Arlene Smaldone

Sleepless in America: Inadequate Sleep and Relationships to Health and Well-being of Our Nation's Children

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to identify characteristics associated with inadequate sleep for a national random sample of elementary school–aged children (6–11 years) and adolescents (12–17 years). METHODS. Data from 68418 participants in the 2003 National Survey of Childrens Health were analyzed by using weighted bivariate and multivariate regression models. The dependent variable was report of not getting enough sleep for a child of his or her age ≥1 night of the past week. Independent variables included demographic characteristics, child health, school and other activities, and family life. RESULTS. Parents of elementary school–aged children with inadequate sleep were more likely to report that their child was having problems at school or had a father with fair or poor health. Parents of adolescents with inadequate sleep were more likely to report that their child had an atopic condition, frequent or severe headaches, a parent with less-than-excellent emotional health, or experienced frequent parental anger. Inadequate sleep in both age groups was associated with parental report that their child usually or always displayed depressive symptomatology, family disagreements involved heated arguing, or parental concern that the child was not always safe at home, at school, or in their neighborhood. CONCLUSIONS. Approximately 15 million American children are affected by inadequate sleep. Primary care providers should routinely identify and address inadequate sleep and its associated health, school, and family factors.

Long-term Results of Selective Partial Cystectomy for Invasive Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES We reviewed our experience with partial cystectomy to assess local control and survival rates, and to identify pathologic predictors for recurrence. METHODS From 1995 to 2005, 25 patients with urothelial carcinoma underwent partial cystectomy with curative intent. As protocol, patients with primary solitary muscle-invasive bladder tumors underwent preoperative localized radiotherapy, administration of a single dose of intravesical chemotherapy at the time of partial cystectomy, and postoperative intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. We reviewed clinical and pathologic data to identify variables associated with disease recurrence. RESULTS We analyzed data from 25 patient records meeting review criteria (72% male, mean age 65.1 +/- 9.8 years). At time of transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TURBT), all had a solitary primary T2 (68%) or T1HG (32%) lesion with no evidence of carcinoma in situ. At follow-up (mean 45.3 +/- 30.7 months), 5-year recurrence-free, disease-specific, and overall survival rates were 64%, 84%, and 70%, respectively. At a mean of 18.0 +/- 15.6 months, 8% of patients experienced intravesical non-muscle-invasive tumor recurrences and were treated with TURBT and intravesical chemotherapy. Twenty percent recurred with locally advanced tumors or visceral metastasis and were treated with systemic chemotherapy, local resection or cystectomy, or both. On univariate analysis, only tumor size at time of partial cystectomy (P = .03) was significantly associated with tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS Partial cystectomy offers adequate control of localized invasive urothelial carcinoma in carefully selected patients with solitary primary tumors. Lifelong follow-up with cystoscopy and abdominal imaging is recommended to detect recurrence.

Use of continuous insulin infusion pumps in young children with type 1 diabetes: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION Although insulin pump therapy has been successful in adults and adolescents, its use has been limited in young children because of perceived risk of severe or frequent hypoglycemia. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in young children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS We searched Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL for clinical trials comparing multiple-dose injection therapy to CSII therapy in children 6 years of age or younger who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at least 6 months prior to study. Primary outcome measures were glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and hypoglycemic episodes. Other outcomes of interest were quality of life and parental satisfaction. RESULTS Most studies showed significant improvements in HbA1c and trends of decreased hypoglycemia. Quality of life improved in most CSII groups. Parental satisfaction with therapy was evidenced by continuation of CSII after study completion. DISCUSSION Current evidence indicates CSII is a safe and effective method of insulin delivery in young children. When parents are highly motivated, CSII should be offered as a mode of insulin delivery for this age group.

Using Information Technology and Social Networking for Recruitment of Research Participants: Experience From an Exploratory Study of Pediatric Klinefelter Syndrome

Background Recruiting pediatric samples for research may be challenging due to parental mistrust of the research process, privacy concerns, and family time constraints. Recruitment of children with chronic and genetic conditions may further complicate the enrollment process. Objective In this paper, we describe the methodological challenges of recruiting children for research and provide an exemplar of how the use of information technology (IT) strategies with social networking may improve access to difficult-to-reach pediatric research participants. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of boys between the ages of 8 and 18 years with Klinefelter syndrome. This study presented unique challenges for recruitment of pediatric participants. These challenges are illustrated by the report of recruitment activities developed for the study. We reviewed the literature to explore the issues of recruiting children for research using conventional and IT approaches. Success rates of conventional recruitment approaches, such as brochures, flyers in medical offices, and physician referrals, are compared with IT-based outreach. The IT approaches included teleconferencing via a Klinefelter syndrome support group, services of a Web-based commercial recruitment-matching company, and the development of a university-affiliated research recruitment website with the use of paid advertising on a social networking website (Facebook). Results Over a 3-month period, dissemination of over 150 recruitment brochures and flyers placed in a large urban hospital and hospital-affiliated clinical offices, with 850 letters to physicians and patients were not successful. Within the same period, face-to-face recruitment in the clinical setting yielded 4 (9%) participants. Using Web-based and social networking approaches, 39 (91%) agreed to participate in the study. With these approaches, 5 (12%) were recruited from the national Klinefelter syndrome advocacy group, 8 (19%) from local and teleconference support groups, 10 (23%) from a Web-based research recruitment program, and 16 (37%) from the university-affiliated recruitment website. For the initial 6 months, the university website was viewed approximately 2 to 3 times per day on average. An advertisement placed on a social networking site for 1 week increased website viewing to approximately 63 visits per day. Out of 112 families approached using all of these methods, 43 (38%) agreed to participate. Families who declined cited either travel distance to the study site (15, 22%) or unwillingness to disclose the Klinefelter syndrome diagnosis to their sons (54, 78%) as the reasons for nonparticipation. Conclusions Use of Web-based technologies enhances the recruitment of difficult-to-reach populations. Of the many approaches employed in this study, the university-affiliated recruitment website supported by a Facebook advertisement appeared to be the most successful. Research grant budgets should include expenses for website registration and maintenance fees as well as online advertisements on social networking websites. Tracking of recruitment referral sources may be helpful in planning future recruitment campaigns.

Staged Retrograde Endoscopic Lithotripsy as Alternative to PCNL in Select Patients with Large Renal Calculi

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is currently the gold standard for management of large renal calculi. PCNL is associated, however, with a higher complication rate, degree of risk, and longer recovery period compared with ureteroscopy. In a selected group of patients who were not ideal candidates for PCNL because of extenuating health factors, a staged retrograde endoscopic approach was used to manage upper urinary tract calculi. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of 23 patients (selected because of comorbidities, obesity, anatomy, and previous treatment failure as poor candidates for PCNL) who underwent staged retrograde endoscopic lithotripsy to manage upper urinary tract calculi. Lithotripsy was based on the application of small-diameter fiberoptic ureteroscopes and the holmium laser. Successful therapy was defined as total fragmentation of stone burden on repeated imaging. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Of the 468 patients who underwent ureteroscopy at our institution from 2003 to 2006, 23 patients (52% men, 57.70 +/- 11.44 years of age) were treated with retrograde endoscopic procedures for upper urinary tract calculi (52.2% lower pole). Stone burden at the initial procedure was 2.13 +/- 2.34 stones with a total linear length of 30.91 +/- 14.28 mm and an estimated total stone volume of 12,040.78 +/- 11101.54 cc (median value, 7,234.00 cc). There were no intraoperative complications; three patients were admitted postoperatively for observation. Ten 43.5%) patients (progressed to second-stage procedures (34.6 +/- 10.8 days apart). After repeated imaging, 73.9% of patients were stone free (88% lower pole), and 8.7% progressed to further intervention. Total linear stone length <4 cm and estimated calculus volume > or =15,000 cc predicted treatment failure (40%, 42.9%). CONCLUSIONS Percutaneous methods of managing renal stones have an increased rate of complications compared with ureteroscopy. In patients with complex medical histories, upper urinary tract calculi <4 cm can be safely and effectively managed using a staged retrograde endoscopic approach.

Quality of primary care by advanced practice nurses: a systematic review

PURPOSE To conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the safety and effectiveness of primary care provided by advanced practice nurses (APNs) and evaluate the potential of their deployment to help alleviate primary care shortages. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Medline and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. STUDY SELECTION RCTs and their follow-up reports that compared outcomes of care provided to adults by APNs and physicians in equivalent primary care provider roles were selected for inclusion. DATA EXTRACTION Ten articles (seven RCTs, plus two economic evaluations and one 2-year follow-up study of included RCTs) met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted regarding study design, setting and outcomes across four common categories. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS The seven RCTs include data for 10 911 patients who presented for ongoing primary care (four RCTs) or same-day consultations for acute conditions (three RCTs) in the primary care setting. Study follow-up ranged from 1 day to 2 years. APN groups demonstrated equal or better outcomes than physician groups for physiologic measures, patient satisfaction and cost. APNs generally had longer consultations compared with physicians; however, two studies reported that APN patients required fewer consultations over time. CONCLUSION There were few differences in primary care provided by APNs and physicians; for some measures APN care was superior. While studies are needed to assess longer term outcomes, these data suggest that the APN workforce is well-positioned to provide safe and effective primary care.

Efficacy of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Improvement of Bipolar Symptoms: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review was to examine the current level of evidence regarding the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in improving bipolar disorder symptoms. Of 99 articles meeting initial search criteria, 5 randomized control trials and 2 quasi-experimental studies were selected for review. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was effective in 4 of 7 studies. Those using an omega-3 combination of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexanoic acid demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in bipolar symptoms, whereas those using a single constituent did not. Dosage variations did not demonstrate statistically significant differences. Due to its benign side effect profile and some evidence supporting its usefulness in bipolar illness, omega-3 may be a helpful adjunct in treatment of selected patients. Future studies are needed to conclusively confirm the efficacy of omega-3s in bipolar disorder, uncovering a new well-tolerated treatment option.

Adopting the sensemaking perspective for chronic disease self-management

BACKGROUND Self-monitoring is an integral component of many chronic diseases; however few theoretical frameworks address how individuals understand self-monitoring data and use it to guide self-management. PURPOSE To articulate a theoretical framework of sensemaking in diabetes self-management that integrates existing scholarship with empirical data. METHODS The proposed framework is grounded in theories of sensemaking adopted from organizational behavior, education, and human-computer interaction. To empirically validate the framework the researchers reviewed and analyzed reports on qualitative studies of diabetes self-management practices published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2015. RESULTS The proposed framework distinguishes between sensemaking and habitual modes of self-management and identifies three essential sensemaking activities: perception of new information related to health and wellness, development of inferences that inform selection of actions, and carrying out daily activities in response to new information. The analysis of qualitative findings from 50 published reports provided ample empirical evidence for the proposed framework; however, it also identified a number of barriers to engaging in sensemaking in diabetes self-management. CONCLUSIONS The proposed framework suggests new directions for research in diabetes self-management and for design of new informatics interventions for data-driven self-management.

Nurse Practitioner Organizational Climate in Primary Care Settings: Implications for Professional Practice

The expansion of the nurse practitioner (NP) workforce in primary care is key to meeting the increased demand for care. Organizational climates in primary care settings affect NP professional practice and the quality of care. This study investigated organizational climate and its domains affecting NP professional practice in primary care settings. A qualitative descriptive design, with purposive sampling, was used to recruit 16 NPs practicing in primary care settings in Massachusetts. An interview guide was developed and pretested with two NPs and in 1 group interview with 7 NPs. Data collection took place in spring of 2011. Individual interviews lasted from 30-70 minutes, were audio recorded, and transcribed. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti 6.0 software by 3 researchers. Content analysis was applied. Three previously identified themes, NP-physician relations, independent practice and autonomy, and professional visibility, as well as two new themes, organizational support and resources and NP-administration relations emerged from the analyses. NPs reported collegial relations with physicians, challenges in establishing independent practice, suboptimal relationships with administration, and lack of support. NP contributions to patient care were invisible. Favorable organizational climates should be promoted to support the expanding of NP workforce in primary care and to optimize recruitment and retention efforts.

Revisiting Scope of Practice Facilitators and Barriers for Primary Care Nurse Practitioners: A Qualitative Investigation

Revisiting scope of practice (SOP) policies for nurse practitioners (NPs) is necessary in the evolving primary care environment with goals to provide timely access, improve quality, and contain cost. This study utilized qualitative descriptive design to investigate NP roles and responsibilities as primary care providers (PCPs) in Massachusetts and their perceptions about barriers and facilitators to their SOP. Through purposive sampling, 23 NPs were recruited and they participated in group and individual interviews in spring 2011.The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti 6.0 software, and content analysis was applied. In addition to NP roles and responsibilities, three themes affecting NP SOP were: regulatory environment; comprehension of NP role; and work environment. NPs take on similar responsibilities as physicians to deliver primary care services; however, the regulatory environment and billing practices, lack of comprehension of the NP role, and challenging work environments limit successful NP practice.