measures are increasingly applied in infection control, which promote more studies on the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections. Furthermore, more new ideas of infection control have emerged, with old ones being challenged. The hand hygiene reform, multidrug-resistant organisms, and surgical site infections become the hot topics in recent years. In addition, whole-genome sequencing also provides more bases for understanding pathogen transmission in hospitals. Based on the high-quality studies published in recent years, this opinion review discusses these hot topics in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections.
An increasing number of health system researchers use systematic review to synthesize research evidence to inform the development of health policies at global and national levels. However, there are methodological challenges facing the health system research in undertaking systematic reviews of health policy literatures. This paper explored the constraints and promise of systematic review as a tool for evidence-based health system research in developing countries. It introduced the systematic review method and its evolution in health research over the past decades. The paper then discussed the definition of health system research, as system science, and contrasted its features/characteristics to those of medical research. It discussed and analyzed if the systematic review could be an effective tool for evidence-based health system research, particularly in developing countries. The paper concludes that the systematic review may be a very useful tool that can be used for evidence-based health system research to address specific policy issues; however, research on some health system/policy issues may not be appropriate to use the systematic review at all.
ObjectiveTo investigate the health literacy level and its influencing factors among follow-up patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).MethodsFrom March to August 2018, 248 patients from the CKD Follow-up Management Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University were included. Basic information questionnaire and chronic diseases health literacy scale were used. Analysis of variance and t test were used in univariate analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression was used in multivariate analysis, to explore the influencing factors of health literacy score.ResultsThe average health literacy score of the 248 CKD patients (97.24±12.22) were in medium to low level. Listed from high to low, the score of each dimension was: ability to obtain information (4.24±0.50), willingness to improve health (4.17±0.66), competence to communicate and interact with others (3.95±0.59), and willingness to support financially (3.41±1.10). The result of multiple linear stepwise regression showed that whether followed up on time, families’ monthly income per capita, and the patients’ age were independent influencing factors of health literacy score (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe health literacy level of follow-up patients with CKD remains to be improved. Medical personnel should pay attention to whether patients with CKD are followed up on time, make targeted intervention, and improve the self-management of patients so as to delay the disease progress of CKD.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of health education pathway intervention on self-care agency and health lifestyle promotion in colostomy patients. MethodsEighty-eight rectal cancer patients who had undergone colostomy were randomly divided into control group and intervention group (with 44 patients in each) between March 2012 and September 2013. The control group received conventional nursing only, while the intervention group were given health education pathway intervention besides conventional nursing. The self-care agency and health lifestyle promotion in the two groups under pre-colostomy state, one week after colostomy and two weeks after colostomy were surveyed and compared based on the exercise of self-care agency scale and the health promotion lifestyle profile. ResultsAfter health education pathway intervention, the scores of self-care agency and health lifestyle promotion in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the hospitalization expenditure was also obviously lower. Furthermore, the satisfaction degree on nursing service was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe health education pathway intervention can greatly improve self-care agency and quality of life in rectal cancer patients who have undergone colostomy.
Objective To investigate the relationship between estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals without diabetes and those with diabetes. Methods Participants were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2018. Participants were divided into four subgroups based on quartiles of baseline eGDR. In this study, data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Cox proportional hazards models, restricted cubic spline curves, subgroup analyses, and receiver operator characteristic curves. Results A total of 6 283 participants were included. Among them, 47.2% are male, with an average age of (59.6±9.5) years; 285 cases (4.5%) had diabetes; there were 1 571 cases in Q1 group, 1 572 cases in Q2 group, 1 583 cases in Q3 group, and 1 557 cases in Q4 group. A total of 761 CVD events occurred. According to the multivariate-adjusted model, baseline eGDR levels were significantly associated with the risk of CVD events (P<0.05). Baseline eGDR was associated with the risk of CVD events in individuals without diabetes (P<0.05), but the results were not entirely consistent for those with diabetes [CVD: hazard ratio (HR)=0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.75, 0.96), P=0.012; heart disease: HR=0.91, 95%CI (0.78, 1.06), P=0.211; stroke: HR=0.74, 95%CI (0.58, 0.93), P=0.012]. Restricted cubic spline curves revealed significant negative linear relationships between baseline eGDR and CVD, heart disease, and stroke. Subgroup analyses with interaction testing revealed that the association between baseline eGDR and CVD was not modified by age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, or dyslipidemia. Receiver operator characteristic curves further demonstrated that baseline eGDR exhibited significantly better predictive performance than the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, obesity indices, and the TyG index-obesity composite. Conclusions Low level baseline eGDR is associated with an increased risk of CVD in individuals without diabetes. This finding may help improve risk stratification to guide preventive measures and enhance the prognosis of CVD.
Objective To investigate the situation and related factors of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in Sichuan, and provide a basis for the formulation of the strategy of influenza vaccination. Methods From August 1st to August 6th, 2022, healthcare workers from 21 prefectures and cities in Sichuan province were selected by the hospital infection quality control centers to conduct an online questionnaire survey for status and related factors of influenza vaccination. Single factor analysis of vaccination rate was carried out by χ2 test, and the related factors of influenza vaccination were analyzed by binary multiple logistic regression model. Results A total of 3264 copies of questionnaires were distributed, and 3244 valid copies were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 99.4%. The vaccination rate of influenza vaccine in the surveyed healthcare workers was 56.9% (1846/3244). The gender, age, professional title, position, department, hospital type, hospital nature, hospital level, influenza awareness, and influenza vaccination willingness were the factors resulting in statistically significant differences in influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers (P<0.05). Binary multiple logistic regression indicated that age≥35 years old [odds ratio (OR)=0.799, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.681, 0.937), P=0.006], the educational background being bachelor degree or above [OR=1.221, 95%CI (1.036, 1.439), P=0.017], position [nurses vs. doctors: OR=1.339, 95%CI (1.112, 1.612), P=0.002; technicians vs. doctors: OR=1.849, 95%CI (1.278, 2.676), P=0.001], the hospital type being specialized hospital [OR=1.804, 95%CI (1.446, 2.251), P<0.001], hospital level [secondary vs. primary hospitals: OR=0.344, 95%CI (0.271, 0.437), P<0.001; tertiary vs. primary hospitals: OR=0.526, 95%CI (0.413, 0.671), P<0.001], influenza awareness [fair vs. poor: OR=1.262, 95%CI (1.057, 1.508), P=0.010; good vs. poor: OR=1.489, 95%CI (1.142, 1.940), P=0.003], vaccination willingness [OR=4.725, 95%CI (4.009, 5.569), P<0.001] were related factors of influenza vaccination in healthcare workers. The influenza awareness was good in 416 healthcare workers (12.8%), fair in 1989 (61.3%), and poor in 839 (25.9%). The correct rate of influenza vaccination frequency was the highest (82.7%), while the correct rate of influenza contraindication was the lowest (3.2%). Among the healthcare workers, 2206 (68.0%) were willing to be vaccinated, of whom 1548 (70.2%) believed that they could protect people with weak immune function around them after vaccination; 1038 were unwilling to be vaccinated with influenza vaccine in the near future, of whom 335 (32.3%) believed that they had strong immunity and did not need to be vaccinated. Conclusions The influenza vaccination rate of medical staff is related to a variety of factors. Strengthening the publicity and education, and encouraging hospitals to provide free influenza vaccination, especially the correct understanding of contraindications, may be helpful to improve the vaccination rate.
Comorbidity is a prominent public health problem in the elderly population. To carry out research on the comorbidity of the elderly is not only an important breakthrough to realize the national strategy of actively responding to the aging population, but also a vivid practice of earnestly implementing the "Healthy China" and other action programs. Based on the major public health issues of elderly comorbidity, this paper lists the main contents and methods of elderly comorbidity research from the perspective of secondary research and empirical research, and holds that this field contains both the profound thought of "holistic concept" and the advanced idea of "integrative medicine". At the same time, under the background of the new era, the gradual deepening of the research in this field may give birth to a brand-new discipline - geriatric comorbidity.
Interpretation of the complete scientific connotation of functional foods accurately prior to approval and registration based on animal tests and small sample size human food tests is challenging. Further technical evaluation after market introduction should be carried out on safety, health function and other aspects of those widely used commercial scale production products. According to the analysis report on the consumption situation of post-marketing population submitted when applying for product registration extension since the implementation of the functional food registration and filing management measures more than 3 years ago, the post-marketing evaluation report of functional food still lacks systematic and perfect evidence support. Based on the successful experience of evidence-based medicine and post-marketing evaluation evidence, this paper analyzes the post-marketing evaluation content, evidence source construction, evidence classification and classification of functional food, and puts forward the preliminary idea of constructing post-marketing evaluation evidence body of functional food safety and health function technology from multiple view points, so as to provide insights into evidence system research in this field in the future.
With nearly four decades of progress in healthcare-associated infection prevention and control in China, the national quality control efforts in this field have been ongoing for the past ten years, advancing rapidly with significant achievements. Over the last decade, the team of infection control professionals involved in quality management and control in China has consistently expanded, accompanied by an enhancement of their skills. Management capabilities have steadily grown, and operational mechanisms have been continuously refined. As public hospitals transition into a new phase of high-quality development, emphasizing refined management models and intrinsic development of medical quality, it becomes crucial to further fortify the foundation and foster innovation in infection control work to ensure quality. This article provides an overview of the establishment and implementation of the National Center for Quality Control of Infection Prevention and Control, examines the current shortcomings and challenges in the field, and collectively explores the positioning and direction of the development of quality control efforts for infection prevention and control in China.
Objective To develop and validate a prediction model to assess the risk of depression in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Methods Data on patients with CKD were selected from the NHANES between 2005 and 2018. Participants were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set in a 7∶3 ratio for model development and validation, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression was used in the training set to identify independent risk factors associated with depression in CKD patients, with stepwise selection applied to determine the final predictors. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Internal validation was performed through bootstrap resampling, and a predictive model was ultimately established. Results A total of 4413 CKD patients were included, including 2112 males (47.86%) and 2301 females (52.14%). Among them, 3089 patients were assigned to the training set and 1324 to the validation set. In the training set, 332 patients (10.75%) presented with depressive symptoms, while 143 patients (10.80%) in the validation set had depressive symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that other hispanic, current smoking, and sleep disorders were risk factors (P＜0.05). Male, middle or high-income, high school grad/ged or above, married or widowed were protective factors (P＜0.05). Finally, 7 variables were included to construct a prediction model, including gender, poverty income ratio, education level, marital status, smoking status, body mass index, and sleep disorders. The ROC curve showed that the AUC=0.773 [95% confidence interval (0.747, 0.799)] in the training set, the internal validation was evaluated by 1000 Bootstrap resampling methods, and the corrected C-index=0.763. The validation set AUC=0.778 [95% confidence interval (0.740, 0.815)], showed good discrimination ability. The calibration curve showed that the model’s predicted probability was highly consistent with the actual occurrence. Decision curve analysis showed that the model provided a significant net benefit for clinical decision-making at a threshold probability of 20%～50%. Conclusions The prediction model constructed in this study can effectively predict the risk of depression in patients with CKD and can provide guidance for early screening and personalized intervention for high-risk groups. However, the external validation and localization of the model still needed further research.