Biomedical subjects

Sarah Wordsworth

Publications and source records attributed to Sarah Wordsworth.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Cluster randomized trial of a multifaceted primary care decision-support intervention for inherited breast cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: GPs are increasingly expected to meet the needs of patients concerned about their risk of inherited breast cancer, but may lack skills or confidence to use complex management guidelines. We developed an evidence-based, multifaceted intervention intended to promote confidence and skills in this area. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in improving GP confidence in managing patients concerned about genetic risk of breast cancer. METHODS DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial. SETTING: General practices in the Grampian region of Scotland. SUBJECTS: GPs and the patients they referred for genetic counselling for risk of breast cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: GPs' self-reported confidence in four activities related to genetics; rates of referral of patients at elevated genetic risk; and referred patients' understanding of cancer risk factors. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between intervention and control arms in the primary or secondary outcomes. A possible effect of the intervention on the proportion of referred patients who were at elevated risk could not be discounted. Only a small proportion of intervention GPs attended the educational session, were aware or the software, or made use of it in practice. CONCLUSIONS: No convincing evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention was found, probably reflecting barriers to its use in routine practice.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2006

Women's preferences for cervical cancer screening: a study using a discrete choice experiment.

OBJECTIVES: Recent policy recommendations for cervical screening include liquid-based cytology. This new approach could improve laboratory throughput, reducing the waiting time for test results. New guidelines also standardize the interval for screening, with women aged 25-50 offered screening every 3 years and women aged 50-64 every 5 years. Quantitative evidence on the preferences of women for alternative screening programs is limited; this study, therefore, elicits such preferences. METHODS: A postal questionnaire using a discrete choice experiment was mailed to 2,000 women in the Tayside Health Board region of Scotland. RESULTS: A response rate of 44 percent from those women who had previously had a smear was achieved. Women had a significant positive preference for reductions in recall rates and waiting time for results. Women preferred more frequent screening, particularly those aged 50+. Expected reductions in the chance of recall from the conventional Pap smear to the new liquid-based cytology were associated with a willingness to pay of pound 41. Women aged 50+ would be willing to pay pound 42 to increase the frequency of screening from every 5 to every 3 years. Service characteristics did not influence screening participation. CONCLUSIONS: Guidance to move to liquid-based cytology will meet women's preferences for fewer repeat cervical smears and should reduce waiting time for results. However, proposals to increase screening intervals for those aged 50+ are inconsistent with the preferences for this age group. From a policy perspective, our study results suggest that the changes in attributes of the service such as unsatisfactory smear rates and frequency of screening, will improve service efficiency without affecting participation rates.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Comparing costing results in across country economic evaluations: the use of technology specific purchasing power parities.

The number of economic evaluations conducted on a multinational basis is increasing. Therefore, techniques are required to compare the results of such studies in a meaningful manner. This paper explores different approaches to comparing across country cost data applied to a European study of dialysis therapy for end-stage renal disease. A price and volume index is created at the level of the individual health care technology and compared to an exchange rate conversion and published purchasing power parities (PPPs). Both exchange rate and PPP conversions when published rates are used fail to accurately reflect the true resource use of the applied health care example. These differences can be related to specific issues of input mix and price variation. Alternatively, the use of technology specific PPPs provided a more robust approach for international comparisons and also have the potential for use in multi-centre economic evaluations within the same country.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

PubMed2005

Collecting unit cost data in multicentre studies. Creating comparable methods.

International comparisons of health care systems and services have created increased interest in the comparability of cost results. This study compared top-down and bottom-up approaches to collecting unit cost data across centres in the context of examining the cost-effectiveness of dialysis therapy across Europe. The study tested whether health care technologies in different countries can be costed using consistent and transparent methods to increase the comparability of results. There was more agreement across the approaches for peritoneal dialysis than for than haemodialysis, with differences, respectively of Euro 91-1,687 vs. 333-7,314 per patient per year. Haemodialysis results showed greatest differences where dialysis units were integrated as part of larger hospitals. Deciding which approach to adopt depends largely on the technology. However, bottom-up costing should be considered for technologies with a large component of staff input or overheads, significant sharing of staff or facilities between technologies or patient groups and health care costing systems which do not routinely allocate costs to the intervention level. In these circumstances this costing approach could increase consistency and transparency and hence comparability of cost results.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

PubMed2005

Hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease: a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment-options.

BACKGROUND: During 2001, over 32,000 patients in the United Kingdom received renal replacement therapy (RRT). Approximately half had a functioning transplant, with the remainder receiving dialysis therapy. The main form of dialysis is hemodialysis (HD), which is provided to 37.1 percent of the RRT population. HD is provided in three main settings: hospital (24.5 percent), satellite (10.9 percent), or home (1.7 percent). The objective of this study is to explore the cost-effectiveness of these different modalities. METHODS: By using clinical and cost data from a systematic review, a Markov model was developed to assess the costs and benefits of the three different modalities. The model included direct health service costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Satellite HD has lower costs 46,000 pounds sterling and 62,050 pounds sterling at 5 and 10 years than home HD 47,660 pounds sterling and 63,540 pounds sterling. The total effectiveness of home HD was slightly greater than for satellite HD, so the incremental cost per QALY of home versus satellite HD was modest at 6,665 pounds sterling at 5 years and 3,943 pounds sterling at 10 years. Both modalities dominated hospital HD. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the study reveal that satellite HD was less costly than home HD, and home HD was less costly than hospital HD. The lack of robust data on the effectiveness and new dialysis equipment, which were not included in this review, throws some caution on these results. Nonetheless, the results are supportive of a shift from hospital HD to satellite and home HD.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Preferences for general practice jobs: a survey of principals and sessional GPs.

BACKGROUND: Many countries are experiencing recruitment and retention problems in general practice, particularly in rural areas. In the United Kingdom (UK), recent contractual changes aim to address general practitioner (GP) recruitment and retention difficulties. However, the evidence base for their impact is limited, and preference differences between principals and sessional GPs (previously called non-principals) are insufficiently explored. AIM: To elicit GP principals' and sessional GPs' preferences for alternative jobs in general practice, and to identify the most important work attributes. DESIGN OF STUDY: A discrete choice experiment. SETTING: National Health Service (NHS) general practices throughout Scotland. METHOD: A postal questionnaire was sent to 1862 principals and 712 sessional GPs. The questionnaire contained a discrete choice experiment to quantify GPs' preferences for different job attributes. RESULTS: A response rate of 49% (904/1862) was achieved for principals and 54% (388/712) for sessional GPs. Of responders, most principals were male (60%), and sessional GPs female (75%), with the average age being 42 years. All GPs preferred a job with longer consultations, no increase in working hours, but an increase in earnings. A job with outside commitments (for example, a health board or hospital) was preferable; one with additional out-of-hours work was less preferable. Sessional GPs placed a lower value on consultation length, were less worried about hours of work, and a job offering sufficient continuing professional development was less important. CONCLUSION: The differences in preferences between principals and sessional GPs, and also between different personal characteristics, suggests that a general contract could fail to cater for all GPs. Recruitment and retention of GPs may improve if the least preferred aspects of their jobs are changed. However, the long-term success of contractual reform will require enhancement of the positive aspects of working, such as patient contact.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Early referral and planned initiation of dialysis: what impact on quality of life?

BACKGROUND: Early patient referral correlates with improved patient survival on dialysis. We examine whether early referral and a planned first dialysis affect quality of life (QoL). METHODS: All patients commencing dialysis in nine centres in seven European countries between 1 July 1998 and 31 October 1999 were recruited. DEFINITIONS: early referral=followed by a nephrologist >1 month before first dialysis (<1 month=late referral); planned=early referral and previous serum creatinine >300 micro mol/l and non-urgent first dialysis (early referral and no creatinine >300 micro mol/l or urgent first dialysis=unplanned). QoL was measured at 8 weeks using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and Short Form 36 (SF-36). RESULTS: VAS was significantly higher in early referral patients [mean (SD) 58.4 (20) vs 50.4 (19), P=0.005], particularly if the first dialysis was planned [60.7 (20) vs 54.2 (20), P=0.03]. Planned patients also had higher SF-36 mental summary scores [45.4 (12) vs 39.7 (11), P=0.003], role emotional scores [58.0 (43) vs 30.9 (38), P=0.003], and mental health scores [63.7 (24) vs 54.6 (22), P=0.01] than unplanned patients. Adjusting for centre and other confounding variables showed that having a planned first dialysis had an independent effect on QoL (VAS, and the SF-36's mental summary score, physical functioning, role physical, general health, role emotional and mental health). Early referral had no independent effect on QoL. Socio-economic status had an important positive effect on physical QoL. CONCLUSIONS: While the effect of early referral to a nephrologist on QoL appeared centre dependent, a smooth transition onto dialysis was associated with significantly better early QoL, independent of other variables.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Ultrasound scanning by general practitioners: is it worthwhile?

BACKGROUND: There are several alternatives for providing ultrasound scanning, besides traditional hospital-based services. One such alternative is for general practitioners (GPs) to perform scanning in the community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of GP ultrasound scanning on the use of National Health Service (NHS) resources in the United Kingdom (UK), and elicit patients' preferences for having an ultrasound scan. METHODS: A cost analysis and an assessment of quality of GP scans, based on a clinical audit and a postal survey of patients' preferences, were carried out. The setting was a rural general practice and urban teaching hospital in the Grampian region of Scotland. The analysis of costs and assessment of the quality of GP scans were based on 131 patients scanned at the practice in a 6 month clinical audit period. The survey of patients' preferences was undertaken on a random sample of 500 patients from the GPs' list and 250 consecutive patients scanned at the practice. RESULTS: The assessment of the management of patients during audit revealed that the scanner at the practice reduced the number of hospital scans, number of out-patient and in-patient visits, and emergency admissions. The unit cost of a scan was higher in the practice than at the hospital. However, when all the costs for a scanning episode were considered, the total and average costs were lower in the practice because of the avoidance of hospital visits. The results showed that the quality of GP scanning, subject to further training, was considered to be sufficient to continue scanning at the practice. Patients preferred to be scanned at the practice, and were prepared to wait up to an extra 5 days, and accept a reduction in the accuracy of scanning of up to 3.5 per cent for their choice. Who carried out the scan was not important to patients. CONCLUSION: Although the results of the study provide some evidence to support GP scanning in this setting, further research on diagnostic accuracy and alternative models of care need to be conducted.

Clinical Competence↗