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Preferences for Internet Plus Nursing Services Among Nurses and Patients in China: A Systematic Review of Discrete Choice Experiments.1 week agoAgainst the backdrop of an aging population, the traditional nursing model struggles to meet diverse needs. Despite the significant social benefits of internet plus nursing services, misaligned preferences between nurses and patients hinder their widespread adoption. Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are a key tool for quantifying stakeholder preferences and improving service adoption. No review has systematically synthesized evidence on patients' and nurses' preferences for internet plus nursing services.
To systematically review DCEs conducted in China that examined patients' and nurses' preferences for internet plus nursing services.
Eight electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to September 5, 2026. Two researchers used the conjoint analysis applications in the healthcare checklist to evaluate the quality of the literature. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the data. A hybrid deductive-inductive thematic analysis was applied to classify the attributes into broad categories and subcategories, and each attribute was analyzed for frequency, significance, relative importance, and willingness to pay. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251172405).
A total of 11 studies from China were included, five of which had nurses as respondents and six of which had patients as respondents. A total of 63 attributes were extracted and categorized into 7 broad categories and 25 subcategories by theme. Economic guarantee-related attributes were the most common. Subgroup analyses showed that payment costs were the most common attribute subcategory among patients, whereas service revenue was the most common among nurses. In addition, nurses' preferences may vary by professional title, years of experience, and income, whereas patients' preferences may vary by income and educational attainment.
This review identified overlapping and divergent patterns in patients' and nurses' preferences for internet plus nursing services. Across these studies, both groups tended to prefer greater service safety, better service accessibility, and government or public healthcare institutions as service providers. However, patient studies indicated a preference for lower payment costs, whereas nurse studies indicated a preference for higher service remuneration. Future research should further explore the preferences of diverse populations, including people from different cultural backgrounds and informal caregivers, to enhance the broader applicability of internet plus nursing services.
Nursing administrators should refine service plans based on preferences reported by nurses and patients regarding internet plus nursing services. These plans should address the needs of both groups while promoting the efficient, balanced allocation of home-care nursing resources.Mental HealthAccessCare/Management -
Menstrual Cycle and Progesterone-to-Estradiol Ratio Associated With Loss of Control and Craving in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Sex-Segregating Longitudinal Study.1 week agoAlcohol use disorder (AUD) causes a high burden worldwide. The menstrual cycle and the progesterone-to-estradiol ratio are related to alcohol consumption in females and males with AUD. However, the underlying mechanisms triggering problem drinking in everyday life remain to be determined. This longitudinal multicentre study analysed associations of menstrual cycle phases (1316 of 70 naturally cycling females with AUD) and progesterone-to-estradiol ratios (quantified in 567 blood samples of 256 males with AUD) with real-world 12-month data on loss of control over alcohol consumption and craving measured via 17296 and 10482 smartphone entries using general linear mixed models. Females with severe AUD stated less frequent loss of control in the midluteal and late luteal phases characterized by high progesterone-to-estradiol ratios compared to the follicular phase. In the total female sample, craving was lower during the late luteal and menstrual phases compared to the follicular phase. Similarly, males with moderate and severe AUD reported less frequent loss of control in phases of a high progesterone-to-estradiol ratio. The identified biobehavioural interplay suggests that increasing progesterone relative to estradiol may assist individuals with AUD in re-establishing control over alcohol consumption and reducing craving. When employed in conjunction with customized just-in-time adaptive digital interventions, this approach has the potential to evolve into a novel precision medicine strategy for AUD. The findings also underscore the necessity for the development of treatments tailored to the phases of the menstrual cycle, thereby addressing the critical underrepresentation of females in AUD research.Mental HealthAccessAdvocacy
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Formal help-seeking intentions for dementia in the Australian public: associations with stigma.1 week agoTo understand dementia stigma and help-seeking intentions amongst middle-aged and older community-dwelling Australians, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted in February 2023 amongst Australian adults aged ≥45 years. The survey collected demographic data, prior experience with people with dementia, dementia-related public stigma, and formal and informal help-seeking intentions for self and family members (modified General Help-Seeking Questionnaire). Multivariable regression models were used to examine factors associated with help-seeking intentions. Data from 1364 participants were analysed (41.4% aged ≥65 years; 60.7% women). Most participants reported that, if they observed signs of dementia, they were likely to seek help from family or friends (70.7% for self, 77.1% for family member) and from health professionals (83.7% for self, 82.3% for family member). Participants were significantly more likely to seek help formally than informally. There were no differences in formal help-seeking intentions for self or family member. Formal help-seeking intentions were associated with age, education, and previous formal dementia information seeking. There were small, significant associations between help-seeking intentions and dementia stigma factors relating to personhood, incapacity, and social distance; however, the direction of association varied when help-seeking was for self or a family member. This study demonstrates that help-seeking intentions amongst Australian adults were associated with demographic factors, prior help-seeking experience, and dementia stigma. Cross-sectional, scenario-based studies of help-seeking intentions may not sufficiently capture the relationship between dementia stigma and help-seeking behaviour. Future campaigns to increase help-seeking for dementia should consider targeting both cognitive and behavioural aspects of dementia stigma.Mental HealthAccessCare/ManagementAdvocacy
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Mothers' experiences of feeding their premature infants after discharge from the hospital: a systematic review and thematic synthesis.1 week agoBeing born prematurely has profound implications for feeding, which is one of the most complex and developmentally significant tasks in the first year of life. Various factors influence feeding outcomes and experiences including fatigue and coordination difficulties associated with prematurity, heightened parental anxiety, and altered parent-infant interaction that can result in maladaptive mealtime routines and behaviours. The transition from hospital to home is a sensitive period for parents of premature infants. This review aims to understand parents' experiences of feeding their premature infants in the first year after discharge. This synthesis will inform the development of effective post-discharge support strategies and guide future research. A systematic search of six databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) was conducted. Qualitative studies published between 2000 and 2025 that describe parents' experiences of feeding their premature infants after hospital discharge were quality-appraised and analysed using thematic synthesis. Twenty-two studies conducted across 10 countries were included. All studies focused on mothers of premature infants across all levels of prematurity and most centred on breastfeeding experiences. Four main themes illustrate that feeding experiences are shaped by personal, institutional, and societal influences and that mothers across diverse countries describe remarkably similar experiences despite variations in healthcare systems and models of care. The main themes were the complex reality of the feeding journey, negotiating agency in the feeding journey, navigating the institutional landscape and the impact of societal norms on feeding experiences. The review showed that the struggle to build and sustain maternal agency and confidence in feeding their premature infants, does not end at discharge; for many, it intensifies at home. Supporting parents of premature infants requires attention not only to feeding techniques but also to the relational, institutional, and societal forces that shape maternal agency and confidence long after hospital discharge.Mental HealthAccessCare/Management
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Evaluation of Ambient Voice Technology in the National Health Service in England: Protocol for a Phase 2 Study.1 week agoAmbient voice technology (AVT) uses conversational AI to record and organize clinical consultations in real time. It is being adopted quickly across the National Health Service (NHS). However, evidence about its effects on productivity, costs, or staff experience across different health care settings is limited. Phase 1 of this research program developed a taxonomy, logic model, and outcome framework for evaluating AVT. Phase 2 will carry out a multisite, mixed methods evaluation of AVT in 4 NHS trusts. These include mental health outpatient services, acute hospital outpatient clinics, and accident and emergency departments.
This study aims to explore the real-world impact of AVT on productivity, costs, and staff experience across NHS adult services.
The study includes three parts: (1) a quantitative quasi-experimental analysis of routine NHS data to estimate the impact of AVT on documentation time, clinician activity, and service outcomes; (2) a comprehensive health economic evaluation comprising cost-consequence analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and budget impact modeling; and (3) interviews with up to 36 staff from 3 services (mental health outpatient, acute hospital outpatient, and accident and emergency) to explore their experience of using AVT, their views on its impact, and what helps and gets in the way of its use. Sites will be chosen to include different care settings, organizational environments, and AVT products. Quantitative and economic analyses will use NHS electronic health records and national datasets to understand changes over time and measure the impact of AVT. Interview data will be analyzed using thematic analysis and rapid assessment procedures to identify key themes. All study findings will be combined to give a clear view of AVT and its impact.
Data collection is expected to begin in August 2026 and conclude by January 2027. Publication of results is anticipated in February 2027.
This evaluation will provide real-world evidence on the productivity, economic, and experiential impacts of AVT in the NHS. Outputs will include peer-reviewed papers, a slide-deck summary for the funder, and a publicly available health economic decision-support tool to help NHS organizations decide whether they should adopt AVT.Mental HealthCare/ManagementPolicy -
Shared Genetic Architecture Between Common Epilepsies and Subcortical Brain Volumes Is Associated With Cognition and Mental Health.1 week agoEpilepsy is a common neurological disorder, often presenting with psychiatric comorbidities and cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging studies have suggested associations between epilepsy and subcortical volumetric abnormalities. The genetic basis between epilepsy and subcortical volume abnormalities is, however, poorly understood, particularly if they share a common genetic architecture.
To investigate polygenic overlap, we employed the bivariate causal mixture model (MiXeR) to analyze genome-wide association data from various epilepsy subtypes (genetic generalized epilepsy [GGE]: n = 49,388, all epilepsy [EP]: n = 69,995, focal epilepsy: n = 57,375) and 16 subcortical volumetric phenotypes (n = 33,224). We identified shared genomic loci through conditional and conjunctional false discovery rate analyses (cond/conjFDR).
MiXeR results suggest substantial shared genetic variants between subcortical volume and common epilepsies. ConjFDR analysis identified 33 distinct shared loci between GGE and subcortical volumetric phenotypes. The shared loci were mapped to 322 protein-coding genes. Among these, 49 genes showed significant expression-trait associations with both GGE and subcortical volume phenotypes, and 12 of the 322 genes were also associated with cognitive, mental health, and personality-related traits.
We dissected the shared genetic architecture between common epilepsies and subcortical volumes. Expression-trait association analyses further identified candidate genes associated with cognitive, mental health, and personality-related phenotypes.Mental HealthCare/ManagementAdvocacy -
Defining the Clinical Phenotypic Ground Truth: Expert Interrater Agreement in Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders.1 week agoReliable clinical phenotyping is crucial for diagnosis, treatment, and research in hyperkinetic movement disorders, yet its interrater reliability remains uncertain.
To quantify interrater agreement in clinical phenotyping of hyperkinetic movement disorders among experts in a large, phenotypically diverse cohort.
Within the NEMO project, 161 patients with hyperkinetic movement disorders underwent standardized video assessments. Each patient was independently classified by three international movement disorders experts in a structured, stepwise procedure. Experts first assessed videos alone, then received clinical history and examination, and finally diagnostic test results. At each step, they assigned primary and secondary phenotypes and rated their diagnostic confidence. Interrater agreement was assessed using Fleiss' and Cohen's kappa.
Across all phenotypes, interrater agreement on the primary phenotype increased with added information (κ = 0.457 to κ = 0.607). Agreement with the NEMO reference classification similarly improved (κ = 0.478 to κ = 0.656). Among patients with a single dominant phenotype, agreement reached κ = 0.78. In 93% of cases, at least two out of three experts reached consensus. Agreement was substantially lower in patients with mixed or complex presentations, such as myoclonus-dystonia and functional movement disorders. Diagnostic certainty rose throughout, though secondary phenotype agreement remained poor. Experts rarely revised initial impressions, suggesting robust pattern recognition but also potential confirmation bias.
Movement disorders specialists can reliably identify hyperkinetic phenotypes, even without in-person assessment. While complex, mixed and functional presentations remain diagnostically challenging, our findings reinforce the value of expert phenotyping in clinical care, training, and research, and provide a benchmark for future studies and computational approaches.Mental HealthCare/Management -
Diagnostic challenges in an adult patient with Fanconi Anemia: Neuroinflammatory Syndrome (FANS) intertwined with infectious processes.1 week agoFanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow failure and an increased risk of malignancies. Neuroinflammatory presentations in adulthood are exceedingly rare and pose profound diagnostic challenges, particularly when atypical neurological manifestations closely mimic opportunistic central nervous system infections in an immunocompromised host. We present the complex case of a 32-year-old male with FA who developed a progressive neuroinflammatory syndrome intertwined with infectious processes. The patient presented with fatigue, fever, altered mental status, and gait instability. Initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed peripheral enhancing lesions and scattered millimetric calcifications within the cerebrum and cerebellum, clearly delineated on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). Concurrently, a positive CMV PCR raised high suspicion for an opportunistic viral encephalitis, prompting empirical antiviral, antifungal, and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapies. A follow-up contrast-enhanced brain MRI at six weeks demonstrated stability of the lesions. Because severe thrombocytopenia precluded a stereotactic brain biopsy, histopathological confirmation was unavailable. However, the lack of radiological progression argued against an untreated aggressive infectious or neoplastic etiology. While a partially treated opportunistic infection or healed granulomatous disease cannot be definitively excluded, the overall clinical and radiological findings were favored to represent Fanconi Anemia Neurologic Syndrome (FANS). This case highlights the extraordinary diagnostic dilemma of differentiating primary neuroinflammatory syndromes from opportunistic infections in adult patients with FA. Furthermore, it emphasizes the indispensable role of advanced MRI sequences, such as SWI, and longitudinal radiological follow-up in evaluating suspected non-infectious neurological involvement when tissue diagnosis is clinically contraindicated.Mental HealthCare/Management
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Impact of health education on quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease.1 week agoChronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population, and health education is widely proposed to help patients manage the disease. We conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review of studies published between 2014 and April 2024 evaluating educational interventions in adults with CKD using a validated QoL instrument. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data, resolving disagreements with a third reviewer; risk of bias was assessed with RoB2 and ROBINS-I. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. Educational interventions were generally associated with improvements in QoL and clinical parameters, more consistently for mental than physical health, although certainty of evidence was limited by heterogeneity in design, populations and outcomes, and by a predominance of studies with some concerns or high risk of bias. Health education appears a valuable component of CKD care, but well-designed, prospectively registered trials are needed before firm recommendations can be made.Mental HealthCare/Management
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The Association Between Depression and Tourette Syndrome: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Hotspots and Emerging Trends from 2001 to 2025.1 week agoDepression is a clinically relevant comorbidity of Tourette syndrome (TS), yet the organization and development of research on this topic remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to map the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and emerging trends in the literature on TS and depression. It also sought to identify questions that warrant further investigation.
English-language articles and reviews published from 2001 to 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to analyze publication and citation trends, collaboration networks, co-cited references, keyword co-occurrence, and temporal patterns. A narrative comparison of selected clinical studies informed the interpretation of these findings.
After database-specific screening, 3024 records were combined, and 2311 publications remained after duplicate removal. Publication output increased overall, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and China contributing the most publications. Research themes expanded from tic control and pharmacological treatment to psychiatric comorbidities, mental health, quality of life, and functional outcomes. TS, tic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, comorbidity, and neuromodulation formed the core keyword network.
Research on TS and depression increasingly addresses psychiatric comorbidity and functional outcomes. These findings support assessing depressive symptoms alongside tic severity and including depression and functional outcomes in future TS research.Mental HealthCare/Management