© 2025 SURF
Introduction: Worldwide, there is an increase in the extent and severity of mental illness. Exacerbation of somatic complaints in this group of people can result in recurring ambulance and emergency department care. The care of patients with a mental dysregulation (ie, experiencing a mental health problem and disproportionate feelings like fear, anger, sadness or confusion, possibly with associated behaviours) can be complex and challenging in the emergency care context, possibly evoking a wide variety of feelings, ranging from worry or pity to annoyance and frustration in emergency care staff members. This in return may lead to stigma towards patients with a mental dysregulation seeking emergency care. Interventions have been developed impacting attitude and behaviour and minimising stigma held by healthcare professionals. However, these interventions are not explicitly aimed at the emergency care context nor do these represent perspectives of healthcare professionals working within this context. Therefore, the aim of the proposed review is to gain insight into interventions targeting healthcare professionals, which minimise stigma including beliefs, attitudes and behaviour towards patients with a mental dysregulation within the emergency care context. Methods and analysis: The protocol for a systematic integrative review is presented, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols recommendations. A systematic search was performed on 13 July 2023. Study selection and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers. In each step, an expert with lived experience will comment on process and results. Software applications RefWorks-ProQuest, Rayyan and ATLAS.ti will be used to enhance the quality of the review and transparency of process and results. Ethics and dissemination: No ethical approval or safety considerations are required for this review. The proposed review will be submitted to a relevant international journal. Results will be presented at relevant medical scientific conferences.
LINK
Objective: To systematically assess contemporary knowledge regarding behavioral physical activity interventions including an activity monitor (BPAI+) in adults with overweight or obesity. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CENTRAL and PEDro were searched for eligible full text articles up to July 1st 2015. Studies eligible for inclusion were (randomized) controlled trials describing physical activity outcomes in adults with overweight or obesity. Methodological quality was independently assessed employing the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for risk of bias. PROSPERO registration: CRD42015024086. Results: Fourteen studies (1157 participants) were included for systematic review and eleven for meta-analysis. A positive trend in BPAI+ effects on several measures of physical activity was ascertained compared to both waitlist or usual care (WL/UC) and behavioral physical activity interventions without an activity monitor (BPAI-). No convincing evidence of BPAI+ effectiveness on weight loss was found compared to BPAI-. Conclusions: Behavioral physical activity interventions with an activity monitor increase physical activity in adults with overweight or obesity. Also, adding an activity monitor to behavioral physical activity interventions appears to increase the effect on physical activity, although current evidence has not yet provided conclusive evidence for its effectiveness.
The significance of effective interprofessional teamwork to improve the quality of care has been widely recognised. Effective interprofessional teamwork calls on good collaboration between professionals and patients, coordination between professionals, and the development of teamwork over time. Effective development of teams also requires support from the wider organisational context. In a Dutch village, healthcare professionals work closely together, and mutual consultations as well as interprofessional meetings take place on a regular basis. The network was created as a precondition for sustainable interprofessional teamwork in elderly care. However, several external barriers were experienced regarding the supportive structure and cooperative attitude of the healthcare insurer and municipality. The aim of the article is to examine these experience-based issues regarding internal organisation, perspective, and definition of effective teamwork. Complicating factors refer to finding the right key figures, and the different perspectives on team development and team effectiveness. Our conclusion is that the organisation of healthcare insurance companies needs to implement fundamental changes to facilitate an interprofessional care approach. Furthermore, municipalities should work on their vision of the needs and benefits of a fruitful collaboration with interprofessional healthcare teams. The challenge for healthcare teams is to learn to speak the language of external partners. To support the development of interprofessional teams, external parties need to recognise and trust in a shared aim to provide quality of care in an efficient and effective way.
A considerable amount of the required information in risk and emergency management is geographical, but this information does not always reach the right actors at the right time, so how can geographical information be organised in such a way that it supports risk and emergency management more effectively? The answer requires a conceptualisation of risk and emergency management practices resulting in the network-centric concept, which implies that those involved in risk and emergency management are connected and that they have the capability to share and access information. The concept was made operational through the development of an information system and the exchange of geographical information within the system was facilitated by the use of peer-to-peer networking in combination with a client server network. On the application level, the information was presented in both map and text forms to support the exchange of information between actors. This way of organising geographical information and technology leads to improved information and communication, better situational awareness and faster decisionmaking.
MULTIFILE
Background: On two Care Innovation Units in the Netherlands, staff, students and Lecturer Practitioners work intensively together to provide care, create a rich learning environment, and to foster innovation and research. In striving to advance the quality of care and to develop person centred cultures a preference is given to participative forms of research in which diverse experiences and different types of knowledge are valued. Aims and Objectives: The research described here had two overarching aims: the improvement of practice situations and the encouragement of the integration of work and learning. This article focuses on our actions and learning with respect to fostering participation during this project. Design and methods: Within the action research methodology used, participative work-forms and research methods were chosen. For example, a responsive approach to evaluation of practice, use of narratives and the stimulation and use of creativity to help in exploring and sharing feelings, values and different forms of knowledge. In this article we use Arnstein's ladder of citizen participation to frame our reflection on enabling participation within this project. Results Participation took various forms and vacillated throughout the project. In addition to particular facilitation strategies, four factors emerged as influential in enabling or inhibiting aspects of participation among stakeholders: individual motivations and interests, the make-up of and atmosphere within the group, and the time made available to engage in research activities. Conclusions Participation in research is both more complex and dynamic than Arnstein's typology suggests. Moving 'up' the ladder may not be appropriate as a goal in and of itself. Instead, meeting and responding to each other's situations, as stakeholders, seems a more appropriate focus. Taking responsibility, as facilitator, for certain research activities, can free other participants to focus on elements which interest them and from which they derive satisfaction.
LINK
The current study analyzed blogs written by four Dutch parents of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, with the aim of deepening the understanding of the parents’ concerns. Thematic analysis was conducted and five main themes were identified: Dealing with uncertainties addressed the impact of unpredictability present in the everyday lives of parents, Love and loss described the complexity of concurrently cherishing the child and grieving various types of loss, Struggling with time, energy and finances detailed imbalances and struggles related to parents’ personal resources, Feeling included in communities and society specified social consequences, and Relating to professional care services reflected on stress and support associated with professional care delivery. The study findings demonstrate how care professionals should acknowledge parents’ vulnerabilities by being aware of their existential distress and empowering parents to exercise control of family thriving.
