Abstract Background Equine influenza is an important cause of respiratory disease in equids. The causative virus; EIV, is highly variable and can evolve by accumulation of mutations, particularly in the haemagglutinin (HA) gene. Currently, H3N8 is the sole subtype circulating worldwide with Florida clade 1 (FC1) is most prevalent in the Americas and FC2 in Asia and Europe. In Egypt, EIV was detected in two occasions: subtype H7N7 in 1989 and subtype H3N8 (FC1) in...

Abstract Background Equine influenza is an important cause of respiratory disease in equids. The causative virus; EIV, is highly variable and can evolve by accumulation of mutations, particularly in the haemagglutinin (HA) gene. Currently, H3N8 is the sole subtype circulating worldwide with Florida clade 1 (FC1) is most prevalent in the Americas and FC2 in Asia and Europe. In Egypt, EIV was detected in two occasions: subtype H7N7 in 1989 and subtype H3N8 (FC1) in...

Abstract Background This study compared government sub-district hospitals in Bangladesh without globally standard midwives, with those with recently introduced midwives, both with and without facility mentoring, to see if the introduction of midwives was associated with improved quality and availability of maternity care. In addition, it analysed the experiences of the newly deployed midwives and the maternity staff and managers that they joined. Methods This was a mixed-methods observational study. The six busiest hospitals from...

Background:Advance care planning supports patients to reflect on and discuss preferences for future treatment and care. Studies of the impact of advance care planning on healthcare use and healthcare costs are scarce.Aim:To determine the impact on healthcare use and costs of an advance care planning intervention across six European countries.Design:Cluster-randomised trial, registered as ISRCTN63110516, of advance care planning conversations supported by certified facilitators.Setting/participants:Patients with advanced lung or colorectal cancer from 23 hospitals in Belgium, Denmark,...

Background:Advance care planning supports patients to reflect on and discuss preferences for future treatment and care. Studies of the impact of advance care planning on healthcare use and healthcare costs are scarce.Aim:To determine the impact on healthcare use and costs of an advance care planning intervention across six European countries.Design:Cluster-randomised trial, registered as ISRCTN63110516, of advance care planning conversations supported by certified facilitators.Setting/participants:Patients with advanced lung or colorectal cancer from 23 hospitals in Belgium, Denmark,...

Background:There is uncertainty about the factors influencing inequities in access to palliative care in socially deprived areas, including the role of service models and professional perceptions.Aim:To explore the relationship between social deprivation and access to hospice care, including factors influencing access and professional experiences of providing care.Design:A mixed-methods multiple case study approach was used. Hospice referrals data were analysed using generalised linear mixed models and other regression analyses. Qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals were analysed...

Abstract Background Anticholinergic medications are drugs that block cholinergic transmission, either as their primary therapeutic action or as a secondary effect. Patients with dementia may be particularly sensitive to the central effects of anticholinergic drugs. Anticholinergics also antagonise the effects of the main dementia treatment, cholinesterase inhibitors. Our study aimed to investigate anticholinergic prescribing for dementia patients in UK acute hospitals before and after admission. Methods We included 352 patients with dementia from 17 UK...

Abstract Background Anticholinergic medications are drugs that block cholinergic transmission, either as their primary therapeutic action or as a secondary effect. Patients with dementia may be particularly sensitive to the central effects of anticholinergic drugs. Anticholinergics also antagonise the effects of the main dementia treatment, cholinesterase inhibitors. Our study aimed to investigate anticholinergic prescribing for dementia patients in UK acute hospitals before and after admission. Methods We included 352 patients with dementia from 17 UK...

Abstract Background The Workwell trial is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial with the aims of evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of job retention vocational rehabilitation for employed people with inflammatory arthritis, who are experiencing work difficulties due to their arthritis. Vocational rehabilitation is delivered by health service occupational therapists, who have received additional training in providing this Workwell intervention. A process evaluation will be undertaken alongside the main trial to investigate implementation fidelity; understand key...

Abstract Background This study compared government sub-district hospitals in Bangladesh without globally standard midwives, with those with recently introduced midwives, both with and without facility mentoring, to see if the introduction of midwives was associated with improved quality and availability of maternity care. In addition, it analysed the experiences of the newly deployed midwives and the maternity staff and managers that they joined. Methods This was a mixed-methods observational study. The six busiest hospitals from...

Abstract Background The Workwell trial is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial with the aims of evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of job retention vocational rehabilitation for employed people with inflammatory arthritis, who are experiencing work difficulties due to their arthritis. Vocational rehabilitation is delivered by health service occupational therapists, who have received additional training in providing this Workwell intervention. A process evaluation will be undertaken alongside the main trial to investigate implementation fidelity; understand key...

Background:There is uncertainty about the factors influencing inequities in access to palliative care in socially deprived areas, including the role of service models and professional perceptions.Aim:To explore the relationship between social deprivation and access to hospice care, including factors influencing access and professional experiences of providing care.Design:A mixed-methods multiple case study approach was used. Hospice referrals data were analysed using generalised linear mixed models and other regression analyses. Qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals were analysed...