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Hintergrund: Im Zuge der weltweiten Flüchtlingsbewegungen ist in den letzten Jahren eine hohe Anzahl an geflüchteten Personen nach Deutschland gekommen. Laut amtlicher Statistik lebten Ende 2018 ca. 1.780.000 Schutzsuchende in Deutschland (Statistisches Bundesamt 2019). Der Anteil weiblicher Schutzsuchender beträgt ca. 37,4 Prozent. Zirka 51 Prozent der geflüchteten Frauen, die in Deutschland ankommen und Asyl beantragen, befinden sich im gebärfähigen Alter zwischen 15 und 45 Jahren (Statistisches Bundesamt 2019a; _b). Darüber, wie viele schutzsuchende Frauen schwanger eingereist sind oder zum Zeitpunkt ihres Aufenthaltes in der Erstaufnahmeeinrichtung schwanger geworden sind, liegen keine Daten vor. Ebenso fehlen bisher in Deutschland repräsentative gesundheitsbezogene Daten von Schutzsuchenden (Frank, Yesil-Jürgens & Razum et al. 2017). Insbesondere zu den gesundheitlichen Problemlagen und Bedürfnissen von schutzsuchenden Frauen im Bereich Schwangerschaft, Geburt und postpartaler Phase liegen keine Erkenntnisse vor (Bozorgmehr, Mohsenpour & Saure et al. 2016; Heslehurst, Brown & Pemu et al. 2018). Internationale Studien deuten allerdings darauf hin, dass die gesundheitsbezogene Bedarfslage schutzsuchender Frauen komplex ist (Gagnon, Zimbeck & Zeitlin et al. 2009;van den Akker & van Roosmalen 2016). Die systematische Identifizierung von Versorgungsbedarfen und eine bedarfsgerechte Versorgungsplanung sind deshalb derzeit kaum möglich (Mörath 2019). Aus rechtlicher Perspektive ist diese unbefriedigende Situation ebenfalls problematisch (Klotz 2018). Die Umsetzung des völkerrechtlich bindenden internationalen Rechts auf ein für sie [Anmerk. d. V. : die Person] erreichbares Höchstmaß an körperlicher und geistiger Gesundheit (BGBI. 1976), welches von Deutschland 1976 ratifiziert wurde, sowie des UN-Übereinkommens zur Beseitigung jeder Diskriminierung der Frau von 1979 (BGBI. 1985) und der in der EU-Richtlinie 2013/33/EU in Kapitel IV aufgeführten Bestimmungen für schutzbedürftige Personen erfordert für diese spezifische Personengruppe vielfache Bemühungen. Denn die Förderung und Verbesserung der sexuellen und reproduktiven Gesundheit bzw. Rechte von schutzsuchenden Frauen kann einen Beitrag zu ihrer gesellschaftlichen Integration nach sich ziehen (Janssens, Bosmans & Temmerman 2005). Zuzüglich zur rechtlichen Situation schutzsuchender Frauen gilt das Recht ihrer Kinder auf Gesundheit. Im Artikel 24 der UN-Kinderrechtskonvention (UN, Committee on the Rights of the Child 2013) ist dieses verankert und unterstreicht u. a. für die Vor- und Nachsorge relevante Versorgungsbereiche wie z. B. prä- und postnatale Versorgung der Mütter, Aufklärung über Gesundheit und Ernährung u. w. m. (Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte 2017).
Background
Lay family caregivers of patients receiving palliative care often confront stressful situations in the care of their loved ones. This is particularly true for families in the home-based palliative care settings, where the family caregivers are responsible for a substantial amount of the patient’s care. Yet, to our knowledge, no study to date has examined the family caregivers’ exposure to critical events and distress with home-based palliative care has been reported from Germany. Therefore, we attempt to assess family caregiver exposure to the dying patient’s critical health events and relate that to the caregiver’s own psychological distress to examine associations with general health within a home-based palliative care situation in Germany.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 106 family caregivers with home-based palliative care in the Federal State of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. We administered the Stressful Caregiving Adult Reactions to Experiences of Dying (SCARED) Scale. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models relating general health (SF-36) were used to analyze the data.
Results
The frequency of the caregiver’s exposure, or witness of, critical health events of the patient ranged from 95.2% “pain/discomfort” to 20.8% “family caregiver thought patient was dead”. The highest distress scores assessing fear and helpfulness were associated with “family caregiver felt patient had enough’” and “family caregiver thought patient was dead”. Linear regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between SCARED critical health event exposure frequency (beta = .408, p = .025) and total score (beta = .377, p = .007) with general health in family caregivers.
Conclusions
Family caregivers with home-based palliative care in Germany frequently experience exposure to a large number of critical health events in caring for their family members who are terminally ill. These exposures are associated with the family caregiver’s degree of fear and helplessness and are associated with their worse general health. Thus the SCARED Scale, which is brief and easy to administer, appears able to identify these potentially upsetting critical health events among family caregivers of palliative care patients receiving care at home. Because it identified commonly encountered critical events in these patients and related them to adverse general health of family caregivers, the SCARED may add to clinically useful screens to identify family caregivers who may be struggling.
Aim: The aim of this study was to give an overview of family caregiver satisfaction within the home palliative care situation in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Design: A cross-sectional study.
Methods: An anonymous questionnaire, with seven validated scales, and comprising of 71 items, was used. The items investigated perceived needs and burdens of families within a home-based palliative care situation.
The satisfaction of the family caregivers with the services delivered by palliative care teams was measured by the FAMCARE-2 Scale. Descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed.
Results: A convenience sample of 106 family members agreed to participate in the study. Overall, we found high satisfaction within our sample. There was high satisfaction with how the services respected the dignity of families, and how they provided comfort to patients. Satisfaction was lower with regard to information about patients.
Conclusion: High or low satisfaction with palliative care, tells us little about the quality of services. The high satisfaction within this study could be interpreted as a sign that palliative care was important to families at the time of availability. Regular and continuous assessment can serve to inform the continuous quality of care provision for patients and their families.
Die Hochschule Osnabrück zeichnet sich durch einen Forschungsschwerpunkt Familienorientierte geburtshilfliche Versorgung aus, welcher auf der Forschungslandkarte der Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) verzeichnet ist. Seit 2000 werden Studien zur geburtshilflichen Versorgung durchgeführt. Im Forschungsschwerpunkt IsQua wurden in vier Teilprojekten A bis D, verschiedene Instrumente zur sektorenübergreifenden Qualitätssicherung in der Lebensphase von Schwangerschaft, Geburt und Wochenbett entwickelt, erprobt und evaluiert. Mit der Entwicklung von diesen Instrumenten wird das Ziel verfolgt, Prozesse, die die physiologische Geburt befördern, zu unterstützen. Damit soll der derzeitigen Entwicklung in der Geburtshilfe gegengesteuert werden, die u. a. von hohen Interventionsraten, wie z.B. von einer anhaltend hohen Kaiserschnittrate von 32% (IQTIG [Hg.], 2017) gekennzeichnet ist.
Alle genannten Aspekte werden im Kontext eines Theorie Praxis Transfers gedacht. Instrumente wurden unter Beteiligung der Berufsgruppe der Hebammen heraus entwickelt. Sie wurden auf Anwenderebene – i. d. Regel durch Hebammen – und auf Ebene der Nutzerinnen bzw. Klientinnen, den schwangeren Frauen bzw. Müttern nach der Geburt, erprobt. Hierzu wurden vielfältige Kooperationen mit Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens geknüpft und verschiedene Zugänge eines Wissenstransfers hergestellt. Dieses war die Aufgabe von Teilprojekt E, welches horizontal zu den Teilprojekten A bis D angelegt war. Dabei wurde teilweise interdisziplinär mit Kollegen und Kolleginnen aus der Pflegewissenschaft und Gesundheitsökonomie gearbeitet. Inhaltlich stellt der Forschungsschwerpunkt ein nachgefragtes Thema zur Verbesserung der geburtshilflichen Versorgungsqualität regional und überregional dar.
Die dem Forschungsschwerpunkt angegliederte Graduiertenförderung im Umfang von drei Stipendien eröffnete erstmalig die Möglichkeit zur strukturierten Förderung von wissenschaftlichem Nachwuchs an Fachhochschulen in der jungen Disziplin Hebammenwissenschaft. Seit 2011 kann über eine Kooperation zwischen der Hochschule Osnabrück und der privaten Universität Witten Herdecke, Fakultät Gesundheit, die Promotion verfolgt werden. Eine weitere Dissertation konnte mit Teilprojekt A assoziiert werden. Alle Promotionen waren inhaltlich mit den einzelnen Teilprojekten verbunden.
Als Fachfrauen für Geburtshilfe verfügen Hebammen über die Kompetenz und die rechtliche Befugnis, eigenverantwortlich Geburten zu betreuen. Die Verlagerung der Geburten in die Klinik führte zu der Entwicklung, dass auch physiologische Geburten unter ärztliche Leitung gestellt wurden. Dieses wurde begleitet durch eine zunehmende Medikalisierung und Pathologisierung der physiologischen Lebensphase von Schwangerschaft, Geburt, Wochenbett und Stillzeit.
Im europäischen Ausland wurde auf diese internationale Entwicklung bereits vor 15 Jahren mit gesundheitspolitischen Maßnahmen reagiert. Im klinischen Setting sollte die physiologische Geburt durch die Einrichtung von Midwife-Led-Units eigenverantwortlich von Hebammen geleitet werden. Studien, in denen dieses Betreuungskonzept untersucht wurde, belegen, dass gesunde Frauen im Hebammenkreißsaal genauso sicher gebären wie in den üblichen ärztlich
geleiteten Kreißsälen. Darüber hinaus sind die Frauen mit der Betreuung im Hebammenkreißsaal besonders zufrieden und die Rate der operativen Eingriffe ist niedrig. Zudem eröffnet es neue Wege der interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit im geburtshilflichen Team. Angeregt von diesen positiven Aspekten des Konzeptes Hebammenkreißsaal will der Verbund Hebammenforschung das Modell wissenschaftlich gestützt auch in Deutschland in die Praxis umsetzen und hierzulande möglichst vielen Frauen zugänglich machen. Das vorliegende Handbuch „Der Hebammenkreißsaal – Von der Idee zur Umsetzung“ richtet sich an das interessierte Fachpublikum und Hebammenkolleginnen, die die Idee eines erweiterten geburtshilflichen Versorgungskonzeptes aufgreifen und in die klinische Praxis umsetzen möchten.
Background
Forced migration significantly endangers health. Women face numerous health risks, including sexual violence, lack of contraception, sexually transmitted disease, and adverse perinatal outcomes. Therefore, sexual and reproductive healthcare is a significant aspect of women asylum seekers’ health.
Even when healthcare costs of asylum seekers are covered by the government, there may be strong barriers to healthcare access and specific needs may be addressed inadequately. The study’s objectives were a) to assess the accommodation and healthcare services provided to women asylum seekers in standard and specialised health care, b) to assess the organisation of healthcare provision and how it addresses the sexual and reproductive healthcare needs of women asylum seekers.
Methods
The study utilised a multi-method approach, comprising a less-dominant quantitative component and dominant qualitative component. The quantitative component assessed accommodation conditions for women in eight asylum centres using a survey. The qualitative component assessed healthcare provision on-site, using semi-structured interviews with health and social care professionals (n = 9). Asylum centres were selected to cover a wide range of characteristics. Interview analysis was guided by thematic analysis.
Results
The accommodation in the asylum centres provided gender-separate rooms and sanitary infrastructure. Two models of healthcare were identified, which differed in the services they provided and in their organisation: 1) a standard healthcare model characterised by a lack of coordination between healthcare providers, unavailability of essential services such as interpreters, and fragmented healthcare, and 2) a specialised healthcare model specifically tailored to the needs of asylum-seekers. Its organisation is characterised by a network of closely collaborating health professionals. It provided essential services not present in the standard model. We recommend the specialised healthcare model as a guideline for best practise.
Conclusions
The standard, non-specialised healthcare model used in some regions in Switzerland does not fully meet the healthcare needs of women asylum seekers. Specialised healthcare services used in other regions, which include translation services as well as gender and culturally sensitive care, are better suited to address these needs. More widespread use of this model would contribute significantly toward protecting the sexual and reproductive integrity and health of women asylum seekers.
In this paper, we evaluate the application of Bayesian Optimization (BO) to discrete event simulation (DES) models. In a first step, we create a simple model, for which we know the optimal set of parameter values in advance. We implement the model in SimPy, a framework for DES written in Python. We then interpret the simulation model as a black box function subject to optimization. We show that it is possible to find the optimal set of parameter values using the open source library GPyOpt. To enhance our evaluation, we create a second and more complex model. To better handle the complexity of the model, and to add a visual component, we build the second model in Simio, a commercial off-the-shelf simulation modeling tool. To apply BO to a model in Simio, we use the Simio API to write an extension for optimization plug-ins. This extension encapsulates the logic of the BO algorithm, which we deployed as a web service in the cloud.
The fact that simulation models are black box functions with regard to their behavior and the influence of their input parameters makes them an apparent candidate for Bayesian Optimization (BO). Simulation models are multivariable and stochastic, and their behavior is to a large extent unpredictable. In particular, we do not know for sure which input parameters to adjust to maximize (or minimize) the model’s outcome. In addition, the complex models can take a substantial amount of time to run.
Bayesian Optimization is a sequential and self-learning algorithm to optimize black box functions similar to as we find them in simulation models: they contain a set of parameters for which we want to identify the optimal set, they are expensive to evaluate, and they exhibit stochastic noise. BO has proven to efficiently optimize black box functions from varius disciplines. Among those, and most notably, it is successfully applied in machine learning algorithms to optimize hyperparameters.
SimBO is a flexible framework for optimizing discrete event-driven simulations (DES) using sequential optimization algorithms. While specifically designed for Bayesian Optimization (BO) in the context of DES, SimBO can be applied to any black-box problem with other optimization algorithms. The framework consists of four encapsulated components - the black-box problem, the sequential optimization algorithm, a database for experiment configuration and results, and a web-based graphical user interface - that communicate via well-defined interfaces. Each component can be run in different environments, allowing for cooperation between different hardware- and software configurations. In our research context, SimBO’s architecture enabled BO algorithms to be run on a high-performance cluster with GPU support, while the simulation is executed on a local Windows machine using the Simio simulation software. The framework’s flexibility also makes it suitable for evolving from a research-focused tool to a production-ready, cloud-based optimization tool for modern algorithms.
Background:
The evaluation of somatosensory dysfunction is important for diagnostics and may also have implications for prognosis and management. The current standard to evaluate somatosensory dysfunction is quantitative sensory testing (QST), which is expensive and time consuming. This study describes a low-cost and time-efficient clinical sensory test battery (CST), and evaluates its concurrent validity compared to QST.
Method: Three patient cohorts with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS, n=86), non-specific neck and arm pain (NSNAP, n=40) and lumbar radicular pain/radiculopathy (LR n=26) were included. The CST consisted of 13 tests, each corresponding to a QST parameter and evaluating a broad spectrum of sensory functions using mechanical and thermal detection and pain thresholds and testing both loss and gain of function. Agreement rate, significance and strength of correlation between CST and QST were calculated.
Results: Several CST parameters (cold and warm detection, cold pain, mechanical detection, mechanical pain for loss of function, pressure pain) were significantly correlated with QST, with a majority demonstrating >60% agreement rates and weak to relatively strong correlations. However, agreement varied among cohorts. Gain of function parameters showed stronger correlation in the CTS and NSNAP cohort, whereas loss of function parameters performed better in the LR cohort. Other CST parameters (vibration detection, heat pain, mechanical pain for gain of function, windup ratio) did not significantly correlate with QST.
Conclusion: Some, but not all tests in the CST battery can detect somatosensory dysfunction as determined with QST. The CST battery may perform better when the somatosensory phenotype is more pronounced.
Background
This study describes a low-cost and time-efficient clinical sensory test (CST) battery and evaluates its concurrent validity as a screening tool to detect somatosensory dysfunction as determined using quantitative sensory testing (QST).
Method
Three patient cohorts with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS, n = 76), non-specific neck and arm pain (NSNAP, n = 40) and lumbar radicular pain/radiculopathy (LR, n = 26) were included. The CST consisted of 13 tests, each corresponding to a QST parameter and evaluating a broad spectrum of sensory functions using thermal (coins, ice cube, hot test tube) and mechanical (cotton wool, von Frey hairs, tuning fork, toothpicks, thumb and eraser pressure) detection and pain thresholds testing both loss and gain of function. Agreement rate, statistical significance and strength of correlation (phi coefficient) between CST and QST parameters were calculated.
Results
Several CST parameters (cold, warm and mechanical detection thresholds as well as cold and pressure pain thresholds) were significantly correlated with QST, with a majority demonstrating >60% agreement rates and moderate to relatively strong correlations. However, agreement varied among cohorts. Gain of function parameters showed stronger agreement in the CTS and LR cohorts, whereas loss of function parameters had better agreement in the NSNAP cohort. Other CST parameters (16 mN von Frey tests, vibration detection, heat and mechanical pain thresholds, wind-up ratio) did not significantly correlate with QST.
Conclusion
Some of the tests in the CST could help detect somatosensory dysfunction as determined with QST. Parts of the CST could therefore be used as a low-cost screening tool in a clinical setting.
Significance
Quantitative sensory testing, albeit considered the gold standard to evaluate somatosensory dysfunction, requires expensive equipment, specialized examiner training and substantial time commitment which challenges its use in a clinical setting. Our study describes a CST as a low-cost and time-efficient alternative. Some of the CST tools (cold, warm, mechanical detection thresholds; pressure pain thresholds) significantly correlated with the respective QST parameters, suggesting that they may be useful in a clinical setting to detect sensory dysfunction.
Unter Enclothed Cognition versteht die Wissenschaft den Einfluss der Kleidung einer Person auf ihre eigenen kognitiven Prozesse. In vergangenen Studien erzielten etwa Pro-band:innen in Arztkitteln höhere Werte bei Konzentrationstests und formell gekleidete Personen beschrieben ihren Charakter mit anderen Adjektiven als Menschen in neutraler Kleidung. Sofern solche intrapersonellen Effekte der eigenen Kleidung auf die mensch-liche Kognition konstant und in verschiedenen Kontexten auftreten sollten, sind sie von Interesse, wann immer Fähigkeiten und Persönlichkeit eines Menschen valide einge-schätzt werden sollen. Dies ist etwa in Personalauswahlverfahren der Fall, weil dort von den Ergebnissen der verwendeten Tests und Fragebögen oft wichtige Personalentschei-dungen abhängen. Um zu untersuchen, inwiefern die Kleidung eines Bewerbers oder ei-ner Bewerberin durch intrapersonelle Effekte die Ergebnisse von Auswahlverfahren be-einflusst, wurde von Mai bis November 2021 ein Laborexperiment mit studentischen 100 Proband:innen im nordwestdeutschen Osnabrück durchgeführt. Dabei wurden die Ver-suchspersonen unter Verhüllung des eigentlichen Studienzwecks entweder einer formel-len (Sakko/Blazer und Hemd/Bluse) oder einer zwanglosen Kleidungskondition (Kapu-zenpullover und Jeans) zugewiesen, in der sie zum Experiment erscheinen sollten. Dort wurden sie verschiedenen Fragebögen und Tests unterzogen. Es zeigte sich weder in der allgemeinen und situationsspezifischen Selbstwirksamkeit noch in Leistungsmotivation, Konzentration und kognitiver Leistung ein Unterschied zwischen formeller und zwang-loser Kleidung. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt den theoretischen Hintergrund und die Methoden der Studie und diskutiert ihre Ergebnisse.
Currently, the treatment of musicians is an interprofessional approach. Playing-related health complaints may impact the performance of a musician. In Germany, a medical consulting hour for musicians exists, but those for athletes in sports medicine are not so common. The diagnosing and treatment procedure within the physiotherapy consultation for musicians follows a specific concept-b and requires knowledge of instruments and musician-specific complaints. Based on the consulting hour in a clinic in Osnabrueck, 614 case reports were part of this sample, of which 558 data sets were complete. The focus of the analysis is the instrument and the primary complaint. Also, the type of therapy is characterized, and the amount is calculated. Primary complaints of musicians, in general, are found most frequently in the spine and upper extremity. Musician complaints are different between instruments. Instrumentalists have a significantly higher chance to suffer from a primary complaint in the area of the upper extremity. Furthermore, the groups without an instrument (e.g., singing or dancing) are developing complaints in the anatomical area which they primarily use. Therefore, these types of therapy were used: physiotherapy, manual therapy, and osteopathy with an average of 5.9 treatment units. This study underpinned the importance of musician-specific physiotherapy as a profession to treat musicians. Also, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to treat all aspects of complaints.
Introduction Postoperative delirium (POD) is seen in approximately 15% of elderly patients and is related to poorer outcomes. In 2017, the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss) introduced a ‘quality contract’ (QC) as a new instrument to improve healthcare in Germany. One of the four areas for improvement of in-patient care is the ‘Prevention of POD in the care of elderly patients’ (QC-POD), as a means to reduce the risk of developing POD and its complications.
The Institute for Quality Assurance and Transparency in Health Care identified gaps in the in-patient care of elderly patients related to the prevention, screening and treatment of POD, as required by consensus-based and evidence-based delirium guidelines. This paper introduces the QC-POD protocol, which aims to implement these guidelines into the clinical routine. There is an urgent need for well-structured, standardised and interdisciplinary pathways that enable the reliable screening and treatment of POD. Along with effective preventive measures, these concepts have a considerable potential to improve the care of elderly patients.
Methods and analysis The QC-POD study is a non-randomised, pre–post, monocentric, prospective trial with an interventional concept following a baseline control period. The QC-POD trial was initiated on 1 April 2020 between Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German health insurance company BARMER and will end on 30 June 2023. Inclusion criteria: patients 70 years of age or older that are scheduled for a surgical procedure requiring anaesthesia and insurance with the QC partner (BARMER). Exclusion criteria included patients with a language barrier, moribund patients and those unwilling or unable to provide informed consent. The QC-POD protocol provides perioperative intervention at least two times per day, with delirium screening and non-pharmacological preventive measures.
Ethics and dissemination This protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany (EA1/054/20). The results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and presented at national and international conferences.
PR- und Kommunikationsagenturen gelten als Frauendomäne, mit einer Ausnahme. In den obersten Führungsebenen sind immer noch wenige weibliche Führungskräfte vertreten. Der vorliegende Beitrag nimmt Frauen in Führungspositionen in deutschen Agenturen in den Blick. Die Forschungsfragen beziehen sich auf Faktoren, die Frauen auf einem vertikalen Karriereweg unterstützen, die Bedeutung des Faktors Geschlecht und die Führungsstile von Frauen in PR- und Kommunikationsagenturen.
Diese Thematiken finden derzeit im Forschungsbereich PR wenig Beachtung – anders als in anderen Bereichen. Um die Fragen zu beantworten, wurden im Rahmen einer Masterarbeit sieben leitfadengestützte Interviews mit Frauen im Management von großen PR- und Kommunikationsagenturen in Deutschland geführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass flexible, offene Organisationskulturen und unterstützende Mentor*innen insbesondere für Frauen mit Kindern für eine vertikale Karriere förderlich sind. Ein Herausstellen der wenigen Führungsfrauen in der Branche wird als nicht zielführend bewertet, um mehr Frauen für das Topmanagement zu gewinnen. Bezüglich des Führungsstils präferieren die Befragten einen Stil mit kooperativen und kollaborativen Elementen.
A brief questionnaire for measuring alarm fatigue in nurses and physicians in intensive care units
(2023)
When exposed to hundreds of medical device alarms per day, intensive care unit (ICU) staff can develop “alarm fatigue” (i.e., desensitisation to alarms). However, no standardised way of quantifying alarm fatigue exists. We aimed to develop a brief questionnaire for measuring alarm fatigue in nurses and physicians. After developing a list of initial items based on a literature review, we conducted 15 cognitive interviews with the target group (13 nurses and two physicians) to ensure that the items are face valid and comprehensible. We then asked 32 experts on alarm fatigue to judge whether the items are suited for measuring alarm fatigue. The resulting 27 items were sent to nurses and physicians from 15 ICUs of a large German hospital. We used exploratory factor analysis to further reduce the number of items and to identify scales. A total of 585 submissions from 707 participants could be analysed (of which 14% were physicians and 64% were nurses). The simple structure of a two-factor model was achieved within three rounds. The final questionnaire (called Charité Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire; CAFQa) consists of nine items along two scales (i.e., the “alarm stress scale” and the “alarm coping scale”). The CAFQa is a brief questionnaire that allows clinical alarm researchers to quantify the alarm fatigue of nurses and physicians. It should not take more than five minutes to administer.
The present study investigates consumers’ acceptance of Se-biofortified apples, as well as Se health and nutrition claims that have been approved by the European Commission. Despite indications that such statements are more likely to be accepted if the carrier product itself has a healthy image, unprocessed fruits biofortified with Se have not been investigated in this context yet. Apples as the most frequently-consumed type of fresh fruit in Germany may offer the potential to improve the Se status of consumers when the produce is enriched with Se. Therefore, an online survey of 356 German adults was conducted to analyze different aspects that could affect the perception of and preference for the proposed product concept by consumers. The findings indicate a moderate acceptance of Se-biofortified apples, as well as of Se health and nutrition claims among the participants. Additional information about beneficial health effects of Se had a significant impact on consumer acceptance. People who regularly eat convenience food and prefer to buy apples at supermarkets were particularly attracted by the product idea. In conclusion, the results of the study indicate good prospects for a successful introduction of Se-rich apples in the German food market, if the produce is advertised with approved health and nutrition claims.
Rationale: Three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis has proved helpful in the diagnosis of different musculoskeletal syndromes and identifying injurious movement patterns in high string players. Furthermore, an optoelectronic 3D motion capture system allows an accurate and objective assessment of upper body posture and motion during violin and viola performance. However, no reference upper body model of high string players has been proposed as yet. Moreover, a more physiological shoulder model that separates the joints of the shoulder complex has not been reported. Especially in view of given the role of the scapula in the normal movement of the humerus, it cannot be disregarded when evaluating musculoskeletal strain in the shoulder.
The International Society of Biomechanics recommends definitions of joint coordinate systems for the report of upper body joint motion using anatomical landmarks as reference for the placement of surface markers. Using markers on the skin for some of the proposed locations is, however, inappropriate when an instrument is being played. There are skin movement artifacts, e. g. caused by the movement of the scapula underneath the skin, whereas some markers interfere with the instrument on the shoulder or might be occluded by the bowing arm in motion.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a marker-based method for quantifying 3D upper body kinematics of high string players and to demonstrate its clinical feasibility in violin and viola performance. The method is intended to provide an objective evaluation of high string players’ motor strategies, especially in the shoulder complex, while minimizing skin movement artifacts, marker occlusions and limitations in instrument placement.
Methods: A custom marker set was developed consisting of thirty-one single markers to define the anatomical coordinate systems of sixteen upper body segments including the pelvis, thorax, spine and head, as well as both scapulae, upper arms, forearms and hands. Twenty-one of these markers as well as two pre-built and four custom-made rigid marker clusters were used for tracking the segment motions.
Twelve professional violinists without history of musculoskeletal or neurological problems were recruited for assessing the clinical feasibility of the method. They were asked to perform a single sequence of two consecutive musical notes on each of two adjacent strings (G- and D-string) in real time, played at 50 bpm with tempo audibly regulated by a metronome, and using a standardized violin and bow. The participants played up- and down-bow alternately using the whole length of the bow.
A custom biomechanical model was applied to the motion capture data and the rotation angles of fifteen joints were calculated. The location of each glenohumeral joint rotation center was computed by upper arm movements with respect to the scapula based on a functional method. For a description of the motion patterns, minimum, maximum and range of angular motion were averaged across participants for each string and rotation. Inter-subject variability was assessed by calculating the standard deviation (SD) at each sample of the angle-time series between participants for each rotation and for both strings. Then SD was averaged over sequences for each rotation and string. For comparing mean rotation angles between strings over time, random effect models were used.
Results: The highest range of motion was observed in the right elbow flexion and right wrist flexion/extension. Also, high ranges of motion (> 10°) were found in all right glenohumeral rotations and right wrist deviation and pronation/supination. In conclusion, lumbar and thoracic spine, thorax, neck, and left upper limb were quite static, while large motion occurred in the right upper limb during up and down bowing.
Most rotation angles showed a reasonable inter-subject variability except for left and right glenohumeral plane of elevation as well as left glenohumeral internal/external rotation, and left and right wrist pronation/supination (> 10°).
Significant differences in the rotation angles between G- and D-string bowing were detected especially in the left wrist and right shoulder joints.
Conclusions: This is the first study that used quantitative 3D analysis to explore the upper body kinematics of high string players during performance, providing a detailed view of the motor control in the shoulder as well as in the lumbar and thoracic spine. The biggest advantage over previously published methods is the more physiological shoulder and spine models while providing a simple application.
The method was found to give consistent motion patterns across participants and to be sensitive to differences between adjacent strings. Although the method appears to be valid, more rigorous validation is necessary. Since there is no gold standard with which we could compare results, we were only able to assess the clinical feasibility. We believe that our method represents a good compromise between accuracy and practicability for clinical application.
Due to the inclusion of multi-segmented shoulder and spine models, it will improve understanding of the motor strategies adopted by high string players and may contribute to injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Rationale:
Instrumentalists often suffer from playing-related (neuro-)musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). Most common PRMDs in string players are related to upper-body regions. Motion analysis has proven to be helpful in the evaluation of functional disorders. It was already shown that it is a valid and clinically feasible tool for accurate, repeatable, and objective assessments of functional movement in string players. Thus, it may guide clinicians to improvements in injury prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Nevertheless, its application in clinical consultation is still very uncommon. For this reason, there is a lack of well-established motion analysis protocols for the examination of PRMDs in string players using advanced biomechanical instruments in clinical settings.
Purpose:
To demonstrate the development and application of a motion analysis protocol for the evaluation of functional upper-body movements in violinists, violists, and cellists in a clinical setting for the investigation of PRMDs.
Approach:
The protocol was to be integrated into a clinical reasoning process for testing clinical hypotheses and evaluating treatment outcomes in physiotherapy. As a starting point, a primary clinical question was defined, and then, specific upper-body symptom regions as well as measurement parameters (relative rotation angles and muscle activities over time) were identified. Subsequently, involved segments, joints, and muscles were assorted. For quantification of upper-body kinematics a novel, marker-based method was used which provides multi-segmented shoulder and spine models while providing simple application. Based on that, a comprehensive mechanical model of the upper body as well as the associated coordinate systems and rotation sequences were specified. This further guided both, the definition of a custom-made marker set as well as the selection and placement of surface electrodes. Furthermore, required static and functional calibration trials as well as movement tasks for functional assessment were specified. Finally, advanced approaches, such as a comprehensive kinematic model and functional determination of joint centers and axes were established for extraction. Then, outcome parameters and their form of representation were determined for further analysis and interpretation.
The application of the method first includes the selection of segments, joints, and muscles to examine – originating from one or more clinical (working) hypotheses or symptom regions. This drives the configuration and placement of required surface markers and electrodes. Then, the required calibration and functional movement trials are executed. After measurement, the outcome parameters get extracted and analyzed. Based on the results the hypothesis is discarded or verified.
Content:
The method was applied to a violinist (female; 18 years old; 13 years of experience; practicing 2 to 3 hours per day, 7 days per week) with playing-related demands in the left cervical-shoulder-arm region.
Subjective findings indicated that the pain regularly occurred after 30 minutes of playing fast or difficult musical pieces. Physical examination showed that strength testing of left serratus anterior muscle caused pain, lower trapezius muscles seemed weak, forearm muscles were sensitive to pressure, movement of the cervical spine to the left was reduced, and upper limb neural tension test was noticeable.
This led to the following working hypothesis: Neck-related arm pain with neurodynamic component and motor control problem in the scapulothoracic region. Thus, left-sided cervical-shoulder-arm region was selected for functional examination.
Optoelectronic motion capture system and surface electromyography were used for data collection. Static and function calibration trials as well as functional assessment trials (chromatic scale with different tempi) were conducted. Afterwards, data was further processed, and outcome parameters were extracted.
Results showed that greater tempo and pain had an impact on the rotation angles and muscle activities. They led to less overall joint movement and range of motion, to less muscle activity in the forearm muscles, and to greater activity inputs in the scapulothoracic muscles. Overall, greater tempo and pain led to a different motor program which verified the working hypothesis.
The procedure was repeated after treatment (four appointments over one week) with manual therapy, training, and education. The pre-/post-interventional comparison showed changes in the motor program. There was noticeable higher mean activity in upper trapezius and deltoid muscles and simultaneously less in the remaining ones. In addition, only marginal differences in ranges of motion and muscle activity inputs were found between tempi. The playing style appeared to be more stable now. Overall, it appeared that nearly the same motor program was used for each tempo.
Clinical Implications:
Potential applications are intraindividual evaluations of simultaneously joint and muscular function in string players during clinical consultation. It is intended to contribute to the diagnosis of PRMDs in terms of an objective, comprehensive and yet clinically feasible diagnostic assessment as well as pre-post-intervention outcome evaluation.
Nonetheless, motion analysis must be used with care in clinical decision making. Motion data is subject to both, intraindividual variations, and measurement errors. In addition, the smallest clinically relevant changes are not clear yet. Therefore, results should only be interpreted together with other clinical findings.
Hintergrund: Instrumentalisten leiden häufig unter spielbedingten (neuro-) muskuloskelettalen Erkrankungen. Diese zeigen sich bei Streichern, wie Violinisten, Bratschisten und Cellisten, am häufigsten in Form von Beschwerden im Oberkörper – insbesondere im Schulter-Nacken-Bereich. Die apparative Bewegungsanalyse hat sich bereits als hilfreich bei der Beurteilung von muskuloskelettalen Erkrankungen und schädlichen Bewegungsmustern erwiesen und wird für die Diagnostik bei funktionellen Störungen empfohlen. Es wurde bereits gezeigt, dass die apparative biomechanische Bewegungsanalyse ein valides und klinisch praktikables Werkzeug für die genaue und objektive Untersuchung von Bewegungen bei Streichern ist, jedoch ist ihr Einsatz in der klinischen Konsultation immer noch sehr unüblich. Aus diesem Grund existiert ein Mangel an gut etablierten Bewegungsanalyse-Protokollen zur Untersuchung funktioneller Störungen bei Streichern unter Einsatz biomechanischer Instrumente in einem klinischen Umfeld wie der Physiotherapie.
Ziel ist es daher, die Entwicklung und Anwendung eines solchen Protokolls vorzustellen für die Beurteilung der funktionellen Spielbewegungen des Oberkörpers bei sowohl hohen als auch tiefen Streichern in einem physiotherapeutischen Umfeld.
Methode: Zunächst wurden auf Basis einer klinischen Fragestellung relevante Symptombereiche und Messparameter bestimmt. Anschließend wurden beteiligte Segmente, Gelenke und Muskeln selektiert. Darauf basierend wurde ein umfassendes (mechanisches) Modell des Oberkörpers sowie die dazugehörigen Koordinatensysteme und Rotationssequenzen definiert. Dies lenkte sowohl die Spezifikation eines speziell angefertigten Marker-Sets sowie fortgeschrittener Ansätze wie zur funktionellen Bestimmung von Gelenkzentren und -achsen, als auch die Auswahl und Platzierung von Oberflächenelektroden. Schließlich wurden Aktivitäten zur Kalibrierung und Untersuchung der Bewegungsfunktion sowie relevante Analyseparameter und deren Darstellungsformen festgelegt.
Die Protokolldurchführung beinhaltet zunächst die Auswahl der zu untersuchenden Segmente, Gelenke und Muskeln ausgehend von einer oder mehreren klinischen (Arbeits-)Hypothesen bzw. von den spezifischen Symptombereichen. Darauf basierend werden die benötigten Marker und Oberflächenelektroden konfiguriert und platziert. Anschließend werden die festgelegten Kalibrierungsmessungen und Bewegungsaufgaben durchgeführt. Schließlich werden die relevanten Ergebnisparameter zur Überprüfung der Hypothesen extrahiert.
Der klinische Einsatz der Methode wird exemplarisch anhand einer Violinistin mit spielbedingten Schmerzen erläutert.
Klinische Implikationen: Die potenzielle Anwendung des vorgestellten Vorgehens ist die intra-individuelle Evaluation von gleichzeitig der Gelenk- als auch der Muskelfunktion bei hohen und tiefen Streichern während der physiotherapeutischen Konsultation. Dies soll sowohl zur Diagnose funktioneller Erkrankungen des Bewegungsapparates in Form einer objektiven, umfassenden und dennoch klinisch praktikablen diagnostischen Untersuchung als auch zum prä-post-interventionellen Vergleich beitragen.