Suchergebnisse

ObjectiveTo examine the differences in inequalities in Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) hospitalizations relative to socioeconomic status across nine countries, namely Australia, Canada, England, Finland, France, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States (US).
ApproachThe International Collaborative on Costs, Outcomes, and Needs in Care (ICCONIC) research collaborative developed national data sets with hospitalization and sociodemographic data aggregated to small-area levels and pooled across countries using a common data model. Inequalities were assessed using both the slope index of inequality and the relative index of inequality.
ResultsThis study developed a common definition and set of codes for ACSC hospitalizations that proved to be comparable across countries and regions. Consistent socioeconomic gradients were observed in all countries with higher ACSC hospitalization rates for individuals in most disadvantaged areas. The greatest difference in hospitalizations between the highest and lowest income quintiles were observed in New Zealand (1603 per 100,000), Finland (1802 per 100,000) and England (1955 per 100,000).
ConclusionsThe high-income countries included in this study displayed many commonalities in inequalities in ACSC hospitalizations. As a proxy measure of primary care access and quality, the observed inequalities may implicate disparities in health care quality and access for the lowest socioeconomic status groups.
ImplicationsBarriers to health care access in low socioeconomic groups remain a complex and multifaceted issue. Future research should investigate the underlying contributing factors to the observed ACSC hospitalization equity gradients, including primary care delivery model, remuneration approach, and population structure.

AbstractDesign thinking (DT) is becoming an innovative and popular teaching method. Recently, DT has been used as an unconventional method to develop skills of problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. However, its effects on student learning are unclear. This research aimed to examine the DT's effects on student learning. The meta-analytic result based on 25 articles showed that DT positively affected student learning (r = 0.436, p < 0.001). Moreover, the learning outcome, treatment duration, grade level, DT model, and region had moderating effects. Additionally, moderator analysis suggested that DT instruction was more effective: (1) when class size is <=30; (2) on multidiscipline; (3) with long-term duration (>=3 months); (4) for secondary school and university students; (5) on student learning engagement, motivation, problem-solving skills, and academic achievement; (6) with the model of Observe, Synthesize, Ideate, and Prototype, and Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test; (7) when team size is <=7; (8) on African and Asian students.

Purpose: Pediatric cranial radiation therapy results in lasting changes in brain structure. Though different facets of radiation response have been characterized, the relative contributions of each to altered development is unclear. We sought to determine the role of radiation-induced programmed cell death, as mediated by the Trp53 (p53) gene, on neuroanatomic development. Methods and Materials: Mice having a conditional knockout of p53 (p53KO) or wildtype p53 (WT) were irradiated with a whole-brain dose of 7 Gy (IR; n = 30) or 0 Gy (sham; n = 28) at 16 days of age. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed before irradiation and at 4 time points after irradiation, until 3 months posttreatment, followed by ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemistry. The role of p53 in development was assessed at 6 weeks of age in another group of untreated mice (n = 37). Results: Neuroanatomic development in p53KO mice was normal. After cranial irradiation, alterations in neuroanatomy were detectable in WT mice and emerged through 2 stages: an early volume loss within 1 week and decreased growth through development. In many structures, the early volume loss was partially mitigated by p53KO. However, p53KO had a neutral or negative impact on growth; thus, p53KO did not widely improve volume at endpoint. Partial volume recovery was observed in the dentate gyrus and olfactory bulbs of p53KO-IR mice, with corresponding increases in neurogenesis compared with WT-IR mice. Conclusions: Although p53 is known to play an important role in mediating radiation-induced apoptosis, this is the first study to look at the cumulative effect of p53KO through development after cranial irradiation across the entire brain. It is clear that apoptosis plays an important role in volume loss early after radiation therapy. This early preservation alone was insufficient to normalize brain development on the whole, but regions reliant on neurogenesis exhibited a significant benefit. ; This study was conducted with funding support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, a Platform Support Grant from Brain Canada and the Azrieli Foundation, and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (through funding provided by the Government of Ontario).