Review
Economics
Lidia Engel, Maja Ajdukovic, Jessica Bucholc, Nikki McCaffrey
Summary: This study identified three main valuation methodologies for determining the value of informal care provided to people living with dementia, and estimated the average hourly unit cost. The results showed that the amount and cost of informal care increased as the condition of dementia progressed. Further research into consistent approaches to valuation is warranted to address the costs of informal care in economic evaluations.
Article
Economics
Tim A. Kanters, Jasper J. Brugts, Olivier C. Manintveld, Matthijs M. Versteegh
Summary: Caring for patients with AF involves significant burden, both objectively and subjectively, but can also provide a sense of fulfillment. The time and burden of caregiving are mainly influenced by comorbidities.
Article
Economics
Bo Hu, Javiera Cartagena-Farias, Nicola Brimblecombe, Shari Jadoolal, Raphael Wittenberg
Summary: Research estimates the economic costs of informal care in England to be 54.2 billion pounds in 2019, projected to increase by 87% by 2039. The government should enhance support for informal caregivers and care recipients to ensure care adequacy, caregiver well-being, and prevent costs from spilling over to other sectors.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
M. Barral, H. Rabier, A. Termoz, H. Serrier, C. Colin, J. Haesebaert, L. Derex, N. Nighoghossian, A-M Schott, M. Viprey
Summary: The study found that in the first year after a stroke, patients' productivity losses and informal care costs represent a significant economic burden for society, comparable to direct costs. These costs should be considered in economic evaluations to avoid underestimating the societal stroke economic burden.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Economics
Sean Urwin, Yiu-Shing Lau, Gunn Grande, Matt Sutton
Summary: Economic evaluations increasingly consider the value of informal care, but there is limited evidence on how to address the numerous measurement challenges related to caregiving time. Some issues, such as incremental time and time measurement method comparisons, have received relatively more attention, while non-response and carer and recipient identification remain widespread concerns. More research is needed to understand the consequences of these measurement challenges on cost-effectiveness ratios and total cost of health conditions.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wenwei Liu, Huimin Zhang, Suwei Yuan, Tongzhou Lyu
Summary: This study explores the factors associated with well-being of informal caregivers in Shanghai and provides empirical evidence that income, health status, and caregiving hours are significantly related to caregivers' life satisfaction. The study also highlights the importance of considering caregivers in poor health condition and/or involved in more activities of daily living tasks when formulating support policies.
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Noura Amini Pay, Carolyn M. Sommerich, Steven A. Lavender
Summary: This study found that using a slide sheet when informal caregivers perform patient boosting and turning tasks can reduce erector spinae activity, shoulder elevation, torso angle, and normalized vertical ground reaction force, providing biomechanical benefits.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jenny Alwin, Bjorn W. Karlson, Magnus Husberg, Per Carlsson, Niklas Ekerstad
Summary: The study aimed to describe informal care activities and estimate the societal cost of caring for frail elderly people in Sweden. Results showed that informal caregivers provided an average of 245 hours of care over three months, with a mean cost of approximately 18,000 SEK (euro1878) over the same period. The total annual societal costs of informal care for community-dwelling frail elderly people in Sweden were estimated to be approximately 11,000 million SEK (euro1150 million), highlighting the significant economic value of informal caregiving and the importance of supporting informal caregivers in society.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Kunhee Choi, Junseo Bae, Yangtian Yin, Hyun Woo Lee
Summary: The study developed a stochastic decision support model called ACT(2) using second-order polynomial regression analysis. It found that the Incentive/disincentive method can reduce project duration but at the cost of higher expenses compared to other methods.
JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT IN ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Economics
Quitterie Roquebert, Marianne Tenand
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of informal care receipt for French individuals aged 60 or older. The research finds that informal care in residential care settings is often overlooked in literature that focuses on the community. By leveraging data from a representative survey conducted in 2015-2016, the study reveals that nursing home residents are more likely to receive help from relatives for daily activities, but the amount of help is significantly lower compared to community-dwelling individuals. Informal care represents a significant amount of hours and value in terms of GDP, with the majority coming from community care. The study also investigates the factors influencing informal care receipt and highlights the importance of both population composition and individual characteristics in nursing homes. However, the determinants of informal care receipt in the community may not be relevant in understanding informal care behaviors in nursing homes.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ludmila Fleitas Alfonzo, Ankur Singh, George Disney, Tania King
Summary: Young carers, individuals aged 25 years or less who provide unpaid informal care to their family or friends, face negative impacts on their mental health. This study examined gender differences in the mental health effects of informal care among Australian adolescents. The findings indicate that informal care is associated with poorer mental health among boys and girls, with girls experiencing the highest levels of distress. Although the mental health effects are stronger for girls, the difference in mental health disparities between girls and boys is small and uncertain.
SSM-POPULATION HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Timothy Laing, Stephan Moonsammy
Summary: The ASM sector in Guyana has become a main driver of economic growth, foreign exchange, and employment, but has also led to significant environmental and social impacts. Balancing economic benefits with social and ecological costs is crucial for achieving the SDGs.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Natalia Espinola, Andres Pichon-Riviere, Agustin Casarini, Andrea Alcaraz, Ariel Bardach, Caitlin Williams, Federico Rodriguez Cairoli, Federico Augustovski, Alfredo Palacios
Summary: This study aims to estimate the time use and cost associated with informal care for various diseases in Latin American countries. The study estimated approximately 1,900 million hours of informal care annually and $4,300 million per year in average informal care time cost. The informal care time cost represents a significant burden and is often overlooked in healthcare evaluations.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Bjorn Ekman, Kevin McKee, Joana Vicente, Lennart Magnusson, Elizabeth Hanson
Summary: This study estimates the direct and indirect costs of informal care to caregivers using a national household survey from Sweden. Results show that around 15% of the adult population in Sweden provide informal care, costing approximately SEK 152 billion per year. The largest cost items are income loss and direct costs of providing care.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marlene Stratmann, Yvonne Forsell, Jette Moller, Yajun Liang
Summary: This study indicates a significant association between informal caregiving limitations and short- and long-term anxiety and depression among caregivers. On the other hand, no significant associations were found in caregivers without limitations. It emphasizes the importance of investigating the extent to which informal caregiving can be provided without causing burden to caregivers.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eimear Smith, Patricia Fitzpatrick, Frank Lyons, Seamus Morris, Keith Synnott
Summary: The study on NTSCI epidemiology in Ireland found that the incidence of NTSCI is more than double that of traumatic SCI, highlighting the need for enhanced rehabilitation services for patients.
JOURNAL OF SPINAL CORD MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Rajiv Pandey, Margaret M. Morgan, Colette Murphy, Helen Kavanagh, Robert Acheson, Mark Cahill, Patricia McGettrick, Louise O'Toole, Fatima Hamroush, Therese Mooney, Helen Byrne, Patricia Fitzpatrick, David J. Keegan
Summary: This study analyzed the uptake and trends in the detection of diabetic retinopathy and non-diabetes-related eye disease in a cohort of individuals who underwent annual screening. The results showed an increasing uptake of screening, but a decreasing detection rate of screen-positive retinopathy over five years. On the other hand, the detection and referral rate of non-diabetes-related eye disease increased.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Margaret I. Fitch, Linda Sharp, Paul Hanly, Christopher J. Longo
Summary: This systematic review explores the qualitative evidence on cancer-related financial toxicity from the perspective of patients and/or informal caregivers in publicly funded healthcare systems, highlighting the complexity of experiencing financial hardship following a cancer diagnosis and the need for various mitigation strategies.
JOURNAL OF CANCER SURVIVORSHIP
(2022)
Article
Economics
Paul Hanly, Michelle Ahern, Linda Sharp, Diana Ursul, Gerard Loughnane
Summary: During the initial period of the pandemic in Europe, significant premature mortality costs related to COVID-19 were observed, with a total of 18,614 excess deaths and 134,190 Years of Potential Productive Life Lost. Spain, Italy, and The Netherlands had the highest premature mortality costs, with Spain also experiencing the highest cost as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product. The study provides policy makers and researchers with valuable insights into the economic burden of the virus and emphasizes the potential economic savings from timely public health measures.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Louise Kelly, Jennifer Walsh, Mairead Skally, Binu Dinesh, Karen Burns, Karina O'Connell, Stephen MacNally, Hilary Humphreys, Fidelma Fitzpatrick
Summary: This study aimed to review the diagnosis, management, and outcome of Candida meningitis/ventriculitis in our hospital over the past ten years. The results showed that Candida meningitis/ventriculitis is an uncommon infection associated with devices, requiring prolonged treatment and leading to increased morbidity, length of stay, and disability.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Patricia Fitzpatrick, Helen Byrne, Fidelma Flanagan, Ann O'Doherty, Alissa Connors, Aideen Larke, Risteard O'Laoide, Yvonne Williams, Therese Mooney
Summary: This study aims to examine international consensus on interval breast cancer audit processes. A survey of 24 international population-based breast screening programs was conducted, and it was found that there is consistency in providing aggregate programmatic audits, but no consistent approach to individual interval cancer reviews or results disclosure.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCREENING
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
M. Skally, K. Bennett, K. Burns, R. Brennan, C. Finn, K. O'Connell, B. Dinesh, S. O'Donnella, W. Fawley, M. Wilcox, H. Humphreys, F. Fitzpatrick
Summary: This retrospective study investigated the data of hospitalized patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in an Irish tertiary hospital over 10 years. CDI remained a major cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, with a recurrent rate of 9%. Most infections occurred during hospitalization, and there was a higher likelihood of infection in female patients. Despite key events and increased hospital activity, there was no significant change in the incidence of healthcare-associated CDI, while community-associated CDI reached its highest point in a decade in 2021.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Economics
Paul Hanly, Marta Ortega Ortega, Alison Pearce, Marianna de Camargo Cancela, Isabelle Soerjomataram, Linda Sharp
Summary: Based on the analysis of data from 17 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries between 2010 and 2021, we estimated the friction periods in these countries. The average friction period was 61.0 days for non-European countries and 60.6 days for European countries. The outbreak of Covid-19 increased the length of the friction period, and using a specific research-based friction period can reduce productivity costs by over a third.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Abdubadie Kutubi, Luke O'Brien, Ben Murphy, Patricia Fitzpatrick, Conor Hurson, Deepa Rajendran, Eoin Feeney, Patrick Mallon, Sarmad Waqas
Summary: This study assessed the clinical outcomes, readmission rates, and financial impact of prosthetic joint infections (PJI) treated with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). The results showed that OPAT was a safe and effective treatment option for PJI, reducing readmission rates and saving healthcare costs.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
P. Fitzpatrick, N. Bhardwaj, M. Masalkhi, A. Lyons, K. Frazer, A. McCann, S. Syed, V. Niranjan, C. C. Kelleher, S. Brennan, P. Kavanagh, P. Fox
Summary: The study aimed to document the smoking cessation (SC) services provided for patients with cancer by specialist adult cancer hospitals across Ireland. The findings revealed significant variation in SC information and services provided, reflecting the need for improvement.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Marianna De Camargo Cancela, Jonas Eduardo Monteiro dos Santos, Leonardo Borges Lopes de Souza, Luis Felipe Leite Martins, Dyego Leandro Bezerra de Souza, Anton Barchuk, Paul Hanly, Linda Sharp, Isabelle Soerjomataram, Alison Pearce
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the years of potential productive life lost (YPPLL) and value the productivity lost due to premature deaths from cancer in Brazil between 2001 and 2015, as well as projected to 2030. The findings suggest that preventable cancers result in high lost productivity, and measures to reduce risk factors and improve screening programs could have a positive impact on the economy.
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Micheal Rourke, Patricia Fitzpatrick, Olalekan Popoola, Rewhandamzi Boms, Therese Mooney, Laura Heavey, Caroline Mason Mohan, Cara M. Martin, Lucy Jessop, Noirin E. Russell
Summary: This study provides early evidence of the potential impact of HPV vaccination on cervical disease in the Republic of Ireland. Despite lower vaccination uptake in the initial catch-up group, we are seeing early signs of the positive protective effect of HPV vaccination in women at the time of their first cervical screening test. Plans to incorporate individual-level HPV vaccination status for women on the cervical screening register will allow more detailed assessment of the impact of HPV vaccination.
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
M. Creedon, H. Humphreys, R. Connolly, L. Gaughan, M. Skally, J. Caird, J. Duddy, P. J. O'Halloran, T. Mandiwanza, K. Burns, B. Dinesh, E. Smyth, K. O'Connell, F. Fitzpatrick
Summary: The multi-disciplinary approach in neurosurgical prescribing was beneficial in reducing antimicrobial use. Most antimicrobial prescriptions were deemed appropriate and stewardship actions were implemented. Neurosurgical doctors found the antimicrobial stewardship discussions helpful for education on antibiotic prescribing.
Review
Psychiatry
S. McKey, B. Quirke, P. Fitzpatrick, C. C. Kelleher, K. M. Malone
Summary: This paper is a rapid review of scientific publications related to mental health and suicide among Irish Travellers. The results show that although suicide rates are high among Irish Travellers, there is limited research on their mental health. The paper highlights the importance of bridging the gap between research and policy makers, as well as engaging with the Traveller community to promote a better understanding of their mental health and suicide issues.
IRISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
B. Quirke, M. Heinen, P. Fitzpatrick, S. McKey, K. M. Malone, C. Kelleher
Summary: Travellers face high levels of discrimination in accessing healthcare services, which negatively impacts their engagement with these services. Culturally competent services need to be developed.
IRISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2022)