Strategies for Improving Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Karen; Caspari, Amy

This report describes a program for introducing students to strategies for improving their comprehension of non-fiction materials. The targeted population consisted of students of one third grade class in a small, middle class suburb, northwest of a large, midwestern city. Difficulty reading and comprehending non-fiction material was documented…

Suddenly Sexy: Creative Nonfiction Rear-ends Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Wendy

2003-01-01

Suggests that there is a real chance right now for letting the possibilities of creative nonfiction infuse, improve, and invigorate the teaching of composition. Concludes that when allowed to explore literary nonfiction, writing students will develop a substantial set of strengths from which to undertake other disciplinary writing challenges as…

Becoming Nonfiction Authors: Engaging in Science Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersten, Sara

2017-01-01

This article describes how second-grade students' literacy learning was enhanced as they used their developing knowledge of nonfiction in an integrated English language arts/science unit toward the creation of multimodal nonfiction science books. After explaining the Common Core State Standards that guided the unit, the author outlines the…

Adventures in Nonfiction: Talking with Penny Colman.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Children's Literature, 2002

2002-01-01

Presents a "conversation" with Penny Colman (adapted from her remarks at a panel discussion at a recent convention). Considers that nonfiction is dominated by male writers, especially for young adults and adults, and by true stories that feature boys and men. Discusses her exploration of the world of nonfiction by women. (SG)

The Textbook's the Thing: Re-Emphasizing Creative Nonfiction in First-Year Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetham, Jennifer Locke

2009-01-01

In January 2003, "College English" published a special issue that focused on the genre of creative nonfiction. Many of the articles centered specifically on the role of nonfiction in the composition classroom, and in her essay "Suddenly Sexy: Creative Nonfiction Rear-Ends Composition," Wendy Bishop claims that the genre of creative nonfiction has…

To Work or Play? Junior Age Non-Fiction as Objects of Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Gemma

2001-01-01

Examines change and variation in the design of non-fiction texts which have a junior-age readership. Argues that different forms of presentation of non-fiction offer different ways of reading non-fiction texts, which as yet are neither fully described nor recognized. Suggests that non-fiction texts can be more or less firmly orientated towards…

Creative nonfiction: narrative and revelation.

PubMed

Hart, Curtis W

2009-06-01

Creative nonfiction and the illness narrative are recently identified approaches to literary expression. They are particularly well suited to the genre of memoir where psychological issues such as mourning and attachment and loss may be explored. The recent memoirs of Sue Erikson Bloland and Honor Moore fulfill the description of creative nonfiction. They offer their readers an opportunity to explore with them the theological and existential issues of revelation, reconciliation, and forgiveness. This paper was first presented for the Working Group on Psychoanalysis and the Arts of the Richardson Research Seminar in the History of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Exploring the World of Sports. Linking Fiction to Nonfiction. Literature Bridges to Social Studies Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Phyllis J.

This book is designed to help elementary teachers plan an integrated unit of study involving sports. It links popular fiction titles on the topic of sports to related nonfiction titles that will fascinate young readers and build their knowledge across the curriculum. The book includes suggestions for individual, small group, and large group…

ERIC/RCS: Booklists on Young Adult Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorney, Jacqueline M.

1987-01-01

Annotates booklists of literature for young adults that were selected on the basis of their quality and interest. Topics include: (1) contemporary nonfiction; (2) fantasy, science fiction, and the supernatural; (3) titles for reluctant readers; (4) death and war; (5) love and teen sexuality; (6) science; (7) American and world culture; (8) Black…

#SocialNetworks: Making Nonfiction Trend in Your Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lunetta; Scott, Kelly; Simone, Danielle

2015-01-01

Students must be proficient readers of nonfiction texts to be successful in school and life. Since engaging students in this genre can be challenging, this article focuses on how students can respond digitally and socially to nonfiction through the use of free, secure social networks. Not only can students become more engaged in learning when…

Running Roughshod: An Ethical Dilemma in Creative Nonfiction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perl, Sondra

2001-01-01

Notes that because creative nonfiction exists at the boundary between fiction and nonfiction, reality and recreations of reality, and emotional and factual truth, it raises vexing issues. Discusses what carries more weight: the responsibility to a participant in a story or to the larger story of which she is an important part. Wonders if telling…

Narrative Nonfiction: A Writer Reflects on Writing Real Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakim, Joy

2016-01-01

More than a decade has passed since "American Educator" featured the work of Joy Hakim, a writer whose nonfictional accounts of history and science have long fascinated students and teachers alike. With the advent of the Common Core State Standards, and their strong emphasis on nonfiction, Hakim's accounts may prove useful to educators…

Close Reading of Literary Nonfiction: The Three-Column Journal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConn, Matthew

2018-01-01

The Common Core State Standards have placed more emphasis on the close reading of all texts, and have made a point of increasing the use of nonfiction in secondary English classrooms. In this article, the author describes an approach for implementing close reading of literary nonfiction. The approach comes from a small-scale classroom-based…

Upper Elementary Students' Motivation to Read Fiction and Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Allison Ward; Parsons, Seth A.; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Gambrell, Linda B.; Marinak, Barbara A.; Reutzel, D. Ray; Applegate, Mary D.; Applegate, Anthony J.; Fawson, Parker C.

2018-01-01

This research explores upper elementary students' motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Using expectancy-value theory, the researchers developed separate surveys to measure motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Researchers administered surveys to 1,104 upper elementary students (grades 3-6) in multiple locations across the United States…

Using Popular Nonfiction in Organic Chemistry: Teaching More than Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amaral, Katie E.; Shibley, Ivan A., Jr.

2010-01-01

Assigning a popular nonfiction book as a supplemental text in organic chemistry can help students learn valuable skills. An analysis of student feedback on assignments related to a nonfiction book in two different organic courses revealed that students applied the information from the book, improved their communication skills, and were more…

Popular Nonfiction Authors for Children. A Biographical and Thematic Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Flora R.; Coggins, Margaret; Imber, Jane Hunter

This sourcebook provides brief biographies of 65 popular children's nonfiction authors. Each profile focuses on how authors go about writing information books by giving a firsthand account of the challenges and rewards of nonfiction writing. Each biography provides a selected bibliography of the author's work, a photo, and a message to the student…

Teacher Read-Aloud Style and Delivery: Fiction and Nonfiction Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Jana D.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine what read-aloud style and delivery of an elementary school teacher looked like, as well as how style and delivery varied from teacher to teacher. Both fiction and nonfiction texts were considered. The reading styles utilized by the teacher participants during two fiction and two nonfiction read-aloud events…

Integrating Graphic Nonfiction into Classroom Reading and Content Area Instruction: A Critical Literacy Focus on Selection Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Möller, Karla J.

2015-01-01

An understanding of the importance of nonfiction literature in classroom instruction is not new within the field of education. The recent implementation of the Common Core State Standards (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) has brought an increased policy focus. The Common…

Nonfiction Reading Comprehension in Middle School: Exploring in Interactive Software Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Evelyn S.; Isecke, Harriet; Rhoads, Christopher; Madura, John P.

2013-01-01

The struggles of students in the United States to comprehend non-fiction science text are well documented. Middle school students, in particular, have minimal instruction in comprehending nonfiction and flounder on assessments. This article describes the development process of the Readorium software, an interactive web-based program being…

Representations of the veterinary profession in nonfiction children's books.

PubMed

Amass, Sandra F

2011-05-01

To evaluate how the veterinary profession is represented in nonfiction children's books and determine whether representations reflect the current veterinary profession or the demographics of the United States. Survey. Covers of 46 nonfiction children's books and contents of 45 nonfiction children's books. Book covers and book contents (images and text) were evaluated for representations of veterinarians and to identify settings, clients, technology and equipment, and animals portrayed. Book contents were additionally evaluated to identify specialties and career opportunities specifically mentioned in the text. Book covers predominantly portrayed veterinarians as Caucasian women who wore examination coats, worked alone in veterinary clinics, and cared for dogs without a client present. Book contents predominantly portrayed veterinarians as a Caucasian man or woman who wore an examination coat, worked as part of a team in a veterinary clinic, and helped clients care for dogs, cats, and exotic animals. Specialties and career opportunities in the veterinary profession were mentioned in the text of 29 of 45 (64.4%) books. Nonfiction children's book covers that focused on the veterinary profession portrayed a greater percentage of women than is currently found in the profession. Similarly, books portrayed a greater percentage of Caucasians than in the current or predicted US population. With the exception of Asians, books collectively represented lower or similar percentages of underrepresented minorities, compared with the US population. Veterinarians are encouraged to select books for individual children that portray veterinarians with whom the children can identify.

Of Tilting Earths, Ruler Swans, and Fighting Mosquitoes: First Graders Writing Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Melissa I.

2012-01-01

Using discourse analysis methodology, this dissertation describes the literacy practices of first grade students as they engaged in researching, writing and illustrating nonfiction. The research focused on two instructional units on writing nonfiction that included a poster unit and a research report unit. The data consisted of 27 days of video…

The use of "non-fiction novels" in a sensation and perception course.

PubMed

Gunther, Karen L

2011-01-01

Scientific material can be difficult to relate to everyday knowledge. Textbook facts can be abstract. This Study of Teaching and Learning project examined the use of "non-fiction novels" (biographies and other books that read like novels but are true) in an undergraduate Sensation and Perception course in order to increase the concreteness of the reading material and to give the students a story on which to hang the facts learned in lecture. In Phase I (Fall 2009) non-fiction novels were used for half of the units and a standard textbook for the other half. In Phase II (Fall 2010) only non-fiction novels were used. The Fall 2009 class was very positive about the use of non-fiction novels, but exam scores did not mirror this enthusiasm, either on semester exam scores or on a four-month re-take of the cumulative final exam. In contrast, the Fall 2010 class missed having a textbook, but exam performance significantly improved over prior semesters, and performance on the four-month re-take of the cumulative final exam showed performance equivalent to the Fall 2009 class's four-month performance on questions from textbook units. In both semesters, the effectiveness of the instructor in stimulating student interest was significantly higher than in prior years where only the textbook was used. In addition, 68% of the students said that reading the non-fiction novels made them want to learn more about our sensory systems.

Nonfiction Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredericks, Anthony D.

2007-01-01

Test scores across the country show American students are far more able to read narrative than nonfiction text. Some research speculates this is due to a great lack in the background knowledge of many children. Librarians are beginning to realize that a unique fit for the school librarian is as a provider of background knowledge materials for…

Matters of Fact: Reading Nonfiction over the Edge. Theory and Interpretation of Narrative Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, Daniel W.

Taking off from the perception that the current critical climate blurs most meaningful distinctions between fiction and nonfiction, this book examines what happens when writers and readers encounter texts presented as nonfiction--texts that make some truth claim on outside experience, texts whose characters and events have at least some tangible…

Teachers Differ over Meeting Nonfiction Rule

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gewertz, Catherine

2013-01-01

As the common core is brought to life in classrooms this year, some English/language arts teachers are finding themselves caught in a swirl of debate about whether the new standards require them to cut back on prized pieces of the literary canon to make room for nonfiction. A recent spate of news reports has ignited a new wave of anxiety about the…

Districts Gird for Added Use of Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gewertz, Catherine

2012-01-01

An intensifying focus for teachers across the country is how to develop students' skills at reading and understanding informational texts. Teachers are rebalancing their fiction-and-nonfiction scales because the Common Core State Standards in English/language arts demand it. Since all but four states have adopted those guidelines, millions of…

Basic Understandings of Nonfictional Writings Using the Newspaper as a Supplementary Aid: For Junior High School and Senior High School Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tokars, Lester E.

This supplementary aid for the teaching of English by the use of the "Newspaper in the Classroom" utilizes an ungraded approach that may be utilized with students from grades 7 through 12. The emphasis in this guide is in the specific literature area of nonfictional writings. The goals of using this teaching approach are to: (1) stimulate the…

Exploring Nonfiction through Depression-Era Letter Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ousley, Denise M.

2002-01-01

Notes that by exploring Depression-era teens' letter writing, language arts teachers can enjoy more fruitful uses of nonfiction with their students. Discusses how reading, analyzing, and responding to the letters could help minimize the widening gap between the 1930s and the twenty-first century. Concludes that researching everyday Americans'…

Why Literature Students Should Practise Life Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardell, Kylie; Douglas, Kate

2018-01-01

This article considers our experiences teaching a hybrid literature/creative writing subject called "Life Writing." We consider the value of literature students engaging in creative writing practice--in this instance, the nonfiction subgenre of life writing--as part of their critical literary studies. We argue that in practicing life…

Reading (and Rehabilitating) the Literature of Fact.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winterowd, W. Ross

1989-01-01

Examines how Romantic psychology and subsequent literary theory devalued texts that were ostensibly factual rather than fictional. Argues that nonfiction literature--the literature of fact--is as rich and valuable as fiction. Explores Peter Matthiessen's "The Snow Leopard" to show how a reader can become aesthetically immersed in a…

Assessing (and Addressing!) Motivation to Read Fiction and Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malloy, Jacquelynn A.; Parsons, Allison Ward; Marinak, Barbara A.; Applegate, Anthony J.; Applegate, Mary DeKonty; Reutzel, D. Ray; Parsons, Seth A.; Fawson, Parker C.; Roberts, Leslie D.; Gambrell, Linda B.

2017-01-01

Literacy educators, spurred by curricular standards requiring increased attention to reading nonfiction, are compelled to consider text-specific reading instruction. As research supports the connection between motivation and reading achievement, these mandates beg the question, "Are children equally motivated to read fiction and…

Nonfiction Book Apps: Addressing CCSS and Engaging Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Cathy; Scheuer, Mary Ann

2013-01-01

As schools around the country implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), teachers and school librarians are looking for ways to incorporate more engaging nonfiction reading. The quantity of informational texts students will be required to read will increase drastically, and students will be asked to apply higher-level thinking skills to…

The Non-Fiction Reading Habits of Young Successful Boy Readers: Forming Connections between Masculinity and Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Susannah

2004-01-01

The reading experiences of six young successful boy readers were studied over a two-year period. In this article, their non-fiction reading is analysed and ways in which the boys make positive connections between masculinity and reading are identified. The boys' non-fiction reading centres on typical boy interest areas and hobbies (for example,…

The Truth of the Thing: Nonfiction in "Moby Dick"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilbert, Betsy

1986-01-01

Looks at Melville's narrative construction of "onion-like...layers of truth" that combine romance and textbook, presents critics' discussion and scholars' treatment of the cetological information present in the text, offers an explanation for the lack of recognition due to the nonfictional parts of "Moby Dick." (JK)

Rationales for Teaching Young Adult Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Louann, Ed.

A resource for finding appropriate works of adolescent literature and, when necessary, defending them against challenges, this book presents the recommendations of 25 educators concerning novels, nonfiction works, and short story collections that adolescents enjoy. Contributors provide synopses, sample excerpts, and brief author biographies, along…

Narrative Fiction and Expository Nonfiction Differentially Predict Verbal Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mar, Raymond A.; Rain, Marina

2015-01-01

Although reading is known to be an important contributor to language abilities, it is not yet well established whether different text genres are uniquely associated with verbal abilities. We examined how exposure to narrative fiction and expository nonfiction predict language ability among university students. Exposure was measured both with…

Reading the Environment: Children's Literature in the Science Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerullo, Mary M.

Science trade books, both fiction and nonfiction, nurture a child's personal journey of discovery through the anecdotes, adventures, and experiences of others and through vivid word and picture images. This book focuses on the use of children's literature in the science classroom. Chapters include: (1) "Why Science and Literature Belong…

Authority and Imagined Truth: Notes on Teaching Creative Nonfiction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renker, F. W.

An instructor who teaches composition, poetry, and creative nonfiction at Delta Community College in central Michigan language makes connections and helps people imagine their way fully into subjects. People have a deep, if unconscious and unfocused, need to discover and tell the truth. For one semester his students act like writers. They keep…

Patterns of Puffery: An Analysis of Non-Fiction Blurbs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Blaise; La Barre, Kathryn

2005-01-01

The blurb is a paratextual element which has not previously been subjected to systematic analysis. We describe the nature and purpose of this publishing epiphenomenon, highlight some of the related marketing issues and ethical concerns and provide a statistical analysis of almost 2000 blurbs identified in a sample of 450 non-fiction books.…

Ten Nonfiction Books (for Adults) to Fall in Love with

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Genco, Barbara

2011-01-01

In this article, the author describes ten nonfiction books she recommends for adults: (1) "My Reading Life" (Pat Conroy); (2) "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" (Barbara Demick); (3) "Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refuge Boy" (Carlos Eire); (4) "The Perfect Shape + The Perfect Sauce =…

Fiction and Non-Fiction Reading and Comprehension in Preferred Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topping, Keith J.

2015-01-01

Are the books preferred and most enjoyed by children harder than other books they read? Are non-fiction books read and understood at the same level of difficulty as fiction books? The Accelerated Reader software offers computerized comprehension quizzes of real books individually chosen by children, giving children (and teachers, librarians, and…

The Literacy Skills and Motivation to Read of Children Enrolled in Title I: A Comparison of Electronic and Print Nonfiction Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnyak, Natalie Conrad; McNelly, Tracy A.

2016-01-01

This mixed method study, grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, examines if nonfiction e-books read independently by children enrolled in a summer reading program will increase vocabulary, improve comprehension, and enhance motivation to read as compared to children reading nonfiction trade books with adult support. Findings indicate…

Representing the Inuit in Contemporary British and Canadian Juvenile Non-Fiction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Robert G.

2001-01-01

Examines text and pictorial representations of the Inuit in juvenile reference books and in geographical and historical juvenile non-fiction works. Finds continuing prevalence of a wide range of stereotypes. Identifies strengths and weaknesses of a variety of such representations, aided by a discussion group of Inuit people. (SR)

The Nonfiction Novel as Psychiatric Casebook: Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koski, Cheryl A.

1999-01-01

Argues that Truman Capote's nonfiction novel "In Cold Blood" serves as a case study of a psychopath through its close examination of the entire constellation of antisocial personality traits of the murderer, Richard Hickock. Suggests this best-seller conforms to established medical authority while maintaining its popular appeal. (NH)

The Importance of Reading in Earnest: Non-Fiction for Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Job, Jennifer; Coleman, Mary Ruth

2016-01-01

Until recently, reading instruction for early grades has focused on fiction. However, the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards both emphasize the reading of nonfiction texts to gain specific skill sets for analyzing information. Research has shown that gifted students and children with culturally/linguistically…

Comparison of textbook passages, nonfiction trade book passages and fiction trade book passages as instructional tools for learning science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Cynthia

This study examined the impact of different types of text on student achievement in elementary school science. Gender was also examined to see if the type of text passage read had any differential effect on boys' and girls' achievement. This study was a pretest/posttest/retention test design. Eighty-four fourth grade students from a public charter elementary school in South Florida were randomly assigned a passage from a physical science textbook, a physical science nonfiction trade book, a physical science fiction trade book, a biological science textbook or a biological science nonfiction trade book. Results in the physical science content area revealed that students in the textbook passage group had higher posttest and retention test results than students in the nonfiction and fiction trade book passage groups. There was no difference on the posttest results of students in the biological science textbook and nonfiction trade book passage groups. Students in the biological science textbook passage group had higher retention results than students in the biological science nonfiction passage group. Gender results in the physical science content area revealed that boys had a higher retention score than girls in the fiction trade book passage group. There were no gender achievement differences as a result of the text passage read in the biological science content area. It was concluded that no definitive answer as to the efficacy of textbooks versus trade books was possible based upon results of the study. Recommendations for future research include examining the effects of different types of texts in conjunction with other authentic teaching methods.

Suicide in the media: a quantitative review of studies based on non-fictional stories.

PubMed

Stack, Steven

2005-04-01

Research on the effect of suicide stories in the media on suicide in the real world has been marked by much debate and inconsistent findings. Recent narrative reviews have suggested that research based on nonfictional models is more apt to uncover imitative effects than research based on fictional models. There is, however, substantial variation in media effects within the research restricted to nonfictional accounts of suicide. The present analysis provides some explanations of the variation in findings in the work on nonfictional media. Logistic regression techniques applied to 419 findings from 55 studies determined that: (1) studies measuring the presence of either an entertainment or political celebrity were 5.27 times more likely to find a copycat effect, (2) studies focusing on stories that stressed negative definitions of suicide were 99% less likely to report a copycat effect, (3) research based on television stories (which receive less coverage than print stories) were 79% less likely to find a copycat effect, and (4) studies focusing on female suicide were 4.89 times more likely to report a copycat effect than other studies. The full logistic regression model correctly classified 77.3% of the findings from the 55 studies. Methodological differences among studies are associated with discrepancies in their results.

Don't Bother Me, I'm Reading: Graphic Nonfiction for Middle Schoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez, Peter

2008-01-01

This article offers a savvy guide to the best graphic nonfiction books for middle schoolers. These include: "Ronald Reagan: A Graphic Biography" by Andrew Hefler; "Clan Apis" by Jay Hosler; and "Corpses and Skeletons: The Science of Forensic Anthropology" by Rob Shone.

Creative Nonfiction in the Classroom: Extending the Boundaries of Literary Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skrebels, Paul

The net effect of the early experiences of writing "compositions" which involved either describing the circumstances of a student's life or recounting the kinds of events encapsulated in that proverbially hack title, "What I Did on My Summer Vacation," has been a tendency for older teachers to devalue nonfiction as an object of…

Portrayal of Depression and Other Mental Illnesses in Australian Nonfiction Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Catherine; Pirkis, Jane; Blood, R. Warwick; Dunt, David; Burgess, Philip; Morley, Belinda; Stewart, Andrew

2005-01-01

This study describes Australian media portrayal of mental illnesses, focusing on depression. A random sample of 1,123 items was selected for analysis from a pool of 13,389 nonfictional media items about mental illness collected between March 2000 and February 2001. Depression was portrayed more frequently than other mental illnesses. Items about…

From the wizard to the doubter: prototypes of scientists and engineers in fiction and non-fiction media aimed at Dutch children and teenagers.

PubMed

Van Gorp, Baldwin; Rommes, Els; Emons, Pascale

2014-08-01

The aim of this paper is to gain insight into the prototypical scientists as they appear in fiction and non-fiction media consumed by children and teenagers in The Netherlands. A qualitative-interpretive content analysis is used to identify seven prototypes and the associated characteristics in a systematic way. The results show that the element of risk is given more attention in fiction than in non-fiction. Also, eccentric scientists appear more often in fiction. In non-fiction, the dimension useful/useless is more important. Furthermore, fictional scientists are loners, although in practice scientists more often work in a team. In both fiction and non-fiction, the final product of the scientific process gets more attention than the process itself. The prototype of the doubter is introduced as an alternative to the dominant representations because it represents scientists and engineers in a more nuanced way.

Reading Nonfiction Text on an iPad in a Secondary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardullo, Victoria; Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki I.; Wilson, Nance S.

2017-01-01

The intent of this research was to investigate the experiences of eighth grade readers as they read nonfiction text on an iPad for academic purposes. We investigated reading strategies that students use to support their reading as well as what role iPad features played in the reading process. New literacies, metacognition and transactional…

Opinion: The Ethical Exhibitionist's Agenda--Honesty and Fairness in Creative Nonfiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, William

2007-01-01

In recent years, memoir and the entire genre of creative nonfiction have received some negative publicity and some harsh criticism. Many have dismissed the "fourth genre," as it's called, as a form for the narcissistic and self-involved. Matters certainly are not helped when high-profile writers of memoir are revealed to be frauds and fiction…

Connecting Science and Math Concepts with Children's and Young Adult Literature in a CCSS World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewett, Pamela; Johnson, Denise; Lowery, Ruth McKoy; Stiles, James W.

2015-01-01

In this article, the authors provide a synopsis of the 2014 Children's Literature Assembly (CLA) Workshop. The Workshop explored how fiction and nonfiction children's and young adult's literature create opportunities for in-depth learning in the content areas. Participants had the opportunity to hear the stories of authors and illustrators of…

From Pandora to Nora: Literature and Women's Liberation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Janet Mendell

This paper describes a ten-week elective course for high school seniors entitled "Literature and Women's Liberation." The purposes of the course were (1) to introduce students to some of the classic fictional, nonfictional, poetic, and dramatic statements concerning the role of women, as well as to quite a few recent commentaries on this theme;…

Tucking the Pigeons up Your Sleeve: Ten Personae Teach One Nonfiction Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunstein, Bonnie S.

2010-01-01

Nonfiction writing, as defined by the author, is the mix of art, craft, and information, put together by writers who let readers know they are interested in a topic, and who speculate about what that interest or topic might mean. In this article, the author introduces ten imagined colleagues who provide essential support for the teaching of…

Chronicles of the Sea: The History and Literature of Man's Voyages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roderer, Lawrence C.; Lacy, Richard

In spring 1984, an interdisciplinary course on the history and literature of man's voyages and relationship with the sea was introduced at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC). The course was team taught from the perspectives of the social sciences and English departments, incorporating fiction and non-fiction sources related to…

"Really," "Not Possible," "I Can't Believe It": Exploring Informational Text in Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barone, Diane; Barone, Rebecca

2016-01-01

Fifth graders' interpretations of nonfiction or informational text were explored. Each literature circle group read and responded to informational text. Discoveries included that students' conversations and written responses were closely connected to text and that students created multimodal responses.

Playing with/through Non-Fiction Texts: Young Children Authoring Their Relationships with History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghiso, Maria Paula

2013-01-01

This article examines the relationship between literacy and play in six- and seven-year-olds' engagement with non-fiction writing. I draw from a year-long ethnographic study (Erickson, 1986) of a US classroom's "writing time", intentionally structured on children's own interests and enquiries. Rather than strict adherence to monolithic…

The Historical Representation of Thanksgiving within Primary- and Intermediate-Level Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickford, John H., III; Rich, Cynthia W.

2015-01-01

State and national initiatives have compelled significant change in English language arts and social studies/history curricula. English language arts teachers are required to balance fiction (or literature) and nonfiction (or informational texts), which is a considerable change for a content area formerly occupied by fiction (National Governors…

Preservice Teachers Map Compassion: Connecting Social Studies and Literacy through Nonfictional Animal Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Montgomery, Sarah E.; Vander Zanden, Sarah M.

2014-01-01

Nonfiction stories of animal compassion were used in this literacy-social studies integrated lesson to address both efferent and aesthetic stances in transmediation of text from picture books to maps. Preservice early childhood and elementary teachers chose places from the nine recent children's stories, symbolizing them on a map while…

Using Literature Study Groups to Construct Meaning in an Undergraduate Reading Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth

1998-01-01

Examines the effectiveness of adding a literature-study-group component to an undergraduate reading diagnosis and remediation course for preservice teachers. Group members read nonfiction works related to literacy, periodically meet to discuss the book and their responses, and share with their classmates. The paper explains how to conduct such…

Suicide in the Media: A Quantitative Review of Studies Based on Nonfictional Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stack, Steven

2005-01-01

Research on the effect of suicide stories in the media on suicide in the real world has been marked by much debate and inconsistent findings. Recent narrative reviews have suggested that research based on nonfictional models is more apt to uncover imitative effects than research based on fictional models. There is, however, substantial variation…

The effect of historical, non-fiction, trade books on third-grade students' perceptions of scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farland, Donna Lynn

Researchers do not know what, if any, specific influence such stereotypical images have on the shaping of children's perceptions in science (Schibeci & Sorenson, 1983), but the indications are that stereotypical images translate into negative perceptions of science. Commonly held stereotypic images are in direct opposition to what students should understand about science as identified by the National Science Education Standards (1996) in which learning about 'Science as a Human Endeavor' begins as early as grades K--4. Nationally, many schools are moving toward kit-based science instruction, which generally consists of a series of guided discovery activities that lead children toward description and understanding of scientific phenomena. It is proposed that by supplementing these kits with historical, non-fiction, trade books, children will gain a broader understanding of the diversity of scientists, their work, and the variety of places science is done. No studies, to date, have been conducted to examine students' understanding of the concepts included in 'Science as a Human Endeavor' as they receive kit-based science instruction. This research has been designed to answer the following question: Does the inclusion of historical, non-fiction, trade books, presenting scientists as people working with or developing an idea, as part of kit-based science instruction influence third grade students' representations of the contemporary scientist and his/her work? It was found that students who were read historical, non-fiction, trade books in conjunction with kit-based instruction demonstrated significant differences in their drawings of scientists from those produced by students who were not exposed to the trade books with respect to two criteria; appearance of scientists, and the activity performed by scientists. This study also revealed that students were able to maintain the improvement in their representations of scientists four weeks after the intervention had ended

Prentice Hall/Pearson Literature© (2007-15). What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2017

2017-01-01

"Prentice Hall/Pearson Literature©" (2007-15) is an English language arts curriculum designed for students in grades 6-12 that focuses on building reading, vocabulary, literary analysis, and writing skills. It uses passages from fiction and nonfiction texts, poetry, and contemporary digital media. The curriculum is based on a textbook.…

The portrayal of mental health and illness in Australian non-fiction media.

PubMed

Francis, Catherine; Pirkis, Jane; Blood, R Warwick; Dunt, David; Burgess, Philip; Morley, Belinda; Stewart, Andrew; Putnis, Peter

2004-07-01

To provide a detailed picture of the extent, nature and quality of portrayal of mental health/illness in Australian non-fiction media. Media items were retrieved from Australian newspaper, television and radio sources over a 1-year period, and identifying/descriptive data extracted from all items. Quality ratings were made on a randomly selected 10% of items, using an instrument based on criteria in Achieving the Balance (a resource designed to promote responsible reporting of mental health/illness). Reporting of mental health/illness was common, with 4351 newspaper, 1237 television and 7801 radio items collected during the study period. Media items most frequently focused on policy/program initiatives in mental health (29.0%), or on causes/symptoms/treatment of mental illnesses (23.9%). Stories about mental health issues in the context of crime were relatively uncommon, accounting for only 5.6% of items. Most media items were of good quality on eight of the nine dimensions; the exception was that details of appropriate help services were only included in 6.4% of items. In contrast to previous research, the current study found that media reporting of mental health/illness was extensive, generally of good quality and focused less on themes of crime and violence than may have been expected. This is encouraging, since there is evidence that negative media portrayal of mental health/illness can detrimentally affect community attitudes. However, there are still opportunities for improving media reporting of mental health/illness, which should be taken up in future media strategies.

Booktalks, Bookwalks, and Read-Alouds: Promoting the Best New Children's Literature Across the Elementary Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blass, Rosanne J.

This guide features booktalks for elementary grades of recently published (1998-2001) fiction and nonfiction titles that are either award winners, written by award-winning authors, positively reviewed in national reading advocacy journals, or representative of an emerging trend in children's literature. Each booktalk entry consists of…

From Hitler to Hurricanes, Vietnam to Virginia Tech: Using Historical Nonfiction to Teach Rhetorical Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckelhimer, Lisa

2010-01-01

Historical nonfiction is effective in teaching rhetoric for two main reasons. First, historical texts communicate through a real-world lens that students can understand and find familiar. Students study history and are exposed to current events through the news, school, and each other. Second, since history affects people's lives so broadly, its…

Fostering the Memoir Writing Skills as a Creative Non-Fiction Genre Using a WebQuest Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Sayed, Rania Kamal Muhammad; Abdel-Haq, Eman Muhammad; El-Deeb, Mervat Abou-Bakr; Ali, Mahsoub Abdel-Sadeq

2016-01-01

The present study aimed at developing the memoir writing skills as a creative non-fiction genre of second year distinguished governmental language preparatory school pupils using the a WebQuest model. Fifty participants from second year at Hassan Abu-Bakr Distinguished Governmental Language School at Al-Qanater Al-Khairia(Qalubia Governorate) were…

Adolescent Literature Is More Than the YA Novel: Making a Case for Biography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agee, Hugh

Biography is a form of nonfiction that, when well-researched and well-written, can be as enjoyable and as engaging as the best of novels. The quality of these books can be judged by the quality of writing and by the honesty and accuracy in the presentation of the subject. There has to be in the text or in supporting materials some assurance that…

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ)-Themed Literature for Teens: Are School Libraries Providing Adequate Collections?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes-Hassell, Sandra; Overberg, Elizabeth; Harris, Shannon

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if young adults have access through school libraries to LGBTQ-themed literature. The library collections in 125 high schools in one Southern U.S. state were examined for the inclusion of LGBTQ-themed fiction, nonfiction, and biographies, including a core collection of 21 recommended titles. Results showed…

Exploring Factors That Influence Quality Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Chase; Mohr, Kathleen A. J.

2018-01-01

Research indicates that literature circles are an authentic means for literacy development that students typically enjoy. To better understand the potential value and to add to the research base regarding literature circles, this study, involving 17 fourth graders, explores factors that may influence the quality of literature discussions,…

"Your Credibility Could Be Shot": Preservice Teachers' Thinking about Nonfiction Graphic Novels, Curriculum Decision Making, and Professional Acceptance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, J. Spencer

2013-01-01

This article examined the value of using nonfiction graphic novels as historical narratives in the social studies curriculum. Preservice teachers evaluated several graphic novels and identified attributes of graphic novels that could contribute to students' development of historical thinking and understanding of multiple perspectives. Despite the…

Microbiological Water Quality of Impoundments: A Literature Review.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

A123-470 MICROBIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF IMPOUNDMENTS:A i/i LITERATURE REYIEU(U) TEX S UNJY AT DALLAS RICHRDSON G BURTON DEC 82 NES/MP/E-82-6...REPORT G PERIOD COVERED . MICROBIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF IMPOUNDMENTS: Final report A LITERATURE REVIEW 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHOR...Va. 22151. IS. KEY WORDS (Continue an reverse side It necessary mid Identify by black numnber) Bacteria Water quality S Impoundments Water sampling

Distinguishing fiction from non-fiction with complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larue, David M.; Carr, Lincoln D.; Jones, Linnea K.; Stevanak, Joe T.

2014-03-01

Complex Network Measures are applied to networks constructed from texts in English to demonstrate an initial viability in textual analysis. Texts from novels and short stories obtained from Project Gutenberg and news stories obtained from NPR are selected. Unique word stems in a text are used as nodes in an associated unweighted undirected network, with edges connecting words occurring within a certain number of words somewhere in the text. Various combinations of complex network measures are computed for each text's network. Fisher's Linear Discriminant analysis is used to build a parameter optimizing the ability to separate the texts according to their genre. Success rates in the 70% range for correctly distinguishing fiction from non-fiction were obtained using edges defined as within four words, using 400 word samples from 400 texts from each of the two genres with some combinations of measures such as the power-law exponents of degree distributions and clustering coefficients.

The Generic Structure Potential of Science Nonfiction Selections in Four Basal Reading Series, Grades One and Two

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Angela Beckman

2009-01-01

Basal reading series are used in a majority of classrooms in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of fiction and nonfiction genres included in four recently published first and second grade basal reading series and to compare the frequencies to studies of older basal reading series. Based on the work of…

Narrative Non-Fiction Stories of the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Are Discipline Alternative Educational Programs the Pump Station?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knox, Ronny D.

2013-01-01

This research project used the Narrative Non-fiction method to examine the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon through the experiences of four previously incarcerated adult males who had been placed in Discipline Alternative Educational Programs (DAEPs) during their public school education. In 1981, DAEPs were instituted as a pilot program to…

Can Differences in Word Frequency Explain Why Narrative Fiction is a Better Predictor of Verbal Ability than Nonfiction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCreath, Graham A.; Linehan, Cormac M. J.; Mar, Raymond A.

2017-01-01

Individuals who read more tend to have stronger verbal skills than those who read less. Interestingly, what you read may make a difference. Past studies have found that reading narrative fiction, but not expository nonfiction, predicts verbal ability. Why this difference exists is not known. Here we investigate one possibility: whether fiction…

Connecting Social Psychology to the Experience of Others through a Nonfiction Book Analysis: New Wine in an Old Bottle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preuss, Gregory S.; Schurtz, D. Ryan; Powell, Caitlin A. J.; Combs, David J. Y.; Smith, Richard H.

2013-01-01

This article evaluates a writing assignment in which students read a non-fiction book that they chose from a list provided by their instructor, identified examples of social psychological phenomena, and fully explained how those examples fit social psychology concepts. This novel twist on a traditional assignment yielded surprisingly robust…

The Water of Life: Creative Non-Fiction and Lived Experience on an Interdisciplinary Canoe Journey on Scotland's River Spey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Peter; Wattchow, Brian

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on an educational encounter between staff, students and the River Spey, Scotland in September 2009. The themes of water and embodied and culturally constructed ways of knowing the river were used to inform a creative non-fiction narrative that was drafted during and shortly after the journey, and was later refined. Textual…

Predictors of Quality Verbal Engagement in Third-Grade Literature Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Chase

2014-01-01

This study investigates how reading ability and personality traits predict the quality of verbal discussions in peer-led literature circles. Third grade literature discussions were recorded, transcribed, and coded. The coded statements and questions were quantified into a quality of engagement score. Through multiple linear regression, the…

Quality Assurance in Higher Education: A Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Tricia

2015-01-01

This paper examines the literature surrounding quality assurance in global higher education. It provides an overview of accreditation as a mechanism to ensure quality in higher education, examines models of QA, and explores the concept of quality (including definitions of quality and quality assurance). In addition, this paper provides a review of…

The Importance and Use of Quality Literature in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carus, Marianne

The author argues that children learn best when they are exposed to literature of good quality, such as that chosen for her magazine, "Cricket." With literature as the focus, the good teacher can develop a fully correlated language arts program. Using quality material in a lively and entertaining manner, "Cricket" lays…

Balancing the Roles of Explicit Instruction of Text Form Language and Schema Theory in Student Non-Fiction Writing: Problems and Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broer van Arragon, Kathleen

2003-01-01

The focus of this study will be on the intersection of the following domains: Second Language Acquisition research on cohesion and coherence, discourse acquisition of young children, the effect of text form-focused instruction on student non-fiction writing and the impact of schema theory on student decision-making during the writing process.

Quality in the pharmaceutical industry - A literature review.

PubMed

Haleem, Reham M; Salem, Maissa Y; Fatahallah, Faten A; Abdelfattah, Laila E

2015-10-01

The aim of this study is to:a.Highlight the most important guidelines and practices of quality in the pharmaceutical industry.b.Organize such guidelines and practices to create a guide to pave the way for other researchers who would like to dig deeper into these guidelines and practices. A review was conducted of 102 publications; 56 publications were concerned with the pharmaceutical quality directly while 46 publications were concerned with the general quality practices. The content of those sources was analyzed and the following themes were identified:a.Research theme 1: Guidelines of the pharmaceutical quality.b.Research theme 2: General practices recently applied in the pharmaceutical industry. The following guidelines were identified and reviewed: WHO guidelines, FDA guidelines, EU guidelines and ICH guidelines in the research theme I. In research theme II; the following topics were identified and reviewed: quality risk management, quality by design, corrective actions and preventive actions, process capability analysis, Six Sigma, process analytical technology, lean manufacturing, total quality management, ISO series and HACCP. Upon reviewing the previously highlighted guidelines and the practices that are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry, it was noticed that there is an abundant number of papers and articles that explain the general guidelines and practices but the literature lack those describing application; case studies of the pharmaceutical factories applying those guidelines and significance of those guidelines and practices. It is recommended that the literature would invest more in the area of application and significance of guidelines and practices. New case studies should be done to prove the feasibility of such practices.

Quality of Mental Health Care for Nursing Home Residents: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Grabowski, David C.; Aschbrenner, Kelly A.; Rome, Vincent F.; Bartels, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

Because of the high proportion of nursing home residents with a mental illness other than dementia, the quality of mental health care in nursing homes is a major clinical and policy issue. The authors apply Donabedian's framework for assessing quality of care based on the triad of structure, process, and outcome-based measures in reviewing the literature on the quality of mental health care in nursing homes. Quality measures used within the literature include mental health consultations and hospitalizations, inappropriate use of medications, and mental health survey deficiencies. Factors related to the resident's welfare (nurse staffing), provider norms (locality), and financial factors (payer mix) were associated with the quality of mental health care. Although future research is necessary, the extant literature suggests that persons with mental illness are frequently admitted to nursing homes and their care is often of poor quality and related to a series of resident and facility factors. PMID:20223943

Categorizing moving objects into film genres: the effect of animacy attribution, emotional response, and the deviation from non-fiction.

PubMed

Visch, Valentijn T; Tan, Ed S

2009-02-01

The reported study follows the footsteps of Heider, and Simmel (1944) [Heider, F., & Simmel, M. (1944). An experimental study of apparent behavior. American Journal of Psychology, 57, 243-249] and Michotte (1946/1963) [Michotte, A. (1963). The perception of causality (T.R. Miles & E. Miles, Trans.). London: Methuen (Original work published 1946)] who demonstrated the role of object movement in attributions of life-likeness to figures. It goes one step further in studying the categorization of film scenes as to genre as a function of object movements. In an animated film scene portraying a chase, movements of the chasing object were systematically varied as to parameters: velocity, efficiency, fluency, detail, and deformation. The object movements were categorized by viewers into genres: non-fiction, comedy, drama, and action. Besides this categorization, viewers rated their animacy attribution and emotional response. Results showed that non-expert viewers were consistent in categorizing the genres according to object movement parameters. The size of its deviation from the unmanipulated movement scene determined the assignment of any target scene to one of the fiction genres: small and moderate deviations resulted in categorization as drama and action, and large deviations as comedy. The results suggest that genre classification is achieved by, at least, three distinct cognitive processes: (a) animacy attribution, which influences the fiction versus non-fiction classification; (b) emotional responses, which influences the classification of a specific fiction genre; and (c) the amount of deviation from reality, at least with regard to movements.

Using Nonfiction Narratives in an English Course to Teach the Nature of Science and Its Importance to Communicating About Science †

PubMed Central

Aune, Jeanine Elise; Evans, Lynn Lundy; Boury, Nancy

2018-01-01

The nature of science (NOS) is a foundational framework for understanding scientific ideas and concepts. This framework includes scientific methodology, the process of revising and interpreting data, and the ways in which science is a social endeavor. Nature of science literature treats science as a way of knowing that is based on observable phenomenon. While discipline-specific coursework teaches the factual information of science, it may fall short on teaching scientific literacy, a key component of which is understanding NOS. We have designed an English course that features nonfiction narratives describing the early days of epidemiology, hygiene awareness, and the current controversy surrounding vaccination. Using a validated assessment of student understanding of NOS, the Student Understanding of Science and Scientific Inquiry (SUSSI), we have determined that this science-themed English composition course was effective in teaching NOS. Student understanding of NOS increased between the beginning and the end of the course in eight of the nine parameters of NOS measured, with the greatest gains in understanding the role of revision and of creativity in science. Our data imply that the course helped students develop a slightly less naïve understanding of the nature of science and its importance in the development and dissemination of scientific ideas and concepts. PMID:29904539

Quality in the pharmaceutical industry – A literature review

PubMed Central

Haleem, Reham M.; Salem, Maissa Y.; Fatahallah, Faten A.; Abdelfattah, Laila E.

2013-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study is to:a.Highlight the most important guidelines and practices of quality in the pharmaceutical industry.b.Organize such guidelines and practices to create a guide to pave the way for other researchers who would like to dig deeper into these guidelines and practices. Design A review was conducted of 102 publications; 56 publications were concerned with the pharmaceutical quality directly while 46 publications were concerned with the general quality practices. The content of those sources was analyzed and the following themes were identified:a.Research theme 1: Guidelines of the pharmaceutical quality.b.Research theme 2: General practices recently applied in the pharmaceutical industry. Main outcome measures The following guidelines were identified and reviewed: WHO guidelines, FDA guidelines, EU guidelines and ICH guidelines in the research theme I. In research theme II; the following topics were identified and reviewed: quality risk management, quality by design, corrective actions and preventive actions, process capability analysis, Six Sigma, process analytical technology, lean manufacturing, total quality management, ISO series and HACCP. Results Upon reviewing the previously highlighted guidelines and the practices that are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry, it was noticed that there is an abundant number of papers and articles that explain the general guidelines and practices but the literature lack those describing application; case studies of the pharmaceutical factories applying those guidelines and significance of those guidelines and practices. Conclusions It is recommended that the literature would invest more in the area of application and significance of guidelines and practices. New case studies should be done to prove the feasibility of such practices. PMID:26594110

Using Young Adult Realistic Literature to Help Troubled Teenagers: Something New, Tried and True, and Recommended Nonfiction (Young Adult Literature).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaywell, Joan F.

1997-01-01

Describes a seven-step process that uses young adult literature to help teenagers understand and deal with their troubles. Offers brief annotations of five young adult titles in each of nine areas: alienation and identity; divorce; dropouts, delinquency, and gangs; poverty; teenage pregnancy; abused children; alcohol and drugs; homosexuality; and…

Dimensions of service quality in healthcare: a systematic review of literature.

PubMed

Fatima, Iram; Humayun, Ayesha; Iqbal, Usman; Shafiq, Muhammad

2018-06-13

Various dimensions of healthcare service quality were used and discussed in literature across the globe. This study presents an updated meaningful review of the extensive research that has been conducted on measuring dimensions of healthcare service quality. Systematic review method in current study is based on PRISMA guidelines. We searched for literature using databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed and Social Science, Citation Index. In this study, we screened 1921 identified papers using search terms/phrases. Snowball strategies were adopted to extract published articles from January 1997 till December 2016. Two-hundred and fourteen papers were identified as relevant for data extraction; completed by two researchers, double checked by the other two to develop agreement in discrepancies. In total, 74 studies fulfilled our pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria for data analysis. Service quality is mainly measured as technical and functional, incorporating many sub-dimensions. We synthesized the information about dimensions of healthcare service quality with reference to developed and developing countries. 'Tangibility' is found to be the most common contributing factor whereas 'SERVQUAL' as the most commonly used model to measure healthcare service quality. There are core dimensions of healthcare service quality that are commonly found in all models used in current reviewed studies. We found a little difference in these core dimensions while focusing dimensions in both developed and developing countries, as mostly SERVQUAL is being used as the basic model to either generate a new one or to add further contextual dimensions. The current study ranked the contributing factors based on their frequency in literature. Based on these priorities, if factors are addressed irrespective of any context, may lead to contribute to improve healthcare quality and may provide an important information for evidence-informed decision-making.

Quality of life in thyroid cancer patients: a literature review

PubMed Central

BÃRBUŞ, ELENA; PEŞTEAN, CLAUDIU; LARG, MARIA IULIA; PICIU, DOINA

2017-01-01

Introduction Quality of life (QoL) has received increasing interest in the last years, especially in patients with cancer. This article aims to analyze a selection of medical research papers regarding the quality of life in patients with thyroid carcinoma. We overviewed the main QoL aspects derived from several studies and highlighted those less researched issues, which could represent a solid base for future clinical studies. Method We used an integrative selection method of medical literature, choosing mostly “free access” studies, as it was considered that they could be easily viewed, searched and researched including by patients. Results After an integrative literature review, we selected 16 relevant studies. Patients with thyroid cancer have several factors influencing their QoL, with both physical and psychological impact. The decisive factors are the quality of the surgical act, radioiodine therapy, follow-up using rh-TSH vs. hormonal withdrawal, access to behavioral help and the relationship with their physician. Conclusion We must understand the emotional impact of the cancer diagnosis on the patient and we must collaborate in order to help the patient restore the psychosomatic balance and to recover the quality of life PMID:28559697

Definitions of Quality in Higher Education: A Synthesis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schindler, Laura; Puls-Elvidge, Sarah; Welzant, Heather; Crawford, Linda

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature on defining quality in the context of higher education. During a search for relevant literature, the authors intentionally cast a wide net, beginning with a broad search in Google Scholar and followed by a narrower search in educational databases, including Academic Search Complete,…

A systematic literature review of open source software quality assessment models.

PubMed

Adewumi, Adewole; Misra, Sanjay; Omoregbe, Nicholas; Crawford, Broderick; Soto, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Many open source software (OSS) quality assessment models are proposed and available in the literature. However, there is little or no adoption of these models in practice. In order to guide the formulation of newer models so they can be acceptable by practitioners, there is need for clear discrimination of the existing models based on their specific properties. Based on this, the aim of this study is to perform a systematic literature review to investigate the properties of the existing OSS quality assessment models by classifying them with respect to their quality characteristics, the methodology they use for assessment, and their domain of application so as to guide the formulation and development of newer models. Searches in IEEE Xplore, ACM, Science Direct, Springer and Google Search is performed so as to retrieve all relevant primary studies in this regard. Journal and conference papers between the year 2003 and 2015 were considered since the first known OSS quality model emerged in 2003. A total of 19 OSS quality assessment model papers were selected. To select these models we have developed assessment criteria to evaluate the quality of the existing studies. Quality assessment models are classified into five categories based on the quality characteristics they possess namely: single-attribute, rounded category, community-only attribute, non-community attribute as well as the non-quality in use models. Our study reflects that software selection based on hierarchical structures is found to be the most popular selection method in the existing OSS quality assessment models. Furthermore, we found that majority (47%) of the existing models do not specify any domain of application. In conclusion, our study will be a valuable contribution to the community and helps the quality assessment model developers in formulating newer models and also to the practitioners (software evaluators) in selecting suitable OSS in the midst of alternatives.

Evaluation of hospital staff's perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services.

PubMed

McKeown, Sandra; Konrad, Shauna-Lee; McTavish, Jill; Boyce, Erin

2017-04-01

The research evaluated the perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services at one of Canada's largest acute care teaching hospitals for the purpose of continuous quality improvement and investigation of relationships between variables that can impact user satisfaction. An online survey was constructed using evidence-based methodologies. A systematic sample of staff and physicians requesting literature searches at London Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in the study over a one-year period. Data analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended questions and coding of open-ended questions. A range of staff including clinicians, researchers, educators, leaders, and analysts submitted a total of 137 surveys, representing a response rate of 71%. Staff requested literature searches for the following "primary" purposes: research or publication (34%), teaching or training (20%), informing a policy or standard practice (16%), patient care (15%), and "other" purposes (15%). While the majority of staff (76%) submitted search requests using methods of written communication, including email and search request forms, staff using methods of verbal communication, including face-to-face and telephone conversations, were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request ( p =0.004) and to rate the perceived quality of the search results as excellent ( p =0.005). In most cases, librarians followed up with staff to clarify the details of their search requests (72%), and these staff were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request ( p =0.002). Our results demonstrate the limitations of written communication in the context of librarian-mediated literature searching and suggest a multifaceted approach to quality improvement efforts.

Enhancing the Clinical Reasoning Skills of Postgraduate Students in Internal Medicine Through Medical Nonfiction and Nonmedical Fiction Extracurricular Books.

PubMed

Kiran, H S; Chacko, Thomas V; Murthy, K A Sudharshana; Gowdappa, H Basavana

2016-12-01

To improve the clinical reasoning skills of postgraduate students in internal medicine through 2 kinds of extracurricular books: medical nonfiction and nonmedical fiction. Clinical reasoning is difficult to define, understand, observe, teach, and measure. This is an educational innovation under an experimental framework based on a cognitive intervention grounded in constructivist and cognitivist theories. This study was conducted from June 1, 2014, through May 31, 2015. It was a pre-post, randomized, controlled, prospective, mixed-methods, small-group study. The intervention was through medical nonfiction and nonmedical fiction books. The process was structured to ensure that the students would read the material in phases and reflect on them. Clinical reasoning (pretests and posttests) was quantitatively assessed using the Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI) and clinical reasoning exercises (CREs) and their assessment using a rubric. A qualitative design was used, and face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted. Posttest total scores (DTI=188.92; CREs=53.92) were higher for the study group after the intervention compared with its own pretest scores (DTI=165.25; CREs=41.17) and with the pretest (DTI=159.27; CRE=40.73) and posttest (DTI=166.91; CREs=41.18) scores of the control group. Interviews with the study group confirmed that the intervention was acceptable and useful in daily practice. We introduced, evaluated, and proved an approach to teaching-learning clinical reasoning based on the assumption that the clinical reasoning skills of postgraduate students in internal medicine can be enhanced through 2 kinds of extracurricular books and that fun as well as interest will enhance learning. This study is not only about teaching-learning clinical reasoning but also about the humanities in medical education. Copyright © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pirates in Historical Fiction and Nonfiction: A Twin-Text Unit of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frye, Elizabeth M.; Trathen, Woodrow; Wilson, Kelley

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors outline an interdisciplinary unit of study using quality children's literatures, and they describe several instructional strategies and activities for reading and responding to historical fiction and informational texts. This "piratical study" integrates social studies and the language arts. Several social…

Undergraduate Medical Education in Substance Abuse: A Review of the Quality of the Literature

PubMed Central

Kothari, Devyani; Gourevitch, Marc N.; Lee, Joshua D.; Grossman, Ellie; Truncali, Andrea; Ark, Tavinder K.; Kalet, Adina L.

2011-01-01

Purpose To prepare to develop a medical school curriculum on substance abuse disorders (SAD), the authors conducted a review of the quality of the sparse published literature. Method The authors searched MEDLINE (1950–December 2008), Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed to identify all studies of SAD interventions targeted toward undergraduate medical students. Of the 1,084 studies identified initially, 31 reported sufficient data to allow the authors to evaluate quality using Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) scores. The authors also determined the impact of the studies by considering three-year citation rate and journal impact factor. A detailed review of the literature provided data on contact hours and intervention content. Results The three-rater intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for total MERSQI score was 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.70–0.90). The mean MERSQI score was 10.42 of a possible 18 (SD 2.59; range: 6.33–14.83). MERSQI scores were higher for more recently published studies and correlated with three-year citation rate but not impact factor. The mean contact time for 26 studies was 29.25 hours (range: 0.83–200 hours). Conclusions The literature provides a variety of educational methods to train medical students in SAD detection and intervention skills. This literature is of variable quality and provides limited guidance for development of curricula and medical education policy. Better methods of curriculum evaluation and publication guidelines would help ensure this literature has a positive impact on educational practice and public health. PMID:21099395

Defining Quality in Undergraduate Education: Directions for Future Research Informed by a Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alison W.; Ranganathan, Shyam; Simmons, Denise R.

2018-01-01

Objectives: This research brief explores the literature addressing quality in undergraduate education to identify what previous research has said about quality and to offer future directions for research on quality in undergraduate education. Method: We conducted a scoping review to provide a broad overview of existing research. Using targeted…

Quality measurement in physician-staffed emergency medical services: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Haugland, Helge; Uleberg, Oddvar; Klepstad, Pål; Krüger, Andreas; Rehn, Marius

2018-05-15

Quality measurement of physician-staffed emergency medical services (P-EMS) is necessary to improve service quality. Knowledge and consensus on this topic are scarce, making quality measurement of P-EMS a high-priority research area. The aim of this review was to identify, describe and evaluate studies of quality measurement in P-EMS. The databases of MEDLINE and Embase were searched initially, followed by a search for included article citations in Scopus. The study eligibility criteria were: (1) articles describing the use of one quality indicator (QI) or more in P-EMS, (2) original manuscripts, (3) articles published from 1 January 1968 until 5 October 2016. The literature search identified 4699 records. 4543 were excluded after reviewing title and abstract. An additional 129 were excluded based on a full-text review. The remaining 27 papers were included in the analysis. Methodological quality was assessed using an adapted critical appraisal tool. The description of used QIs and methods of quality measurement was extracted. Variables describing the involved P-EMSs were extracted as well. In the included papers, a common understanding of which QIs to use in P-EMS did not exist. Fifteen papers used only a single QI. The most widely used QIs were 'Adherence to medical protocols', 'Provision of advanced interventions', 'Response time' and 'Adverse events'. The review demonstrated a lack of shared understanding of which QIs to use in P-EMS. Moreover, papers using only one QI dominated the literature, thus increasing the risk of a narrow perspective in quality measurement. Future quality measurement in P-EMS should rely on a set of consensus-based QIs, ensuring a comprehensive approach to quality measurement.

Role and Image of Nursing in Children's Literature: A Qualitative Media Analysis.

PubMed

Carroll, Stacey M; Rosa, Katherine C

2016-01-01

Nurses' role and image as portrayed in young children's literature were described and analyzed. A total of 30 children's books (pre-kindergarten through grade two audience) written in English were chosen using progressive theoretical sampling. Included were books, both fiction and non-fiction and with varying years of publication, that mentioned nurses and/or were about general healthcare topics. The books were analyzed using the method of qualitative media analysis which is derived from the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism. Nurses were generally portrayed positively but simply and inaccurately in this sample of children's literature. The seven themes discovered were labeled as nurse characters using traits evident in the sample: nurse unlikely, nurse minimal, nurse caring, nurse subordination, nurse skillful, nurse diversity, and nurse obvious. The image of nursing is socially and culturally constructed, and accurate portrayals of nurses and their roles are necessary in all media. Thus, better representation of nurses in children's books is needed as young children's literature is an important first exposure to the art and science of nursing. Future children's books authored by nurses may more closely reflect accurate contemporary nursing practice and contribute to an improved image of the nursing profession. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Literature about the Splendid Little War: Centennial Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Wayne M.; Taylor, Gwen

1998-01-01

Provides an annotated bibliography of trade books that can be used in studying the Spanish-American war. Although aimed at adolescents, the selections include books for students with limited reading skills. Covers fiction and nonfiction including writings on the war from Stephen Crane and Mark Twain. (MJP)

The quality of life of older people aging in place: a literature review.

PubMed

Vanleerberghe, Patricia; De Witte, Nico; Claes, Claudia; Schalock, Robert L; Verté, Dominique

2017-11-01

In order to cope with the challenges that are the result of an aging population, policies and services promote keeping elders in the community and letting them age in place rather than sending them to specialized institutions. Aging in place refers to the option where people can stay in their homes as they age. This policy option, however, poses various challenges and may also threaten the quality of life of the aging. A literature review was performed on the quality of life of older people aging in place to determine whether the actual assessment of quality of life can be used within aging in place. Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts and Social Science Research Network were searched for publications on "Ag(e)ing in place" AND "Quality of life." Although assessment is crucial to a policy pursuing a good quality of life, literature reveals that it is seldom performed. Only a small part of the studies report on the assessment of quality of life, including the instruments used and the results. The findings also indicate that there is no consensus on the definition of quality of life or its domains structures. As no existing instrument assessing the quality of life of older people aging in place could be identified, such a tool should be developed, because any policy towards this growing group of people should be complemented by an evaluation.

Fuel quality/processing study. Volume 2: Appendix. Task 1 literature survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, H. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-01-01

The results of a literature survey of fuel processing and fuel quality are given. Liquid synfuels produced from coal and oil shale are discussed. Gas turbine fuel property specifications are discussed. On-site fuel pretreatment and emissions from stationary gas turbines are discussed. Numerous data tables and abstracts are given.

Quality of Life: Literature Review and Recommendations for Measurement of Military Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

organizational work may influence the perceived QOL as well as the objective QOL and that (2) the effect of work on QOL may be mediated by changes in the...quality of nonwork life as wcll as by changes in the quality of work life, By extrapolating from the job satisfaction literature and using it as a proxy...Bedeian, 1989), absenteeism (Keller, 1984), situational constraints (O’Connor, Peters, Pooyan, Weekley, Frank, & Erenkrantz, 1984), job attitudes

Potential palliative care quality indicators in heart disease patients: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Mizuno, Atsushi; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Hayashi, Akitoshi; Kawai, Fujimi; Niwa, Koichiro; Utsunomiya, Akemi; Kohsaka, Shun; Kohno, Takashi; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Takayama, Morimasa; Anzai, Toshihisa

2017-10-01

In spite of the increasing interest in palliative care for heart disease, data on the detailed methods of palliative care and its efficacy specifically in heart disease are still lacking. A structured PubMed literature review revealed no quality indicators of palliative care in heart disease. Therefore, we performed a narrative overview of the potential quality indicators in heart disease by reviewing previous literature concerning quality indicators in cancer patients. We summarize seven potential categories of quality indicators in heart disease: (1) presence and availability of a palliative care unit, palliative care team, and outpatient palliative care; (2) human resources such as number of skilled staff; (3) infrastructure; (4) presence and frequency of documentation or family survey; (5) patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) data and disease-specific patient quality of life such as The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ); (6) questionnaires and interviews about the quality of palliative care after death, including bereaved family surveys; and (7) admission-related outcomes such as place of death and intensive care unit length of stay. Although detailed measurements of palliative care quality have not been validated in heart disease, many indicators developed in cancer patients might also be applicable to heart disease. This new categorization might be useful to determine quality indicators in heart disease patients. Copyright © 2017 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slip-Sliding-Away: A Review of the Literature on the Constraining Qualities of PowerPoint

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kernbach, Sebastian; Bresciani, Sabrina; Eppler, Martin J.

2015-01-01

PowerPoint is a dominant communication tool in business and education. It allows for creating professional-looking presentations easily, but without understanding its constraining qualities it can be used inappropriately. Therefore we conducted a systematic literature review structuring the literature on PowerPoint in three chronological phases…

Effects of nonfiction guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds on fourth grader's depth of content area science vocabulary knowledge and comprehension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanna, Tania Tamara

Effects of nonfiction guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds as a supplement to basal science textbooks on three vocabulary measures, definitions, examples, and characteristics, and one multiple-choice comprehension measure were assessed for 127 fourth graders over three time periods: pretest, posttest, and a 2-week delayed posttest. Two of three fourth-grade elementary science teachers implemented a series of 12 content-enhanced guided interactive scripted lessons. Two of these teachers implemented two treatments each. The first condition employed basal science textbooks as the text for guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds while the second treatment employed basal science textbooks in conjunction with nonfiction text sets as the texts for guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds. The third teacher, guided by traditional lesson plans, provided students with silent independent reading instruction using basal science textbooks. Multivariate analyses of variance and analyses of variance tests showed that mean scores for both treatment groups significantly improved on definitions and characteristics measures at posttest and either stabilized or slightly declined at delayed posttest. The treatment-plus group lost considerably on the examples posttest measure. The treatment group improved mean scores on the examples posttest measure, outperforming the treatment-plus group and the control group. Alternately, the control group significantly improved on the delayed posttest examples measure. Additionally, the two groups implementing guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds performed better than the independent reading group on multiple-choice comprehension measures at posttest and sustained those gains 2 weeks later on delayed posttests. Findings maintain the incremental nature of vocabulary acquisition and development research and emphasize the roles of listening and speaking as critical features for integrating vocabulary into long

Using a popular science nonfiction book to introduce biomedical research ethics in a biology majors course.

PubMed

Walton, Kristen L W

2014-12-01

Although bioethics is an important topic in modern society, it is not a required part of the curriculum for many biology degree programs in the United States. Students in our program are exposed to biologically relevant ethical issues informally in many classes, but we do not have a requirement for a separate bioethics course. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a recent nonfiction book that describes the life of the woman whose cervical cancer biopsy gave rise to the HeLa cell line, as well as discussing relevant medical, societal, and ethical issues surrounding human tissue use for research. Weekly reading assignments from the book with discussion questions and a final paper were used to engage students in learning about the ethics of human subjects and human tissues research. Students were surveyed for qualitative feedback on the usefulness of including this book as part of the course. This book has been a successful platform for increasing student knowledge and interest in ethics related to biomedical and biological research.

Evaluation of hospital staff’s perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services*,†

PubMed Central

McKeown, Sandra; Konrad, Shauna-Lee; McTavish, Jill; Boyce, Erin

2017-01-01

Objective The research evaluated the perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services at one of Canada’s largest acute care teaching hospitals for the purpose of continuous quality improvement and investigation of relationships between variables that can impact user satisfaction. Methods An online survey was constructed using evidence-based methodologies. A systematic sample of staff and physicians requesting literature searches at London Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in the study over a one-year period. Data analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended questions and coding of open-ended questions. Results A range of staff including clinicians, researchers, educators, leaders, and analysts submitted a total of 137 surveys, representing a response rate of 71%. Staff requested literature searches for the following “primary” purposes: research or publication (34%), teaching or training (20%), informing a policy or standard practice (16%), patient care (15%), and “other” purposes (15%). While the majority of staff (76%) submitted search requests using methods of written communication, including email and search request forms, staff using methods of verbal communication, including face-to-face and telephone conversations, were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian’s interpretation of the search request (p=0.004) and to rate the perceived quality of the search results as excellent (p=0.005). In most cases, librarians followed up with staff to clarify the details of their search requests (72%), and these staff were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian’s interpretation of the search request (p=0.002). Conclusions Our results demonstrate the limitations of written communication in the context of librarian-mediated literature searching and suggest a multifaceted approach to quality improvement efforts. PMID:28377674

Contesting nonfiction: Fourth graders making sense of words and images in science information book discussions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belfatti, Monica A.

Recently developed common core standards echo calls by educators for ensuring that upper elementary students become proficient readers of informational texts. Informational texts have been theorized as causing difficulty for students because they contain linguistic and visual features different from more familiar narrative genres (Lemke, 2004). It has been argued that learning to read informational texts, particularly those with science subject matter, requires making sense of words, images, and the relationships among them (Pappas, 2006). Yet, conspicuously absent in the research are empirical studies documenting ways students make use of textual resources to build textual and conceptual understandings during classroom literacy instruction. This 10-month practitioner research study was designed to investigate the ways a group of ethnically and linguistically diverse fourth graders in one metropolitan school made sense of science information books during dialogically organized literature discussions. In this nontraditional instructional context, I wondered whether and how young students might make use of science informational text features, both words and images, in the midst of collaborative textual and conceptual inquiry. Drawing on methods of constructivist grounded theory and classroom discourse analysis, I analyzed student and teacher talk in 25 discussions of earth and life science books. Digital voice recordings and transcriptions served as the main data sources for this study. I found that, without teacher prompts or mandates to do so, fourth graders raised a wide range of textual and conceptual inquiries about words, images, scientific figures, and phenomena. In addition, my analysis yielded a typology of ways students constructed relationships between words and images within and across page openings of the information books read for their sense-making endeavors. The diversity of constructed word-image relationships aided students in raising, exploring

A paradigm shift for bone quality in dentistry: A literature review.

PubMed

Kuroshima, Shinichiro; Kaku, Masaru; Ishimoto, Takuya; Sasaki, Muneteru; Nakano, Takayoshi; Sawase, Takashi

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to present the current concept of bone quality based on the proposal by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and some of the cellular and molecular factors that affect bone quality. This is a literature review which focuses on collagen, biological apatite (BAp), and bone cells such as osteoblasts and osteocytes. In dentistry, the term "bone quality" has long been considered to be synonymous with bone mineral density (BMD) based on radiographic and sensible evaluations. In 2000, the NIH proposed the concept of bone quality as "the sum of all characteristics of bone that influence the bone's resistance to fracture," which is completely independent of BMD. The NIH defines bone quality as comprising bone architecture, bone turnover, bone mineralization, and micro-damage accumulation. Moreover, our investigations have demonstrated that BAp, collagen, and bone cells such as osteoblasts and osteocytes play essential roles in controlling the current concept of bone quality in bone around hip and dental implants. The current concept of bone quality is crucial for understanding bone mechanical functions. BAp, collagen and osteocytes are the main factors affecting bone quality. Moreover, mechanical loading dynamically adapts bone quality. Understanding the current concept of bone quality is required in dentistry. Copyright © 2017 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of the written radiology report: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Pool, Felicity; Goergen, Stacy

2010-08-01

A literature review was carried out, guided by the question, What are the important elements of a high-quality radiology written report? Two papers known to the authors were used as a basis for 5 PubMed search strategies. Exclusion criteria were applied to retrieved citations. Reference lists of retrieved citations were scanned for additional relevant papers and exclusion criteria applied to these. Web sites of professional radiology organizations were scanned for guidelines relating to the written radiology report. Retrieved guidelines were appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation instrument. Methodologies of retrieved papers were not suitable for conventional appraisal, and an evidence table was constructed. The search strategy identified 25 published papers and 4 guidelines. Published study methodologies included 1 randomized controlled trial; 1 before-and-after study of interventions; 10 observational studies, audits, or analyses; 12 surveys; and 1 narrative review of the literature. Existing guidelines have a number of weaknesses with regard to scope and purpose, methods of development, stakeholder consultation, and editorial independence and applicability. There is a major gap in published studies relating to testing of interventions to improve report quality using conventional randomized controlled trial methods. Published studies and guidelines generally support report content, including clinical history, examination quality, description of findings, comparison, and diagnosis. Important report attributes include accuracy, clarity, and certainty. There is wide variation in the language used to describe imaging findings and diagnostic certainty. Survey participants strongly preferred reports with structured or itemized formats, but few studies exist regarding the effect of report structure on quality. Copyright 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life following road traffic injury: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Rissanen, Ritva; Berg, Hans-Yngve; Hasselberg, Marie

2017-11-01

To assess and provide a systematic overview of current knowledge about the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and road traffic injury, and to appraise how QoL is affected by road traffic injury. A systematic review of the literature published since 1990 on QoL after a road traffic injury, including adult and paediatric populations, from three databases (Pubmed, PsychInfo and SafetyLit) was undertaken. The methodological quality was assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Thirty articles were included and assessed for quality. The QoL scores of those injured were similar to population norms at the first assessment, followed by a drop at the second assessment. An increase of QoL from the second to third assessment was reported, but participants never reached the population norms at the last follow-up (range six weeks to two years), with an exception of those claiming compensation and those with lower extremity fractures. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, injury severity, injury type and post-traumatic stress disorder were associated with reduced QoL. Available literature regarding QoL among injured in road traffic crashes is heterogeneous with regard to aims and tools used for assessment. Our review confirmed that independent of measure, the overall QoL was significantly reduced after a road traffic injury compared to the general population norms. Persons who are older, of female gender, lower socioeconomic status, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, with more severe injuries or injuries to the lower limbs are more vulnerable to loss of QoL following road traffic injury compared to other patient groups injured in road traffic crashes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life Sciences: Curriculum Resources and Activities for School Librarians and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Amy; Richer, Janet; Weckman, Janet

This book provides resources to teachers and librarians for creating thematic units on specific topics targeting grades K-8. Each topic includes key concepts, comprehensive teaching resources, teaching resources (nonfiction children's literature), reading selections (fiction children's literature), science activities, creative writing and art…

Earth Sciences: Curriculum Resources and Activities for School Librarians and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Amy; Richer, Janet; Weckman, Janet

This book provides resources to teachers and librarians for creating thematic units on specific topics targeting grades K-8. Each topic includes key concepts, comprehensive teaching resources, teaching resources (nonfiction children's literature), reading selections (fiction children's literature), science activities, creative writing and art…

Physical Sciences: Curriculum Resources and Activities for School Librarians and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Amy; Richer, Janet; Weckman, Janet

This book provides resources to teachers and librarians for creating thematic units on specific topics targeting grades K-8. Each topic includes key concepts, comprehensive teaching resources, teaching resources (nonfiction children's literature), reading selections (fiction children's literature), science activities, creative writing and art…

Using the Delphi questionnaire technique to create a reading comprehension resource guide for middle school science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegner, Molly F.

As students begin middle school, they are expected to possess and apply a wide array of nonfiction reading strategies if they are to comprehend new concepts from nonfiction texts. Although strategies and resource guides for fiction reading are available, an effective nonfiction reading comprehension resource guide tailored to middle school science teachers is lacking. The conceptual framework guiding this study is based on schema theory that supports the use of prior knowledge as a foundation for learning. The purpose of this project study was to address this local problem by providing middle school science teachers with a user-friendly resource for nonfiction reading comprehension strategies in a science context. The research question examined nonfiction reading comprehension strategies that could supplement middle school science teachers' instructional practices to increase student comprehension in science, as reflected on the results of state standardized tests. This project study consulted science and language arts teachers using a Delphi questionnaire technique to achieve a consensus through multiple iterations of questionnaires. Science teachers identified 7 areas of concern as students read nonfiction texts, and language arts teachers suggested effective reading comprehension strategies to address these areas. Based on the consensus of reading comprehension strategies and review of literature, a resource guide for middle school science teachers was created. By improving reading comprehension in content areas, teachers may not only increase student learning, but also underscore the importance of literacy relating to life-long learning through future occupations, academic endeavors, and society as well.

The Middle East: An Annotated Bibliography of Literature for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maehr, Jane

This is an annotated bibliography of folklore, fiction and nonfiction about the Middle East, written in English for children aged 5 and older. There are eleven chapters - one which focuses on the entire Middle Eastern region, and ten which deal with individual countries: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and…

The Role of Teachers, Schools, and Communities in Quality Education: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leu, Elizabeth

2005-01-01

The paper reviews a select body of literature that focuses on the role of teachers, schools, and communities at the local level in creating quality education in less-developed countries. The review asserts that understanding what is happening in schools and classrooms is a precondition for shaping more effective quality improvement strategies.…

Health Information Technology in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: Literature Review.

PubMed

Feldman, Sue S; Buchalter, Scott; Hayes, Leslie W

2018-06-04

The area of healthcare quality and patient safety is starting to use health information technology to prevent reportable events, identify them before they become issues, and act on events that are thought to be unavoidable. As healthcare organizations begin to explore the use of health information technology in this realm, it is often unclear where fiscal and human efforts should be focused. The purpose of this study was to provide a foundation for understanding where to focus health information technology fiscal and human resources as well as expectations for the use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed publications reporting on the actual use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. Inductive thematic analysis with open coding was used to categorize a total of 41 studies. Three pre-set categories were used: prevention, identification, and action. Three additional categories were formed through coding: challenges, outcomes, and location. This study identifies five main categories across seven study settings. A majority of the studies used health IT for identification and prevention of healthcare quality and patient safety issues. In this realm, alerts, clinical decision support, and customized health IT solutions were most often implemented. Implementation, interface design, and culture were most often noted as challenges. This study provides valuable information as organizations determine where they stand to get the most "bang for their buck" relative to health IT for quality and patient safety. Knowing what implementations are being effectivity used by other organizations helps with fiscal and human resource planning as well as managing expectations relative to cost, scope, and outcomes. The findings from this scan of the literature suggest that having organizational champion leaders that can shepherd implementation, impact culture

Using a Popular Science Nonfiction Book to Introduce Biomedical Research Ethics in a Biology Majors Course †

PubMed Central

Walton, Kristen L. W.

2014-01-01

Although bioethics is an important topic in modern society, it is not a required part of the curriculum for many biology degree programs in the United States. Students in our program are exposed to biologically relevant ethical issues informally in many classes, but we do not have a requirement for a separate bioethics course. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a recent nonfiction book that describes the life of the woman whose cervical cancer biopsy gave rise to the HeLa cell line, as well as discussing relevant medical, societal, and ethical issues surrounding human tissue use for research. Weekly reading assignments from the book with discussion questions and a final paper were used to engage students in learning about the ethics of human subjects and human tissues research. Students were surveyed for qualitative feedback on the usefulness of including this book as part of the course. This book has been a successful platform for increasing student knowledge and interest in ethics related to biomedical and biological research. PMID:25574289

HVAC SYSTEMS AS A TOOL IN CONTROLLING INDOOR AIR QUALITY: A LITERATURE REVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a review of literature on the use of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to control indoor air quality (IAQ). Although significant progress has been made in reducing the energy consumption of HVAC systems, their effect on indoor a...

Review of the Research Literature on Defining and Demonstrating Quality Teaching and Impact in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strang, Lucy; Bélanger, Julie; Manville, Catriona; Meads, Catherine

2016-01-01

In March 2016, the Higher Education Academy (HEA) commissioned RAND Europe to conduct a literature review of research published since 2012, with the aim of identifying and summarising the key trends and issues in the literature on how "quality teaching" and its impact are currently being defined and demonstrated at higher education…

Haematological cancer and quality of life: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Allart-Vorelli, P; Porro, B; Baguet, F; Michel, A; Cousson-Gélie, F

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of haematological cancers on quality of life (QoL). A review of the international literature was conducted from the databases ‘PsycInfo' and 'Medline' using the keywords: 'haematological cancer', 'quality of life', 'physical', 'psychological', 'social', 'vocational', 'professional', 'economic', 'cognitive', and 'sexual'. Twenty-one reliable studies were analysed. Among these studies, 12 showed that haematological cancer altered overall QoL, 8 papers found a deterioration of physical dimension, 8 papers reported on functional and role dimensions, 11 papers reported on the psychological component and 9 on the social component. Moreover, one study and two manuscripts, respectively, reported deteriorated sexual and cognitive dimensions. Our review demonstrates that the different dimensions of QoL are deteriorated by haematological malignancies and, probably, by the side effects of treatment. PMID:25909835

Celebrating Poetic Nonfiction Picture Books in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesler, Ted

2017-01-01

Children's literature plays an essential role in the literacy development of children. This department column focuses on the teaching and use of children's literature and provides educators with information about a wide range of books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world in which we live. A strong emphasis is placed…

Is dissociative amnesia a culture-bound syndrome? Findings from a survey of historical literature.

PubMed

Pope, Harrison G; Poliakoff, Michael B; Parker, Michael P; Boynes, Matthew; Hudson, James I

2007-02-01

Natural human psychological phenomena, such as depression, anxiety, delusions, hallucinations and dementia, are documented across the ages in both fictional and non-fictional works. We asked whether 'dissociative amnesia' was similarly documented throughout history. We advertised in three languages on more than 30 Internet web sites and discussion groups, and also in print, offering US$1000 to the first individual who could find a case of dissociative amnesia for a traumatic event in any fictional or non-fictional work before 1800. Our search generated more than 100 replies; it produced numerous examples of ordinary forgetfulness, infantile amnesia and biological amnesia throughout works in English, other European languages, Latin, Greek, Arabic, Sanskrit and Chinese before 1800, but no descriptions of individuals showing dissociative amnesia for a traumatic event. If dissociative amnesia for traumatic events were a natural psychological phenomenon, an innate capacity of the brain, then throughout the millennia before 1800, individuals would presumably have witnessed such cases and portrayed them in non-fictional works or in fictional characters. The absence of cases before 1800 cannot reasonably be explained by arguing that our ancestors understood or described psychological phenomena so differently as to make them unrecognizable to modern readers because spontaneous complete amnesia for a major traumatic event, in an otherwise lucid individual, is so graphic that it would be recognizable even through a dense veil of cultural interpretation. Therefore, it appears that dissociative amnesia is not a natural neuropsychological phenomenon, but instead a culture-bound syndrome, dating from the nineteenth century.

Survivors' quality of life after cardiopulmonary resuscitation: an integrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Haydon, Gunilla; van der Riet, Pamela; Maguire, Jane

2017-03-01

The incidence of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation continues to increase worldwide largely due to greater awareness of the symptoms of cardiac events and increased attention to cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in the community. Globally, predicted survival rates after cardiopulmonary resuscitation have remained at 10% for decades and although patient outcome remains unpredictable, there is a positive trend in life expectancy. For a resuscitation attempt to be classed as successful, not only survival but also quality of life has to be evaluated. The aim of this review was to examine literature that explores the quality of life (QOL) for survivors' after CPR and the influence cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has had on their QOL. This review follows Whittemore and Knafl's framework for an integrative literature review. Electronic databases EBSCO, Ovid, PubMed and EMBASE were searched. After application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, thirty-six papers published from January 2000 to June 2015 were included in this review. These papers represent a broad spectrum of research evaluating quality of life for survivors of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The heterogeneous research methods and vast number of different research tools make it challenging to compare the findings. The majority of papers concluded that quality of life for survivors of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was generally acceptable. However, studies also described survivors' experience of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and cognitive dysfunction. A majority of papers reported an acceptable quality of life if the patient survived to hospital discharge. The heterogeneity in quantitative papers was noticeable and indicates a marked variance in patient outcomes. This review highlights the absence of specialized tools used to investigate survivors' experience of the event. Further exploration of the

The relationship between resident burnout and safety-related and acceptability-related quality of healthcare: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Dewa, Carolyn S; Loong, Desmond; Bonato, Sarah; Trojanowski, Lucy; Rea, Margaret

2017-11-09

There has been increasing interest in examining the relationship between physician wellbeing and quality of patient care. However, few reviews have specifically focused on resident burnout and quality of patient care. The purpose of this systematic literature review of the current scientific literature is to address the question, "How does resident burnout affect the quality of healthcare related to the dimensions of acceptability and safety?" This systematic literature review uses a multi-step screening process of publicly available peer-reviewed studies from five electronic databases: (1) Medline Current, (2) Medline In-process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Embase, and (5) Web of Science. The electronic literature search resulted in the identification of 4638 unique citations. Of these, 10 articles were included in the review. Studies were assessed for risk of bias. Of the 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria, eight were conducted in the US, one in The Netherlands, and one in Mexico. Eight of the 10 studies focused on patient safety. The results of these included studies suggest there is moderate evidence that burnout is associated with patient safety (i.e., resident self-perceived medical errors and sub-optimal care). There is less evidence that specific dimensions of burnout are related to acceptability (i.e., quality of care, communication with patients). The results of this systematic literature review suggest a relationship between patient safety and burnout. These results potentially have important implications for the medical training milieu because residents are still in training and at the same time are asked to teach students. The results also indicate a need for more evidence-based interventions that support continued research examining quality of care measures, especially as they relate to acceptability.

An Overview of Key Indicators and Evaluation Tools for Assessing Housing Quality: A Literature Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Rajan Chandra; Sarkar, Satyaki; Mandal, Nikhil Ranjan

2017-09-01

The issue of the housing quality has been addressed for various stakeholders at different levels. There exist varied opinion about its measurability and possible applications. Thus the study is carried out to have an insight into the concept of housing quality and its relevance in the changing demographics, technological, socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions. This study attempts to summarize the literature that addresses past research concerned with factors related to housing quality, its measurement methodology and critically examines the broad key indicators identified to have impact upon enhancing the housing quality. This work discusses the recent techniques which are extensively used for analysis of housing quality.

The impact of software quality characteristics on healthcare outcome: a literature review.

PubMed

Aghazadeh, Sakineh; Pirnejad, Habibollah; Moradkhani, Alireza; Aliev, Alvosat

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to discover the effect of software quality characteristics on healthcare quality and efficiency indicators. Through a systematic literature review, we selected and analyzed 37 original research papers to investigate the impact of the software indicators (coming from the standard ISO 9126 quality characteristics and sub-characteristics) on some of healthcare important outcome indicators and finally ranked these software indicators. The results showed that the software characteristics usability, reliability and efficiency were mostly favored in the studies, indicating their importance. On the other hand, user satisfaction, quality of patient care, clinical workflow efficiency, providers' communication and information exchange, patient satisfaction and care costs were among the healthcare outcome indicators frequently evaluated in relation to the mentioned software characteristics. Regression Logistic Method was the most common assessment methodology, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were performed to test the structural model's fit. The software characteristics were considered to impact the healthcare outcome indicators through other intermediate factors (variables).

Pao's Selection Method for Quality Papers and the Subsequent Use of Medical Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyce, Bert; Primov, Karen

1977-01-01

Pao's "quality filter" selection method is re-examined as to its effectiveness in selecting papers that not only are of use to medical educators but to researchers as well. It is concluded that the method does provide the librarian with a tool for forming a highly selective bibliography in a particular medical literature without need for…

Literature-Based Teaching in the Content Areas: 40 Strategies for K-8 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Carole

2011-01-01

Grounded in theory and best-practices research, this practical text provides teachers with 40 strategies for using fiction and non-fiction trade books to teach in five key content areas: language arts and reading, social studies, mathematics, science, and the arts. Each strategy provides everything a teacher needs to get started: a classroom…

Mothers and Daughters: Sharing Our Stories, Sharing Our Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Katherine R.

2002-01-01

Contends that teaching English is about sharing stories and self-discovery. Notes that during the difficult teenage years, literature offers a way to talk about life's problems and relationships in a safe format. Details a multigenre project in a high school Women's Literature class, which included nonfiction, fiction, poetry, oral history, film,…

"Reports from an Absurdist"--An Analysis of Artistic Features of Ukraine Diaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jing, Yang

2015-01-01

With 13 published novels and 5 children's literature books, which have been translated into 25 languages, Andrey Kurkov has been recognized as one of the most renowned Ukrainian writers in the world of literature, and "Ukraine Diaries" is his first non-fiction literary work. This paper attempts to focus on Kurkov's unique literary…

[Occupational risk for agricultural workers health, hygienic aspects of its assessment and management (literature review)].

PubMed

Novikova, T A; Spirin, V F; Mikhaĭlova, N A; Taranova, V M

2012-01-01

The authors analyzed the facts of contemporary work conditions of agricultural production, which are given in non-fiction. The results of analysis showed up occupational hazard factors of agricultural workers health. The authors determined foreground directions of effective managerial decisions developing, concerning its minimization and elimination.

McDonald's and the Occult.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Barry

1979-01-01

Discusses "occult" and "paranormal" literature which is often mistaken for nonfiction. Suggests that most publishers are unwilling to publish scientific perspectives on the paranormal because such writings would be unmarketable. Journal availability: see SO 507 190. (KC)

Mapping the Medical Literature for High Quality Studies and Reviews for Age-specific Clinical Specialties

PubMed Central

Stevens, Adrienne L.; Wilczynski, Nancy L.; McKibbon, K. Ann; Haynes, R. Brian

2001-01-01

Objective: To identify a journal subset that publishes reports of high quality studies and reviews relating to age-specific clinical specialties, such as pediatrics and geriatrics. Design: Handsearch of 172 journals using explicit criteria to determine methodologic quality for generating evidence for clinical practice. Main outcome measure: Frequency of high quality articles and their top yielding journals. Results: Between 17% and 33% of articles published in age-specific specialties are of high quality for clinical use. Top yielding journals for the specialties ranged from 16 to 130. Conclusion: Handsearch of the clinical literature for the year 2000 reveals that high quality articles for some age-specific specialties are concentrated in a small subset of journals (eg, obstetrics), whereas articles for other specialties are widely scattered among a large number of journals (eg, adult medicine).

Quality audit--a review of the literature concerning delivery of continence care.

PubMed

Swaffield, J

1995-09-01

This paper outlines the role of quality audit within the framework of quality assurance, presenting the concurrent and retrospective approaches available. The literature survey provides a review of the limited audit tools available and their application to continence services and care delivery, as well as attempts to produce tools from national and local standard setting. Audit is part of a process; it can involve staff, patients and their relatives and the team of professionals providing care, as well as focusing on organizational and management levels. In an era of market delivery of services there is a need to justify why audit is important to continence advisors and managers. Effectiveness, efficiency and economics may drive the National Health Service, but quality assurance, which includes standards and audit tools, offers the means to ensure the quality of continence services and care to patients and auditing is also required in the purchaser/provider contracts for patient services. An overview and progress to date of published and other a projects in auditing continence care and service is presented. By outlining and highlighting the audit of continence service delivery and care as a basis on which to build quality assurance programmes, it is hoped that this knowledge will be shared through the setting up of a central auditing clearing project.

Quality of reporting in oncology studies: A systematic analysis of literature reviews and prospects.

PubMed

Rivoirard, Romain; Bourmaud, Aurélie; Oriol, Mathieu; Tinquaut, Fabien; Méry, Benoîte; Langrand-Escure, Julien; Vallard, Alexis; Fournel, Pierre; Magné, Nicolas; Chauvin, Franck

2017-04-01

The present review gives an overview of systematic reviews published in peer reviewed Journals analysing quality of reporting in oncology studies. PUBMED and Cochrane library were searched to identify systematic reviews assessing quality of reporting for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OBS). Recommendations and primary endpoints used to assess the quality of reporting were described. Intrinsic quality of reporting was analyzed using an Overall Quality Score for literature Reviews (OQSR). Main evaluation themes were overall quality of reporting (20/58) and reporting of Health-Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) in RCTs (7/58). Reporting recommendations used were not detailed in 56.9% of reviews. Insufficient reporting for the methodological description (randomization, blinding details, and allocation concealment) and the rationale for using specific measure of HRQOL were highlighted. OQSR was significantly higher for reviews published between 2010 and 2014 (after the PRISMA Publication), as compared to those published between 1996-2009 (median OQSR 10 (10-11) versus median OQSR 9 (6-10) respectively, p=0.0053). Intrinsic quality of reporting is satisfactory and has been improved in the last years. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Opening the Closed Mind: The Effect of Exposure to Literature on the Need for Closure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Djikic, Maja; Oatley, Keith; Moldoveanu, Mihnea C.

2013-01-01

The need for cognitive closure has been found to be associated with a variety of suboptimal information processing strategies, leading to decreased creativity and rationality. This experiment tested the hypothesis that exposure to fictional short stories, as compared with exposure to nonfictional essays, will reduce need for cognitive closure. One…

The quality of quality of life publications in the spinal literature: are we getting any better?

PubMed

Street, John; Lenehan, Brian; Fisher, Charles

2009-11-01

Criteria for methodological quality have been widely accepted in many fields of surgical practice. These criteria include those of Velanovich and Gill and Feinstein. No such analysis of the spine surgery literature has ever been reported. This study is a systematic review of the quality of life (QOL) publications to determine if the recent interest in QOL measurements following spinal surgery has been accompanied by an improvement in the quality of the papers published. The archives of the journals Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Spine, Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, European Spine Journal, and The Spine Journal, for the years 2000-2004 inclusive, were examined, and all publications reporting QOL outcomes were analyzed. Each paper was scored according to the criteria of Velanovich and Gill and Feinstein, and the methodological quality of these manuscripts-and any time-dependent changes-were determined. During the study period, the total number of articles published increased by 36%, while the number of QOL articles increased by 102%. According to the criteria of Velanovich, there was a statistically significant improvement in the quality of the publications over the study period (p = 0.0394). In 2000, only 27% of outcome measures were disease specific, 77% were valid, and 77% were appropriate for the study design. In 2004, 43% were disease specific, 88% were valid, and 89% were appropriate. In 2000, 53% of studies used appropriate statistical analysis compared with 100 and 96% for 2003 and 2004, respectively. There was no demonstrable improvement in the fulfillment of the more rigorous Gill and Feinstein criteria for any of the 5 journals over the period of the study. The authors' study illustrates a moderate improvement in the quality of these publications over the study period but much methodological improvement is required.

Using graphic organizers to enhance students' science vocabulary and comprehension of nonfiction science text

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchanan, Edna

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of Frayer Model and the Hierarchical Organizer as a literacy strategy to improve ninth grade students' science vocabulary and comprehension of non-fictions text in Environmental Science course. The study implemented a sequential explanatory methodology design that included quantitative and qualitative instruments. The research sample consisted of one hundred and two (102) high school environmental science students entering the ninth grade for the first time. The two treatment groups each consisted of thirty-five (35) students, and the control group consisted of 32 students. Treatment group one used the Frayer Model; treatment group two used Hierarchical Organizer and the control group used the traditional teaching methods without the use of a graph organizer. The investigator taught both treatment groups and the control group to ensure reliability. The two treatment groups were taught using graphic organizers as the main lesson plan tool and the control group was taught using guided notes lecture with PowerPoint. A pretest and post-test were administered to each student. Student test scores were evaluated to determine whether knowledge gains differed between the treatment groups and the control group. It was found that the use of graphic organizer instruction was significantly better for student achievement when compared to the use of PowerPoint instruction and that there was much more interaction between student and teacher during the graphic organizer lessons. The delivery of the lesson by the use of graphic organizers seemed to promote more success than the use of the PowerPoint and lecture.

Software Quality Evaluation Models Applicable in Health Information and Communications Technologies. A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Villamor Ordozgoiti, Alberto; Delgado Hito, Pilar; Guix Comellas, Eva María; Fernandez Sanchez, Carlos Manuel; Garcia Hernandez, Milagros; Lluch Canut, Teresa

2016-01-01

Information and Communications Technologies in healthcare has increased the need to consider quality criteria through standardised processes. The aim of this study was to analyse the software quality evaluation models applicable to healthcare from the perspective of ICT-purchasers. Through a systematic literature review with the keywords software, product, quality, evaluation and health, we selected and analysed 20 original research papers published from 2005-2016 in health science and technology databases. The results showed four main topics: non-ISO models, software quality evaluation models based on ISO/IEC standards, studies analysing software quality evaluation models, and studies analysing ISO standards for software quality evaluation. The models provide cost-efficiency criteria for specific software, and improve use outcomes. The ISO/IEC25000 standard is shown as the most suitable for evaluating the quality of ICTs for healthcare use from the perspective of institutional acquisition.

The Concepts of Quality, Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elassy, Noha

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to critically review and discuss different definitions of the concepts of quality, quality assurance (QA) and quality enhancement (QE) in higher education (HE) with presenting critical perspectives of the literature. Design/methodology/approach: The paper looks at literature concerns with the meaning of quality, QA and QE,…

Turning Fiction Into Non-fiction for Signal-to-Noise Ratio Estimation -- The Time-Multiplexed and Adaptive Split-Symbol Moments Estimator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, M.; Dolinar, S.

2005-08-01

A means is proposed for realizing the generalized split-symbol moments estimator (SSME) of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), i.e., one whose implementation on the average allows for a number of subdivisions (observables), 2L, per symbol beyond the conventional value of two, with other than an integer value of L. In theory, the generalized SSME was previously shown to yield optimum performance for a given true SNR, R, when L=R/sqrt(2) and thus, in general, the resulting estimator was referred to as the fictitious SSME. Here we present a time-multiplexed version of the SSME that allows it to achieve its optimum value of L as above (to the extent that it can be computed as the average of a sum of integers) at each value of SNR and as such turns fiction into non-fiction. Also proposed is an adaptive algorithm that allows the SSME to rapidly converge to its optimum value of L when in fact one has no a priori information about the true value of SNR.

Quality specifications in postgraduate medical e-learning: an integrative literature review leading to a postgraduate medical e-learning model.

PubMed

De Leeuw, R A; Westerman, Michiel; Nelson, E; Ket, J C F; Scheele, F

2016-07-08

E-learning is driving major shifts in medical education. Prioritizing learning theories and quality models improves the success of e-learning programs. Although many e-learning quality standards are available, few are focused on postgraduate medical education. We conducted an integrative review of the current postgraduate medical e-learning literature to identify quality specifications. The literature was thematically organized into a working model. Unique quality specifications (n = 72) were consolidated and re-organized into a six-domain model that we called the Postgraduate Medical E-learning Model (Postgraduate ME Model). This model was partially based on the ISO-19796 standard, and drew on cognitive load multimedia principles. The domains of the model are preparation, software design and system specifications, communication, content, assessment, and maintenance. This review clarified the current state of postgraduate medical e-learning standards and specifications. It also synthesized these specifications into a single working model. To validate our findings, the next-steps include testing the Postgraduate ME Model in controlled e-learning settings.

Fuel Consumption Modeling of a Transport Category Aircraft Using Flight Operations Quality Assurance Data: A Literature Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolzer, Alan J.

2002-01-01

Fuel is a major cost expense for air carriers. A typical airline spends 10% of its operating budget on the purchase of jet fuel, which even exceeds its expenditures on aircraft acquisitions. Thus, it is imperative that fuel consumption be managed as wisely as possible. The implementation of Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs at airlines may be able to assist in this management effort. The purpose of the study is to examine the literature regarding fuel consumption by air carriers, the literature related to air carrier fuel conservation efforts, and the literature related to the appropriate statistical methodologies to analyze the FOQA-derived data.

Energy drinks: psychological effects and impact on well-being and quality of life-a literature review.

PubMed

Ishak, Waguih William; Ugochukwu, Chio; Bagot, Kara; Khalili, David; Zaky, Christine

2012-01-01

The market and degree of consumption of energy drinks have exponentially expanded while studies that assess their psychological effects and impact on quality of life remain in the early stages, albeit on the rise. This review aims to examine the literature for evidence of the psychological effects of energy drinks and their impact on the sense of well-being and quality of life. Studies were identified through Pubmed, Medline, and PsycINFO searches from the dates of 1990 to 2011, published in English, using the keywords energy or tonic drinks, psychological effects, caffeine and cognitive functions, mood, sleep, quality of life, well-being, and mental illness. Three authors agreed independently on including 41 studies that met specific selection criteria. The literature reveals that people most commonly consume energy drinks to promote wakefulness, to increase energy, and to enhance the experience of alcohol intoxication. A number of studies reveal that individuals who consume energy drinks with alcohol were more inclined to be involved in risk-taking behaviors. There was also excessive daytime sleepiness the day following energy drink consumption. Contrary to expectations, the impact of energy drinks on quality of life and well-being was equivocal. Energy drinks have mixed psychological and well-being effects. There is a need to investigate the different contexts in which energy drinks are consumed and the impact on mental health, especially in the psychiatrically ill.

A Strategic Study about Quality Characteristics in e-Health Systems Based on a Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Domínguez-Mayo, F J; Escalona, M J; Mejías, M; Aragón, G; García-García, J A; Torres, J; Enríquez, J G

2015-01-01

e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people's health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems.

A Strategic Study about Quality Characteristics in e-Health Systems Based on a Systematic Literature Review

PubMed Central

Escalona, M. J.; Mejías, M.; Aragón, G.; García-García, J. A.; Torres, J.; Enríquez, J. G.

2015-01-01

e-Health Systems quality management is an expensive and hard process that entails performing several tasks such as analysis, evaluation, and quality control. Furthermore, the development of an e-Health System involves great responsibility since people's health and quality of life depend on the system and services offered. The focus of the following study is to identify the gap in Quality Characteristics for e-Health Systems, by detecting not only which are the most studied, but also which are the most used Quality Characteristics these Systems include. A strategic study is driven in this paper by a Systematic Literature Review so as to identify Quality Characteristics in e-Health. Such study makes information and communication technology organizations reflect and act strategically to manage quality in e-Health Systems efficiently and effectively. As a result, this paper proposes the bases of a Quality Model and focuses on a set of Quality Characteristics to enable e-Health Systems quality management. Thus, we can conclude that this paper contributes to implementing knowledge with regard to the mission and view of e-Health (Systems) quality management and helps understand how current researches evaluate quality in e-Health Systems. PMID:26146656

Quality of life in bipolar disorder: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Michalak, Erin E; Yatham, Lakshmi N; Lam, Raymond W

2005-01-01

A sizable body of research has now examined the complex relationship between quality of life (QoL) and depressive disorder. Uptake of QoL research in relation to bipolar disorder (BD) has been comparatively slow, although increasing numbers of QoL studies are now being conducted in bipolar populations. We aimed to perform a review of studies addressing the assessment of generic and health-related QoL in patients with bipolar disorder. A literature search was conducted in a comprehensive selection of databases including MEDLINE up to November 2004. Key words included: bipolar disorder or manic-depression, mania, bipolar depression, bipolar spectrum and variants AND quality of life, health-related QoL, functional status, well-being and variants. Articles were included if they were published in English and reported on an assessment of generic or health-related QoL in patients with BD. Articles were not included if they had assessed fewer than 10 patients with BD, were only published in abstract form or only assessed single dimensions of functioning. The literature search initially yielded 790 articles or abstracts. Of these, 762 did not meet our inclusion criteria, leaving a final total of 28 articles. These were sub-divided into four categories (assessment of QoL in patients with BD at different stages of the disorder, comparisons of QoL in Patients with BD with that of other patient populations, QoL instrument evaluation in patients with BD and treatment studies using QoL instruments to assess outcome in Patients with BD) and described in detail. The review indicated that there is growing interest in QoL research in bipolar populations. Although the scientific quality of the research identified was variable, increasing numbers of studies of good design are being conducted. The majority of the studies we identified indicated that QoL is markedly impaired in patients with BD, even when they are considered to be clinically euthymic. We identified several important

Sexuality Education and Implications for Quality of Care for Individuals with Adult Onset Disability: A Review of Current Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eglseder, Kate; Webb, Sheridan

2017-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the need for sexuality education for individuals with adult onset physical disabilities as it relates to quality of life and to identify current trends in the provision of sexuality education by health care providers relating to quality of care. Data Sources: Literature review from January 1986 to December 2016. Study…

Teaching through Trade Books: That Was Then, This Is Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royce, Christine Anne

2015-01-01

This column includes activities inspired by children's literature. When learning about a topic, scientists refer to documents from past researchers. This month's trade books include nonfiction and historical fiction selections that help to demonstrate similarities and differences "then and now" while incorporating engineering design…

The methodological quality of systematic reviews published in high-impact nursing journals: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Pölkki, Tarja; Kanste, Outi; Kääriäinen, Maria; Elo, Satu; Kyngäs, Helvi

2014-02-01

To analyse systematic review articles published in the top 10 nursing journals to determine the quality of the methods employed within them. Systematic review is defined as a scientific research method that synthesises high-quality scientific knowledge on a given topic. The number of such reviews in nursing science has increased dramatically during recent years, but their methodological quality has not previously been assessed. A review of the literature using a narrative approach. Ranked impact factor scores for nursing journals were obtained from the Journal Citation Report database of the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI Web of Knowledge). All issues from the years 2009 and 2010 of the top 10 ranked journals were included. CINAHL and MEDLINE databases were searched to locate studies using the search terms 'systematic review' and 'systematic literature review'. A total of 39 eligible studies were identified. Their methodological quality was evaluated through the specific criteria of quality assessment, description of synthesis and strengths and weaknesses reported in the included studies. Most of the eligible systematic reviews included several different designs or types of quantitative study. The majority included a quality assessment, and a total of 17 different criteria were identified. The method of synthesis was mentioned in about half of the reviews, the most common being narrative synthesis. The weaknesses of reviews were discussed, while strengths were rarely highlighted. The methodological quality of the systematic reviews examined varied considerably, although they were all published in nursing journals with a high-impact factor. Despite the fact that systematic reviews are considered the most robust source of research evidence, they vary in methodological quality. This point is important to consider in clinical practice when applying the results to patient care. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: economic burden and quality of life: literature review.

PubMed

Stephens, Jennifer M; Gramegna, Paola; Laskin, Benjamin; Botteman, Marc F; Pashos, Chris L

2005-01-01

The purpose of this review was answer 2 main questions: what is the impact of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) on the patient's quality of life and how great is the economic burden of this disease on the health care payers and providers. Patients with CLL typically do not receive any treatment soon after the initial diagnosis. Although there is no known cure for CLL yet, when treated, the patients receive aggressive and expensive therapies (eg, chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation). A rigorous and systematic literature review was performed of English-language articles published in 1990-2002. It was supplemented with additional articles published before 1990 for completeness and additional references to fill the gaps identified in the published medical literature. The literature on the quality of life (QOL) of CLL patients is very limited. We identified only 8 articles, and none of them analyzed the QOL in untreated CLL patients. Because CLL is a disease affecting adults, especially the elderly, all 8 studies measured the QOL in the adult population. QOL difficulties include fear of death and disability, problems gaining employment or health insurance, and fatigue. No specific leukemia or CLL instruments but general QOL instruments (eg, I-HRQL) were identified and some cancer-specific ones (eg, EORTC QLQ-C30, FACT-G, FACT Anemia, FACT-Fatigue). Interestingly, a FACT-Bone Marrow Transplant instrument exists, although we found no study on CLL that used it. Even the literature on the economic burden of CLL is very limited. We identified 13 studies on the cost of CLL: Most of them were cost-identification or cost-comparison studies, and 5 dealt with the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions to treat CLL. Cost drivers identified for CLL were the chemotherapy costs, intravenous immunoglobulin costs, transplantation costs, and costs associated with the differential staining cytotoxicity assay. We identified very few articles on the QOL of CLL patients and

Middle School Multi-Cultural Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

Pupils need to experience a quality literature program which stresses diverse cultures. A major goal of a quality multi-cultural literature program is to develop within pupils feelings of empathy, acceptance, understanding, and the wish to interact with persons whose value systems, beliefs, and thought might well differ from others in society. In…

[Quality of life in dementia, opinions among people with dementia, their professional caregivers, and in literature].

PubMed

Gerritsen, D L; Dröes, R M; Ettema, T P; Boelens, E; Bos, J; Meihuizen, L; de Lange, J; Schölzel-Dorenbos, C J M; Hoogeveen, F

2010-12-01

Different definitions of quality of life (QOL) are found in the literature. This raised the question which domains are viewed as really important by persons with dementia. In an explorative study the opinions of persons with dementia (community-dwelling and living in nursing homes), were compared to those of professional carers and instruments for QOL in dementia. Data were gathered through interviews, focus groups and literature study. Most QOL-domains mentioned as important by persons with dementia were also acknowledged by carers and in measurement instruments. Some domains, however, were not mentioned by the carers ('sense of aesthetics', 'financial situation', 'being useful' and 'spirituality'), or not selected in the measuring instruments ('security and privacy', 'self-determination and freedom', 'being useful' and 'spirituality'). This indicates differences in perspectives on quality of life between persons with dementia, professional caregivers and researchers. Subsequently it was studied to what degree professionals focus on the QoL-domains that persons with dementia consider essential. Caregivers working on 29 units and 3 day care facilities of 13 nursing homes and in 12 meeting centers filled out a questionnaire (N = 374). They reported to focus at least to some degree on most domains considered important by persons with dementia. However, little attention was paid to the domains 'financial situation' and 'being useful'. Professionals offering daytime activities focused more than 24-hour care staff on 'attachment', 'enjoyment of activities', 'sense of aesthetics', and 'being useful'. This article is a translation and merging of 1) Dröes et al. Quality of life in dementia in perspective; an explorative study of variations in opinions among people with dementia and their professional caregivers, and in literature. Dementia: The International Journal 2006; 5 (4): 533-558, and 2) Gerritsen et al. Differences in perspective: do professional caregivers focus

Quality of life domains among non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors: an integrative literature review

PubMed Central

LEAK, ASHLEY; MAYER, DEBORAH K.; SMITH, SOPHIA

2011-01-01

Survival rates of individuals with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have increased in the past several years, as has the prevalence of older adults who are managing late and long-term effects of the disease and its treatment. In this integrative review, the state of the science for determining the quality of life (QOL) among NHL survivors is outlined. An online search of Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases was conducted using the following Keywords: non-Hodgkin lymphoma, health-related quality of life, quality of life, and impact of cancer. Eighteen studies published between 2000 and 2010 are reviewed. Of these, 17 were descriptive, cross-sectional designs, and one was a systematic review. The studies included participants of varying ages and years post-diagnosis as reported in several countries. Importantly, many used one or more QOL measures as outcome variables. Future research is needed on older and minority cancer populations and should include longitudinal and interventional studies. PMID:21534866

Three Graphic Nonfiction Series That Excite and Educate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersten-Parrish, Sara; Dallacqua, Ashley K.

2018-01-01

Children's literature plays an essential role in the literacy development of children. This department column focuses on the teaching and use of children's literature and provides educators with information about a wide range of books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world in which we live. A strong emphasis is placed…

Matching Books and Readers Helping English Learners in Grades K-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadaway, Nancy L.; Young, Terrell A.

2010-01-01

Providing practical guidance and resources, this book helps teachers harness the power of children's literature for developing ELLs' literacy skills and language proficiency. The authors show how carefully selected fiction, nonfiction, and poetry can support students' learning across the curriculum. Criteria and guiding questions are presented for…

Roundup of Recent Releases on the Gay and Lesbian Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azzolina, David S.

1993-01-01

The 42 titles of this nonfiction bibliography are grouped as follows: (1) collected works; (2) general works; (3) autobiography; (4) cultural studies; (5) history; (6) legal and military issues; (7) literature, film, and the arts; (8) philosophy and religion; (9) science; and (10) vocational issues. (SLD)

Teaching toward a More Scientifically Literate Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LoGiudici, Raymond; Ende, Fred

2010-01-01

To teach scientific literacy to eighth graders, the authors created a yearlong project that emphasizes the various components and skills required to be a scientifically literate citizen. This project is broken into four separate components: skeptical thinking (pseudoscience), current-event article analysis, fiction and nonfiction literature, and…

Quality of life of Brazilian and Spanish cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: an integrative literature review.

PubMed

Sawada, Namie Okino; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; de Paula, Juliana Maria; Garcia-Caro, Maria Paz; Marti-Garcia, Celia; Cruz-Quintana, Francisco

2016-01-01

characterize the scientific production of Brazil and Spain in regard to methodological aspects and aspects of health-related quality of life experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in both countries. integrative literature review was conducted using the following databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and CUIDEN and the electronic libraries PubMed and SciELO, conducted in September 2013. a total of 28 papers met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis of knowledge was presented in three categories of analysis: assessment of quality of life in different types of cancer; sociodemographic factors that influenced quality of life; and type of cancer and interventions that improve quality of life. Chemotherapy affects health-related quality of life and the most important factors were: age, sex, chemotherapy protocol, type of surgery, stage of the disease, educational level, and emotional intelligence. Complementary therapies such as acupuncture, guided visualization, prayers and exercise were positive and reduced side effects. the results showed a poor level of evidence, since 86% of the studies were cross-sectional descriptive studies; the instrument most frequently used to measure health-related quality of life was EORTC QLQ C-30 and more studies were conducted in Brazil than in Spain.

Evaluation as Story: The Narrative Quality of Educational Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wachtman, Edward L.

The author presents his opinion that educational evaluation has much similarity to the nonfiction narrative, (defined as a series of events ordered in time), particularly as it relates a current situation to future possibilities. He refers to Stake's statement that evaluation is concerned not only with outcomes but also with antecedents and with…

Deinstitutionalization and Quality of Life of Individuals with Intellectual Disability: A Review of the International Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Monali; Benson, Betsey A.

2011-01-01

The policy of deinstitutionalization was based on the proposition that quality of life (QoL) of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) will improve as a result of being moved from institutions to community-based care settings. The aim of this literature review was to evaluate whether this assumption has become a reality now that the…

Qualities of the medical school dean: insights from the literature.

PubMed

Rich, Eugene C; Magrane, Diane; Kirch, Darrell G

2008-05-01

To review the literature and resources for professional development of medical school executives in order to identify the characteristics proposed as relevant to medical school deanship. In 2006, the authors conducted a PubMed search using the key words leadership, dean, medical school, and academic medical center to identify relevant publications since 1995. Articles were excluded that that did not address the roles and responsibilities of the North American medical school dean. Articles gleaned through review of materials from relevant executive development programs and interviews with leaders involved in these programs were added. Both management skills (e.g., institutional assessment, strategic planning, financial stewardship, recruitment and retention of talent) and leadership skills (e.g., visioning, maximizing values, building constituency) are commonly cited as important deans of contemporary medical schools. Key content knowledge (e.g., academic medical center governance, expectations of clinicians and scientists, process of medical education) and certain attitudes (e.g., commitment to the success of others, appreciation of institutional culture) are also noted to be valuable qualities for medical school deans. The literature review identifies a number of areas of knowledge and skill consistently affirmed by scholars as important to success for medical school deans. These characteristics can provide a basic foundation for needs assessment and professional development activities of academic medical executives preparing for and entering medical school deanships, and they can also provide insight to those charged with selecting their next dean.

Revisiting the Quality of Reporting Randomized Controlled Trials in Nursing Literature.

PubMed

Adams, Yenupini Joyce; Kamp, Kendra; Liu, Cheng Ching; Stommel, Manfred; Thana, Kanjana; Broome, Marion E; Smith, Barbara

2018-03-01

To examine and update the literature on the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as reported in top nursing journals, based on manuscripts' adherence to the CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. Descriptive review of adherence of RCT manuscript to CONSORT guidelines. Top 40 International Scientific Indexing (ISI) ranked nursing journals that published 20 or more RCTs between 2010 and 2014, were included in the study. Selected articles were randomly assigned to four reviewers who assessed the quality of the articles using the CONSORT checklist. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 119 articles were included in the review. The mean CONSORT score significantly differed by journal but did not differ based on year of publication. The least consistently reported items included random allocation, who randomly assigned participants and whether those administering the interventions were blinded to group assignment. Although progress has been made, there is still room for improvement in the quality of RCT reporting in nursing journals. Special attention must be paid to how adequately studies adhere to the CONSORT prior to publication in nursing journals. Evidence from (RCTs) are thought to provide the best evidence for evaluating the impact of treatments and interventions by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Since the evidence may be used for the development of clinical practice guidelines, it is critical that RCTs be designed, conducted, and reported appropriately and precisely. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Measurement properties of rheumatoid arthritis-specific quality-of-life questionnaires: systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Lee, Jiyeon; Kim, Soo Hyun; Moon, Seung Hei; Lee, Eun-Hyun

2014-12-01

This study conducted a systematic review of the methodological quality of the psychometric evaluation process and the quality of measurement properties of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-specific health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) questionnaires with the purpose of obtaining the best evidence to help in the selection of the most appropriate instrument for measuring HRQOL in RA patients. A systematic literature search was performed to identify RA-specific HRQOL questionnaires in databases. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist. The quality of the measurement properties was assessed using quality criteria. The evidence regarding the measurement properties was pooled using best-evidence synthesis, with considerations of the number and methodological quality of the studies, and the consistency of their findings in terms of the quality of the measurement properties. The search identified 37 studies describing 9 instruments. Best-evidence synthesis suggested that the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL) questionnaire had the strongest positive evidence, especially with respect to reliability, measurement error, and content validity, and moderate positive evidence with respect to hypothesis testing and responsiveness. The current evidence suggests that the best-validated instrument among the RA-specific HRQOL measures is the RAQoL questionnaire in terms of both methodological quality in the process of psychometric evaluation and the quality of the measurement properties. However, there is limited evidence regarding internal consistency and structural validity of the RAQoL. Further efforts are warranted to establish the psychometric quality of this questionnaire.

[Airports and air quality: a critical synthesis of the literature].

PubMed

Cattani, Giorgio; Di Menno di Bucchianico, Alessandro; Gaeta, Alessandra; Romani, Daniela; Fontana, Luca; Iavicoli, Ivo

2014-01-01

This work reviewed existing literature on airport related activities that could worsen surrounding air quality; its aim is to underline the progress coming from recent-year studies, the knowledge emerging from new approaches, the development of semi-empiric analytical methods as well as the questions still needing to be clarified. To estimate pollution levels, spatial and temporal variability, and the sources relative contributions integrated assessment, using both fixed point measurement and model outputs, are needed. The general picture emerging from the studies was a non-negligible and highly spatially variable (within 2-3 km from the fence line) airport contribution; even if it is often not dominant compared to other concomitant pollution sources. Results were highly airport-specific. Traffic volumes, landscape and meteorology were the key variables that drove the impacts. Results were thus hardly exportable to other contexts. Airport related pollutant sources were found to be characterized by unusual emission patterns (particularly ultrafine particles, black carbon and nitrogen oxides during take-off); high time-resolution measurements allow to depict the rapidly changing take-off effect on air quality that could not be adequately observed otherwise. Few studies used high time resolution data in a successful way as statistical models inputs to estimate the aircraft take-off contribution to the observed average levels. These findings should not be neglected when exposure of people living near airports is to be assessed.

Confronting History: Holocaust Books for Children (Practical Reflections).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudman, Masha Kabakow; Rosenberg, Susan P.

1991-01-01

Provides a comprehensive picture of current Holocaust literature, largely for readers age 10 and older. Describes books that look at individual responsibility, group responsibility, non-Jewish perspectives, and Jewish resistance and survivors' stories. Explores nonfiction works for varying ages, and closes with a special book that takes the form…

English 30, Part B: Reading. Readings Booklet [and] Questions Booklet. Grade 12 Diploma Examination, June 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Student Evaluation Branch.

These booklets are intended for students in Alberta, Canada, taking the Grade 12 Diploma Examinations in English 30. The readings booklet presents 7 reading selections from fiction and nonfiction literature. After instructions for students, the booklet presents: (1) Lance Morrow's essay "Metaphors of the World, Unite!"; (2) Carl…

Storytelling Figures: A Pueblo Tradition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraus, Nancy

1997-01-01

In a collaborative unit on pueblo storytelling figures involving art, music, language arts, and physical education, a teacher describes how she helped second graders understand the Pueblo pottery tradition by reading aloud literature covering the past and present. Lists folklore, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, professional resources, videos, CDs,…

David Macaulay's Pyramid.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frew, Andrew W.

1997-01-01

Integrating literature and mathematics can be meaningful using David Macaulay's "Pyramid." This article provides an annotated bibliography of picture books, fiction, folk tales, nonfiction, videotapes, audio books, and CD-ROMs for grades 1-12 to support a unit on Egypt. Describes related math activities; and highlights a catalog of…

Kaleidoscope: A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8. Fourth Edition. NCTE Bibliography Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen-Krening, Nancy, Ed.; Aoki, Elaine M., Ed.; Mizokawa, Donald T., Ed.

The fourth edition of this annotated bibliography collection offers students, teachers, and librarians a helpful guide to the best multicultural literature (published from 1999 to 2001) for elementary and middle school readers. The book continues a tradition of promoting unity through diversity by highlighting fiction and nonfiction published by…

National Award Books as Quality Information Resources in Thailand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varatorn, Supannee

This paper deals with the importance of book contests and book awards in Thailand, especially the National Book Awards announced during the National Book Week. The results of an analysis of the fiction and nonfiction national award books by author, content, and subject are discussed in order to show how these highly recognized books are quality…

Quality of life of Brazilian and Spanish cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: an integrative literature review

PubMed Central

Sawada, Namie Okino; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; de Paula, Juliana Maria; Garcia-Caro, Maria Paz; Marti-Garcia, Celia; Cruz-Quintana, Francisco

2016-01-01

Objective: characterize the scientific production of Brazil and Spain in regard to methodological aspects and aspects of health-related quality of life experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in both countries. Method: integrative literature review was conducted using the following databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and CUIDEN and the electronic libraries PubMed and SciELO, conducted in September 2013. Results: a total of 28 papers met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis of knowledge was presented in three categories of analysis: assessment of quality of life in different types of cancer; sociodemographic factors that influenced quality of life; and type of cancer and interventions that improve quality of life. Chemotherapy affects health-related quality of life and the most important factors were: age, sex, chemotherapy protocol, type of surgery, stage of the disease, educational level, and emotional intelligence. Complementary therapies such as acupuncture, guided visualization, prayers and exercise were positive and reduced side effects. Conclusion: the results showed a poor level of evidence, since 86% of the studies were cross-sectional descriptive studies; the instrument most frequently used to measure health-related quality of life was EORTC QLQ C-30 and more studies were conducted in Brazil than in Spain. PMID:27192414

The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. Objective The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses’ quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Methods Using publications from 2004–2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses’ QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Results Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses’ quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. Conclusions This review’s findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses’ broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system. PMID:27734769

The quality of work life of registered nurses in Canada and the United States: a comprehensive literature review.

PubMed

Nowrouzi, Behdin; Giddens, Emilia; Gohar, Basem; Schoenenberger, Sandrine; Bautista, Mary Christine; Casole, Jennifer

2016-10-01

Workplace environment is related to the physical and psychological well-being, and quality of work life (QWL) for nurses. The aim of this paper was to perform a comprehensive literature review on nurses' quality of work life to identify a comprehensive set of QWL predictors for nurses employed in the United States and Canada. Using publications from 2004-2014, contributing factors to American and Canadian nurses' QWL were analyzed. The review was structured using the Work Disability Prevention Framework. Sixty-six articles were selected for analysis. Literature indicated that changes are required within the workplace and across the health care system to improve nurses' QWL. Areas for improvement to nurses' quality of work life included treatment of new nursing graduates, opportunities for continuing education, promotion of positive collegial relationships, stress-reduction programs, and increased financial compensation. This review's findings support the importance of QWL as an indicator of nurses' broader work-related experiences. A shift in health care systems across Canada and the United States is warranted where health care delivery and services are improved in conjunction with the health of the nurses working in the system.

Trade Book Significance: The Spice for Content Area Usage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bercik, Janet T.

This paper provides educators with information about the development of a literature-based unit for middle-grade students dealing with the Medieval period and Asian cultures, thereby creating interest in the content materials through the use of fiction and nonfiction materials. The paper's purpose is to encourage educators to use a…

Toward Improved Collections in Medical Humanities: Fiction in Academic Health Sciences Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dali, Keren; Dilevko, Juris

2006-01-01

Although fiction plays a prominent role in the interdisciplinary field of medical humanities (MH), it is physically and intellectually isolated from non-fiction in academic health sciences libraries. Using the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database (LAMD) as a tool for selection and subject analysis, we suggest a method of integrating fiction…

Novel Ideas for Young Readers! Projects and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuta, Katherine Wiesolek; Zernial, Susan

This book offers 60 stimulating, classroom-tested activities to instill a love of literature and help young learners develop as readers, writers, and speakers. By using picture books, novels, or even nonfiction readings as starting points, the reproducible worksheets in the book can be implemented to strengthen students' entire spectrum of…

Asking and Arguing with Fact and Fiction: Using Inquiry and Critical Literacy to Make Sense of Literature in the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawch, Deb

2011-01-01

When approaches to critical inquiry and critical literacy are used by students to interrogate the dynamic between both fiction and nonfiction texts simultaneously, they shape a classroom culture of questioning that empowers students to take an informed and more activist stance about larger issues in the world. This article explores how nonfiction…

Fuel quality-processing study. Volume 2: Literature survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, G. E., Jr.; Amero, R.; Murthy, B.; Cutrone, M.

1981-01-01

The validity of initial assumptions about raw materials choices and relevant upgrading processing options was confirmed. The literature survey also served to define the on-site (at the turbine location) options for fuel treatment and exhaust gas treatment. The literature survey also contains a substantial compilation of specification and physical property information about liquid fuel products relevant to industrial gas turbines.

A literature review of quantitative indicators to measure the quality of labor and delivery care.

PubMed

Tripathi, Vandana

2016-02-01

Strengthening measurement of the quality of labor and delivery (L&D) care in low-resource countries requires an understanding of existing approaches. To identify quantitative indicators of L&D care quality and assess gaps in indicators. PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Embase databases were searched for research published in English between January 1, 1990, and October 31, 2013, using structured terms. Studies describing indicators for L&D care quality assessment were included. Those whose abstracts contained inclusion criteria underwent full-text review. Study characteristics, including indicator selection and data sources, were extracted via a standard spreadsheet. The structured search identified 1224 studies. After abstract and full-text review, 477 were included in the analysis. Most studies selected indicators by using literature review, clinical guidelines, or expert panels. Few indicators were empirically validated; most studies relied on medical record review to measure indicators. Many quantitative indicators have been used to measure L&D care quality, but few have been validated beyond expert opinion. There has been limited use of clinical observation in quality assessment of care processes. The findings suggest the need for validated, efficient consensus indicators of the quality of L&D care processes, particularly in low-resource countries. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Source Water Quality on Drinking Water Treatment Costs: A Review and Synthesis of Empirical Literature - slides

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed protection, and associated in situ water quality improvements, has received considerable attention as a means of mitigating health risks and avoiding expenditures at drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). In this presentation, we review the literature linking raw wate...

A Guide to Non-sexist Children's Books, Volume II: 1976-1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilms, Denise, Ed.; Cooper, Ilene, Ed.

Reflecting the diversity and depth found in contemporary children's literature, this second volume in a series lists picture books, novels, and non-fiction books about strong children, both female and male, who, through experience and thoughtful observation, learn how to solve their problems independently. For easy access, the more than 600 titles…

Nevada High School Proficiency Examination: Reading. Form E Released, Part 1 [and] Part 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevada State Dept. of Education, Carson City.

This document presents a sample test form for high school reading and comprehension proficiency. The first section of the exam consists of 27 questions taken from 7 selections, which included 4 literature and poetry selections and the following nonfiction titles: Procedures for Answering a Call, Just the Facts, Garlic, and Pot Roast with…

Facing Life, English: 5113.30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, Clifford G.; Rice, M. Paul

The outline of a course in the investigation of literature (both fiction and nonfiction) which concerns youth facing and overcoming problems of life, with stress upon the novel and biography, is presented. The student is expected, through reading selected literary works, to (1) examine the problems confronted by youth, (2) examine youth's needs…

Using Nonfiction Scientific Literature for Conservation Biology Education: The "Tigerland" Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neff, Paula Kleintjes; Weiss, Nicole M.; Middlesworth, Laura; Wierich, Joseph; Beilke, Elizabeth; Lee, Jacqueline; Rohlinger, Spencer; Pletzer, Joshua

2017-01-01

Despite the volume of research published and pedagogy practiced in conservation biology, there is little assessment of the effectiveness of pedagogical techniques for improving undergraduate conservation literacy and student engagement. We evaluated student responses (2009-2011) to reading "Tigerland and Other Unintended Destinations" by…

Quality of Life: Literature Review and Recommendations for Measurement of Military Outcomes (Computer Diskette).

DTIC Science & Technology

Quality of Life (QOL) programs, meeting service member’s QOL need is of primary concern to the Navy. The purpose of this report is to review the literature in regards to the relationship of QOL and its impact on such military outcome variables as retention attrition performance readiness, and recruitment. Conclusions from the review were that (1) Intent to reenlist was found to be one of the most potent predictors of retention, with other factors such as pay, services, housing, and job satisfaction, also, exerting their influence; (2) certain demographics,

A Narrative Review of High-Quality Literature on the Effects of Resident Duty Hours Reforms.

PubMed

Lin, Henry; Lin, Emery; Auditore, Stephanie; Fanning, Jon

2016-01-01

To summarize current high-quality studies evaluating the effect and efficacy of resident duty hours reforms (DHRs) on patient safety and resident education and well-being. The authors searched PubMed and Medline in August 2012 and again in May 2013 for literature (1987-2013) about the effects of DHRs. They assessed the quality of articles using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) scoring system. They considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs), partial RCTs, and all studies with a MERSQI score ≥ 14 to be "high-quality" methodology studies. A total of 72 high-quality studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies showed no change or slight improvement in mortality and complication rates after DHRs. Resident well-being was generally improved, but there was a perceived negative impact on education (knowledge acquisition, skills, and cognitive performance) following DHRs. Eleven high-quality studies assessed the impact of DHR interventions; all reported a neutral to positive impact. Seven high-quality studies assessed costs associated with DHRs and demonstrated an increase in hospital costs. The results of most studies that allow enough time for DHR interventions to take effect suggest a benefit to patient safety and resident well-being, but the effect on the quality of training remains unknown. Additional methodologically sound studies on the impact of DHRs are necessary. Priorities for future research include approaches to optimizing education and clinical proficiency and studies on the effect of intervention strategies on both education and patient safety. Such studies will provide additional information to help improve duty hours policies.

Quality tools and resources to support organisational improvement integral to high-quality primary care: a systematic review of published and grey literature.

PubMed

Janamian, Tina; Upham, Susan J; Crossland, Lisa; Jackson, Claire L

2016-04-18

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to identify existing online primary care quality improvement tools and resources to support organisational improvement related to the seven elements in the Primary Care Practice Improvement Tool (PC-PIT), with the identified tools and resources to progress to a Delphi study for further assessment of relevance and utility. Systematic review of the international published and grey literature. CINAHL, Embase and PubMed databases were searched in March 2014 for articles published between January 2004 and December 2013. GreyNet International and other relevant websites and repositories were also searched in March-April 2014 for documents dated between 1992 and 2012. All citations were imported into a bibliographic database. Published and unpublished tools and resources were included in the review if they were in English, related to primary care quality improvement and addressed any of the seven PC-PIT elements of a high-performing practice. Tools and resources that met the eligibility criteria were then evaluated for their accessibility, relevance, utility and comprehensiveness using a four-criteria appraisal framework. We used a data extraction template to systematically extract information from eligible tools and resources. A content analysis approach was used to explore the tools and resources and collate relevant information: name of the tool or resource, year and country of development, author, name of the organisation that provided access and its URL, accessibility information or problems, overview of each tool or resource and the quality improvement element(s) it addresses. If available, a copy of the tool or resource was downloaded into the bibliographic database, along with supporting evidence (published or unpublished) on its use in primary care. This systematic review identified 53 tools and resources that can potentially be provided as part of a suite of tools and resources to support primary care practices in

Non-Fiction Memoirs in the Neuroscience Classroom: A Window into the Minds of Those Affected by Addiction.

PubMed

Pollack, Alexia E

2015-01-01

When I first developed an Addiction course for the Honors College at UMass-Boston in 2006, it focused exclusively on the acute and long-term effects of psychoactive substances on the brain. However, I soon realized that a strictly biological perspective failed to capture how this complex disorder affected the whole person. Students had no insight into addicts' thoughts, feelings, behaviors or how their addiction affected others. To remedy this, students read two non-fiction memoirs: Tweak (Nic Sheff, young adult addict) and Beautiful Boy (David Sheff, Nic's father) along with learning underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. Reading memoirs students saw firsthand the impact of addiction on individuals. Inspired by the diary structure of Tweak, one assignment asked students to collect data about themselves in order to determine their daily patterns/rituals and to contemplate the impact of removing these activities - like the addict after rehabilitation. Other assignments asked students to do close reading by selecting passages from Tweak and explaining how they related to different facets of addiction (biological, environmental, effect on individual), and to perform a comparative analysis between Beautiful Boy and Tweak to find points of intersection and divergence. Most recently, students used the text of Tweak to create interactive performances for a visiting high school class. Memoirs provided students with detailed, honest accounts of lives affected by addiction. The assignments and class discussions facilitated students understanding of the impact of addiction on individuals and their families, which was a powerful adjunct to learning about its underlying neurobiology and pharmacology.

Non-Fiction Memoirs in the Neuroscience Classroom: A Window into the Minds of Those Affected by Addiction

PubMed Central

Pollack, Alexia E.

2015-01-01

When I first developed an Addiction course for the Honors College at UMass-Boston in 2006, it focused exclusively on the acute and long-term effects of psychoactive substances on the brain. However, I soon realized that a strictly biological perspective failed to capture how this complex disorder affected the whole person. Students had no insight into addicts’ thoughts, feelings, behaviors or how their addiction affected others. To remedy this, students read two non-fiction memoirs: Tweak (Nic Sheff, young adult addict) and Beautiful Boy (David Sheff, Nic’s father) along with learning underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. Reading memoirs students saw firsthand the impact of addiction on individuals. Inspired by the diary structure of Tweak, one assignment asked students to collect data about themselves in order to determine their daily patterns/rituals and to contemplate the impact of removing these activities – like the addict after rehabilitation. Other assignments asked students to do close reading by selecting passages from Tweak and explaining how they related to different facets of addiction (biological, environmental, effect on individual), and to perform a comparative analysis between Beautiful Boy and Tweak to find points of intersection and divergence. Most recently, students used the text of Tweak to create interactive performances for a visiting high school class. Memoirs provided students with detailed, honest accounts of lives affected by addiction. The assignments and class discussions facilitated students understanding of the impact of addiction on individuals and their families, which was a powerful adjunct to learning about its underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. PMID:26557794

Houghton Mifflin Reading©. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2015

2015-01-01

"Houghton Mifflin Reading"© is a reading program designed for grades K-6. The program provides step-by-step instruction in reading using Big Books (fiction and nonfiction literature), anthologies, Read Aloud books, and audio compact discs. The product is designed to be used as a full-year curriculum program with instruction on developing…

Leaving the Land of Digital Natives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimenez, Camilo; Corral, Will H.

2012-01-01

Camilo Jimenez taught writing and literature at the prestigious Universidad Javeriana in Columbia for nine years until his resignation in December 2011, for reasons explained in this article. Having found that only three out of thirty of his students in his "Assessment of Non-Fiction Texts" course could successfully summarize a work in one…

"Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun": Getting Real in Upward Bound.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, Barbara G.; Adkins, Theresa A.

2002-01-01

Describes how a teacher found literature for Upward Bound students. Presents Geoffrey Canada's "Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America" as a nonfiction work to provide clarity and connections that might not have been available in a fictional work, yet it had elements of literary fiction that made the text…

The Effects of Source Water Quality on Drinking Water Treatment Costs: A Review and Synthesis of Empirical Literature - Ecological Economics

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed protection, and associated in situ water quality improvements, has received considerable attention as a means of mitigating health risks and avoiding expenditures at drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). This study reviews the extant cost function literature linking ...

Users’ guide to the surgical literature: how to perform a high-quality literature search

PubMed Central

Waltho, Daniel; Kaur, Manraj Nirmal; Haynes, R. Brian; Farrokhyar, Forough; Thoma, Achilleas

2015-01-01

Summary The article “Users’ guide to the surgical literature: how to perform a literature search” was published in 2003, but the continuing technological developments in databases and search filters have rendered that guide out of date. The present guide fills an existing gap in this area; it provides the reader with strategies for developing a searchable clinical question, creating an efficient search strategy, accessing appropriate databases, and skillfully retrieving the best evidence to address the research question. PMID:26384150

Renaissance and Italian Literature in World Literature Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paolucci, Anne

1977-01-01

Shows how the giants of the Renaissance, from Dante to Shakespeare and Cervantes, can be taught so that they illustrate the dialectic of the cultural experience that produced them, and how the masterpieces of Italian literature can be used to suggest both national and universal qualities. (Editor/RK)

Yoga and quality-of-life improvement in patients with breast cancer: a literature review.

PubMed

Levine, Alison Spatz; Balk, Judith L

2012-01-01

Women undergoing treatment for breast cancer often turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including yoga, for improvement of mood, quality of life (QOL), sleep, and treatment-related side effects. The extant literature was reviewed to examine the clinical effects of yoga practice on QOL for patients with breast cancer. QOL was defined as physical well-being, social functioning, emotional health, and function-al adaptation. Seven databases, including PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were used to search for studies of patients with breast cancer that included a yoga intervention and QOL assessment. Attention was paid to assessing study population, outcome variables, the type of yoga intervention used, and methodological strengths and limitations. Seventy-one articles were identified that fit the search criteria. Although the literature provided evidence of QOL benefits of yoga for patients with breast cancer, no specific aspect of yoga was identified as being most advantageous. Although participation in yoga programs appeared to benefit patients with breast cancer, greater methodological rigor is required to understand the mechanisms that contribute to their effectiveness.

Contemporary Memoir: A 21st-Century Genre Ideal for Teens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Dawn Latta; Kirby, Dan

2010-01-01

For the past 20 years, the authors have been reading and teaching literary memoir to students of all ages. In the mid-1980s, they began looking for ways to incorporate more nonfiction into their literature classes, hoping to find a fresh genre unflattened by instruction. They wanted to explore with students a genre that literary critics had not…

Identifying Measures Used for Assessing Quality of YouTube Videos with Patient Health Information: A Review of Current Literature.

PubMed

Gabarron, Elia; Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Armayones, Manuel; Lau, Annie Ys

2013-02-28

Recent publications on YouTube have advocated its potential for patient education. However, a reliable description of what could be considered quality information for patient education on YouTube is missing. To identify topics associated with the concept of quality information for patient education on YouTube in the scientific literature. A literature review was performed in MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and PsychINFO. Abstract selection was first conducted by two independent reviewers; discrepancies were discussed in a second abstract review with two additional independent reviewers. Full text of selected papers were analyzed looking for concepts, definitions, and topics used by its authors that focused on the quality of information on YouTube for patient education. In total, 456 abstracts were extracted and 13 papers meeting eligibility criteria were analyzed. Concepts identified related to quality of information for patient education are categorized as expert-driven, popularity-driven, or heuristic-driven measures. These include (in descending order): (1) quality of content in 10/13 (77%), (2) view count in 9/13 (69%), (3) health professional opinion in 8/13 (62%), (4) adequate length or duration in 6/13 (46%), (5) public ratings in 5/13 (39%), (6) adequate title, tags, and description in 5/13 (39%), (7) good description or a comprehensive narrative in 4/13 (31%), (8) evidence-based practices included in video in 4/13 (31%), (9) suitability as a teaching tool in 4/13 (31%), (10) technical quality in 4/13 (31%), (11) credentials provided in video in 4/13 (31%), (12) enough amount of content to identify its objective in 3/13 (23%), and (13) viewership share in 2/13 (15%). Our review confirms that the current topics linked to quality of information for patient education on YouTube are unclear and not standardized. Although expert-driven, popularity-driven, or heuristic-driven measures are used as proxies to estimate the quality of video information

Identifying Measures Used for Assessing Quality of YouTube Videos with Patient Health Information: A Review of Current Literature

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Armayones, Manuel; Lau, Annie YS

2013-01-01

Background Recent publications on YouTube have advocated its potential for patient education. However, a reliable description of what could be considered quality information for patient education on YouTube is missing. Objective To identify topics associated with the concept of quality information for patient education on YouTube in the scientific literature. Methods A literature review was performed in MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and PsychINFO. Abstract selection was first conducted by two independent reviewers; discrepancies were discussed in a second abstract review with two additional independent reviewers. Full text of selected papers were analyzed looking for concepts, definitions, and topics used by its authors that focused on the quality of information on YouTube for patient education. Results In total, 456 abstracts were extracted and 13 papers meeting eligibility criteria were analyzed. Concepts identified related to quality of information for patient education are categorized as expert-driven, popularity-driven, or heuristic-driven measures. These include (in descending order): (1) quality of content in 10/13 (77%), (2) view count in 9/13 (69%), (3) health professional opinion in 8/13 (62%), (4) adequate length or duration in 6/13 (46%), (5) public ratings in 5/13 (39%), (6) adequate title, tags, and description in 5/13 (39%), (7) good description or a comprehensive narrative in 4/13 (31%), (8) evidence-based practices included in video in 4/13 (31%), (9) suitability as a teaching tool in 4/13 (31%), (10) technical quality in 4/13 (31%), (11) credentials provided in video in 4/13 (31%), (12) enough amount of content to identify its objective in 3/13 (23%), and (13) viewership share in 2/13 (15%). Conclusions Our review confirms that the current topics linked to quality of information for patient education on YouTube are unclear and not standardized. Although expert-driven, popularity-driven, or heuristic-driven measures are used as proxies to

Quality of life in adolescent and young adult cancer patients: a systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Gonçalves, Vânia; Sehovic, Ivana; Bowman, Meghan L; Reed, Damon R

2015-01-01

Introduction Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience many unique challenges and quality of life (QoL) effects that persist beyond cancer diagnosis and treatment. Due to continuous improvements in technology and cancer treatments resulting in improved survival rates, the identification of late effects, survivorship issues, and QoL is moving to the forefront of cancer research. The goal of this systematic review was to identify key psychosocial factors impacting QoL in AYA oncology populations. Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted using combinations of these phrases or keywords: “adolescent and young adult or AYA” AND “health outcomes OR quality of life OR psychology” AND “neoplasm OR cancer OR oncology”. A total of 35 articles were included in this review. Studies were classified into two categories: AYA perceptions and stakeholder perceptions. Results AYA cancer survivors were more likely to have “worse” or impaired QoL compared with the general population, regardless of other demographic factors. AYAs described both positive and negatives experiences with their medical care, the educational information received, and the supportive care services. Although health care professionals were likely to underestimate or misjudge the health preferences and support needs of AYAs, these perceptions varied across disciplines and levels of experience. Conclusion The literature is lacking in sufficient evidence-based interventions to improve QoL in AYA cancer populations. Further, the tools to adequately measure QoL in this population are also unsatisfactory. The literature, however, consistently shows agreement regarding the unique needs of this population, indicating a trend toward health care standardization within age ranges or life stages. We suggest the need for AYA-specific programs in health care institutions that comprise a multidisciplinary team that addresses all the unique medical and QoL needs of AYAs. PMID

Costs, quality of life and treatment compliance associated with antibiotic therapies in patients with cystic fibrosis: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Weiner, Jennifer R; Toy, Edmond L; Sacco, Patricia; Duh, Mei Sheng

2008-04-01

Cystic fibrosis is the most common incurable hereditary disease in the US. Persistent respiratory infection is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis patients. This study aimed to review the literature on economic and quality of life outcomes and treatment compliance associated with antibiotic therapies for cystic fibrosis patients. A systematic literature review was conducted using keyword searches of the MEDLINE database and selected conference abstracts. The review covered studies published between January 1990 and May 2007. Evidence suggests that inhaled tobramycin, a key chronic suppressive therapy, can reduce other healthcare costs. The main determinants of the cost of care include disease severity and respiratory infection. Costs vary widely by country. There is evidence that inhaled tobramycin and oral azithromycin improve quality of life and that treatment setting and patient convenience may also impact on quality of life. Antibiotic treatment compliance varied significantly and depended on the method of measurement, with more subjective measures tending to be higher. This review concludes by offering directions for future research.

Does size matter in aged care facilities? A literature review of the relationship between the number of facility beds and quality.

PubMed

Baldwin, Richard; Chenoweth, Lynnette; Dela Rama, Marie; Wang, Alex Y

Theory suggests that structural factors such as aged care facility size (bed numbers) will influence service quality. There have been no recent published studies in support of this theory, and consequently, the available literature has not been useful in assisting decision makers with investment decisions on facility size. The study aimed to address that deficit by reviewing the international literature on the relationships between the size of residential aged care facilities, measured by number of beds, and service quality. A systematic review identified 30 studies that reported a relationship between facility size and quality and provided sufficient details to enable comparison. There are three groups of studies based on measurement of quality-those measuring only resident outcomes, those measuring care and resident outcomes using composite tools, and those focused on regulatory compliance. The overall findings support the posited theory to a large extent, that size is a factor in quality and smaller facilities yield the most favorable results. Studies using multiple indicators of service quality produced more consistent results in favor of smaller facilities, as did most studies of regulatory compliance. The theory that aged care facility size (bed numbers) will influence service quality was supported by 26 of the 30 studies reviewed. The review findings indicate that aged care facility size (number of beds) may be one important factor related to service quality. Smaller facilities are more likely to result in higher quality and better outcomes for residents than larger facilities. This has implications for those who make investment decisions concerning aged care facilities. The findings also raise implications for funders and policy makers to ensure that regulations and policies do not encourage the building of facilities inconsistent with these findings.

Evidence for the adverse effect of starvation on bone quality: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Kueper, Janina; Beyth, Shaul; Liebergall, Meir; Kaplan, Leon; Schroeder, Josh E

2015-01-01

Malnutrition and starvation's possible adverse impacts on bone health and bone quality first came into the spotlight after the horrors of the Holocaust and the ghettos of World War II. Famine and food restrictions led to a mean caloric intake of 200-800 calories a day in the ghettos and concentration camps, resulting in catabolysis and starvation of the inhabitants and prisoners. Severely increased risks of fracture, poor bone mineral density, and decreased cortical strength were noted in several case series and descriptive reports addressing the medical issues of these individuals. A severe effect of severely diminished food intake and frequently concomitant calcium- and Vitamin D deficiencies was subsequently proven in both animal models and the most common cause of starvation in developed countries is anorexia nervosa. This review attempts to summarize the literature available on the impact of the metabolic response to Starvation on overall bone health and bone quality.

[Potential for the survey of quality indicators based on a national emergency department registry : A systematic literature search].

PubMed

Hörster, A C; Kulla, M; Brammen, D; Lefering, R

2018-06-01

Emergency department processes are often key for successful treatment. Therefore, collection of quality indicators is demanded. A basis for the collection is systematic, electronic documentation. The development of paper-based documentation into an electronic and interoperable national emergency registry is-besides the establishment of quality management for emergency departments-a target of the AKTIN project. The objective of this research is identification of internationally applied quality indicators. For the investigation of the current status of quality management in emergency departments based on quality indicators, a systematic literature search of the database PubMed, the Cochrane Library and the internet was performed. Of the 170 internationally applied quality indicators, 25 with at least two references are identified. A total of 10 quality indicators are ascertainable by the data set. An enlargement of the data set will enable the collection of seven further quality indicators. The implementation of data of care behind the emergency processes will provide eight additional quality indicators. This work was able to show that the potential of a national emergency registry for the establishment of quality indicators corresponds with the international systems taken into consideration and could provide a comparable collection of quality indicators.

Is the oocyte quality affected by endometriosis? A review of the literature.

PubMed

Sanchez, Ana Maria; Vanni, Valeria Stella; Bartiromo, Ludovica; Papaleo, Enrico; Zilberberg, Eran; Candiani, Massimo; Orvieto, Raoul; Viganò, Paola

2017-07-12

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic inflammatory condition that affects women in their reproductive period causing infertility and pelvic pain. The disease, especially at the ovarian site has been shown to have a detrimental impact on ovarian physiology. Indeed, sonographic and histologic data tend to support the idea that ovarian follicles of endometriosis patients are decreased in number and more atretic. Moreover, the local intrafollicular environment of patients affected is characterized by alterations of the granulosa cell compartment including reduced P450 aromatase expression and increased intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. However, no comprehensive evaluation of the literature addressing the effect of endometriosis on oocyte quality from both a clinical and a biological perspective has so far been conducted. Based on this systematic review of the literature, oocytes retrieved from women affected by endometriosis are more likely to fail in vitro maturation and to show altered morphology and lower cytoplasmic mitochondrial content compared to women with other causes of infertility. Results from meta-analyses addressing IVF outcomes in women affected would indicate that a reduction in the number of mature oocytes retrieved is associated with endometriosis while a reduction in fertilization rates is more likely to be associated with minimal/mild rather than with moderate/severe disease. However, evidence in this field is still far to be conclusive, especially with regards to the effects of different stages of the disease and to the impact of patients' previous medical/surgical treatment(s).

Quality of life among adult patients with neurofibromatosis 1, neurofibromatosis 2 and schwannomatosis: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Vranceanu, Ana-Maria; Merker, Vanessa L; Park, Elyse; Plotkin, Scott R

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to review the literature on quality of life among adult patients with neurofibromatosis 1, neurofibromatosis 2 and schwannomatosis, and to identify the specific aspects of quality of life that were studied and reported in this population. We also set out to report predictors of quality of life. Published research reports were included if they described quality of life in this population and met methodological quality according to a list of predefined criteria. Eight studies (7 in NF1, 1 in NF2, 0 in schwannomatosis), conducted between 2001 and 2013, met inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the eight studies was mostly high according to ratings by predefined criteria. Most studies reported that patients with NF experience decreased quality of life when compared to the general population. Visibility and disease severity were strong predictors of skin-specific quality of life in NF1 patients. However, the majority of findings regarding predictors of quality of life were weak or inconclusive. Given the decreased quality of life in NF patients, it is important to examine more comprehensively the psychosocial factors in this population, especially in patients with NF2 and schwannomatosis. Mind body interventions that address these domains may provide comprehensive and efficacious long term treatment.

Evidence for the Adverse Effect of Starvation on Bone Quality: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Kueper, Janina; Beyth, Shaul; Liebergall, Meir; Kaplan, Leon; Schroeder, Josh E.

2015-01-01

Malnutrition and starvation's possible adverse impacts on bone health and bone quality first came into the spotlight after the horrors of the Holocaust and the ghettos of World War II. Famine and food restrictions led to a mean caloric intake of 200–800 calories a day in the ghettos and concentration camps, resulting in catabolysis and starvation of the inhabitants and prisoners. Severely increased risks of fracture, poor bone mineral density, and decreased cortical strength were noted in several case series and descriptive reports addressing the medical issues of these individuals. A severe effect of severely diminished food intake and frequently concomitant calcium- and Vitamin D deficiencies was subsequently proven in both animal models and the most common cause of starvation in developed countries is anorexia nervosa. This review attempts to summarize the literature available on the impact of the metabolic response to Starvation on overall bone health and bone quality. PMID:25810719

How Well Is Quality Improvement Described in the Perioperative Care Literature? A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Jones, Emma L.; Lees, Nicholas; Martin, Graham; Dixon-Woods, Mary

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Quality improvement (QI) approaches are widely used across health care, but how well they are reported in the academic literature is not clear. A systematic review was conducted to assess the completeness of reporting of QI interventions and techniques in the field of perioperative care. Methods Searches were conducted using Medline, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care database, and PubMed. Two independent reviewers used the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist, which identifies 12 features of interventions that studies should describe (for example, How: the interventions were delivered [e.g., face to face, internet]), When and how much: duration, dose, intensity), to assign scores for each included article. Articles were also scored against a small number of additional criteria relevant to QI. Results The search identified 16,103 abstracts from databases and 19 from other sources. Following review, full-text was obtained for 223 articles, 100 of which met the criteria for inclusion. Completeness of reporting of QI in the perioperative care literature was variable. Only one article was judged fully complete against the 11 TIDieR items used. The mean TIDieR score across the 100 included articles was 6.31 (of a maximum 11). More than a third (35%) of the articles scored 5 or lower. Particularly problematic was reporting of fidelity (absent in 74% of articles) and whether any modifications were made to the intervention (absent in 73% of articles). Conclusions The standard of reporting of quality interventions and QI techniques in surgery is often suboptimal, making it difficult to determine whether an intervention can be replicated and used to deliver a positive effect in another setting. This suggests a need to explore how reporting practices could be improved. PMID:27066922

Taking the Scientist's Perspective. The Nonfiction Narrative Engages Episodic Memory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Scientists and Their Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larison, Karen D.

2018-03-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) mandates that schools provide students an understanding of the skills and knowledge that scientists use to engage in scientific practices. In this article, I argue that one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is to have students take the perspective of the scientist by reading nonfiction narratives written by scientists and science writers. I explore the anthropological and neurological evidence that suggests that perspective-taking is an essential component in the learning process. It has been shown that by around age 4, the human child begins to be able to take the perspective of others—a process that neuroscientists have shown engages episodic memory, a memory type that some neurocognitive scientists believe is central in organizing human cognition. Neuroscientists have shown that the brain regions in which episodic memory resides undergo pronounced anatomical changes during adolescence, suggesting that perspective-taking assumes an even greater role in cognition during adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, I argue that the practice of science itself is narrative in nature. With each new observation and experiment, the scientist is acting to reveal an emerging story. It is the story-like nature of science that motivates the scientist to push onward with new experiments and new observations. It is also the story-like nature of the practice of science that can potentially engage the student. The classroom studies that I review here confirm the power of the narrative in increasing students' understanding of science.

Can working with the private for-profit sector improve utilization of quality health services by the poor? A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Patouillard, Edith; Goodman, Catherine A; Hanson, Kara G; Mills, Anne J

2007-11-07

There has been a growing interest in the role of the private for-profit sector in health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. The private sector represents an important source of care for all socioeconomic groups, including the poorest and substantial concerns have been raised about the quality of care it provides. Interventions have been developed to address these technical failures and simultaneously take advantage of the potential for involving private providers to achieve public health goals. Limited information is available on the extent to which these interventions have successfully expanded access to quality health services for poor and disadvantaged populations. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of working with private for-profit providers to reach the poor. The search topic of the systematic literature review was the effectiveness of interventions working with the private for-profit sector to improve utilization of quality health services by the poor. Interventions included social marketing, use of vouchers, pre-packaging of drugs, franchising, training, regulation, accreditation and contracting-out. The search for published literature used a series of electronic databases including PubMed, Popline, HMIC and CabHealth Global Health. The search for grey and unpublished literature used documents available on the World Wide Web. We focused on studies which evaluated the impact of interventions on utilization and/or quality of services and which provided information on the socioeconomic status of the beneficiary populations. A total of 2483 references were retrieved, of which 52 qualified as impact evaluations. Data were available on the average socioeconomic status of recipient communities for 5 interventions, and on the distribution of benefits across socioeconomic groups for 5 interventions. Few studies provided evidence on the impact of private sector

Can working with the private for-profit sector improve utilization of quality health services by the poor? A systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Patouillard, Edith; Goodman, Catherine A; Hanson, Kara G; Mills, Anne J

2007-01-01

Background There has been a growing interest in the role of the private for-profit sector in health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. The private sector represents an important source of care for all socioeconomic groups, including the poorest and substantial concerns have been raised about the quality of care it provides. Interventions have been developed to address these technical failures and simultaneously take advantage of the potential for involving private providers to achieve public health goals. Limited information is available on the extent to which these interventions have successfully expanded access to quality health services for poor and disadvantaged populations. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of working with private for-profit providers to reach the poor. Methods The search topic of the systematic literature review was the effectiveness of interventions working with the private for-profit sector to improve utilization of quality health services by the poor. Interventions included social marketing, use of vouchers, pre-packaging of drugs, franchising, training, regulation, accreditation and contracting-out. The search for published literature used a series of electronic databases including PubMed, Popline, HMIC and CabHealth Global Health. The search for grey and unpublished literature used documents available on the World Wide Web. We focused on studies which evaluated the impact of interventions on utilization and/or quality of services and which provided information on the socioeconomic status of the beneficiary populations. Results A total of 2483 references were retrieved, of which 52 qualified as impact evaluations. Data were available on the average socioeconomic status of recipient communities for 5 interventions, and on the distribution of benefits across socioeconomic groups for 5 interventions. Conclusion Few studies provided

The nature nursing quality of work life: an integrative review of literature.

PubMed

Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl; Vanaki, Zohreh; Mohammadi, Eesa

2011-10-01

Studies that have examined the nursing quality of work life (QWL) have not been systematically reviewed in the recent years. Thus, the current study was aimed to identify the predictors of the nurses' QWL and determine the definitions of QWL for nurses. The authors used an integrative review of the literature and identified six themes as the major predictors of the nurses' QWL: leadership and management style/decision-making latitude, shift working, salary and fringe benefits, relationship with colleagues, demographic characteristics, and workload/job strain. Although different researchers had varied perspectives on the QWL in nursing, most viewed QWL as a subjective phenomenon that is influenced by personal feeling and perceptions. A closer review of definitions of QWL indicated that some authors considered QWL as an "outcome," whereas others saw it as a "process." Further research needs to be conducted to determine the relative importance of QWL predictors, and implementation programs to improve the QWL.

Uncovering Heroes: A Conversation with Jennifer Armstrong.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerper, Richard M.

2000-01-01

Offers an interview with Jennifer Armstrong, writer of historical novels and nonfiction for children. Discusses her beginnings as a reader and a writer, her creative process, her purposes in writing nonfiction, her concerns about accuracy, and the origins of her second nonfiction book, "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary…

[Periods for growth and quality improvement of fish in context of animal welfare compliant management of commercial fish ponds--a literature review].

PubMed

Pietrock, Michael; Brämick, Uwe

2016-01-01

In Germany, management of commercial fish ponds requires consideration of animal welfare legislation. In particular, it is forbidden to immediately catch fish that have recently been stocked into put-and-take fishponds. Rather, after stocking is completed, a short-term fishing ban period needs to be adhered to that allows the fishes the opportunity to grow and/or significantly improve in overall quality. The duration of the fishing ban varies considerably among German federal states. A literature review, therefore, was undertaken to identify the amount of time required by adult fish to reach changes in various parameters of quality (proximate composition, fillet colour, odour/taste, stress response), and growth.The literature search revealed that some of the selected parameters (odour/taste, stress response) can change within 24 hours, potentially resulting in improved fish flesh quality. With a time span of about four weeks, feeding-induced changes in proximate composition took the longest among the parameters tested to realize significant changes in fish flesh quality. Transportation-related reductions in body mass are overcome and succeeded by net growth within one to two weeks depending on food availability. Maintaining the fish under species-specific conditions and providing the optimal environment to meet their physiological demands, however, are critical prerequisites for growth and quality improvement. In conclusion there is science-based justification for fishing ban periods ranging from 24 hours to four weeks. Final determination of its duration, therefore, remains a careful balancing of values.

Health-related quality of life questionnaires in lung cancer trials: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. Treatment goals are the relief of symptoms and the increase of overall survival. With the rising number of treatment alternatives, the need for comparable assessments of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) parameters grows. The aim of this paper was to identify and describe measurement instruments applied in lung cancer patients under drug therapy. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review at the beginning of 2011 using the electronic database Pubmed. Results A total of 43 studies were included in the review. About 17 different measurement instruments were identified, including 5 generic, 5 cancer-specific, 4 lung cancer-specific and 3 symptom-specific questionnaires. In 29 studies at least 2 instruments were used. In most cases these were cancer and lung cancer-specific ones. The most frequently used instruments are the EORTC QLQ-C30 and its lung cancer modules LC13 or LC17. Only 5 studies combined (lung) cancer-specific questionnaires with generic instruments. Conclusions The EORTC-C30 and EORTC-LC13 are the most frequently used health-related quality of life measurement instruments in pharmacological lung cancer trials. PMID:23680096

Cartooning History: Canada's Stories in Graphic Novels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Alyson E.

2012-01-01

In recent years, historical events, issues, and characters have been portrayed in an increasing number of non-fiction graphic texts. Similar to comics and graphic novels, graphic texts are defined as fully developed, non-fiction narratives told through panels of sequential art. Such non-fiction graphic texts are being used to teach history in…

Keeping It Current: Using Technology to Teach about Social Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sardone, Nancy B.; Devlin-Scherer, Roberta

2010-01-01

In thinking about teaching nonfiction, the authors acknowledge that many contemporary and important nonfiction texts that students should be encouraged to read take up social issues that are not easy to talk about or even to think about. They discovered that combining well-chosen nonfiction on social issues with specialized digital games and other…

A Survey and Critical Review of the Literature on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Health Symptoms in Schools. IEQ Strategies[TM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daisey, Joan M.; Angell, William J.

This report presents detailed results from a survey and critical review of existing published literature and reports on indoor air quality (IAQ), ventilation, and IAQ- and building-related health problems in schools, particularly California schools. The findings: (1) identify the most commonly reported building-related health symtoms involving…

Guidelines for reading literature reviews.

PubMed Central

Oxman, A D; Guyatt, G H

1988-01-01

One strategy for dealing with the burgeoning medical literature is to rely on reviews of the literature. Although this strategy is efficient, readers may be misled if the review does not meet scientific standards. Therefore, guidelines that will help readers assess the scientific quality of the review are proposed. The guidelines focus on the definition of the question, the comprehensiveness of the search strategy, the methods of choosing and assessing the primary studies, and the methods of combining the results and reaching appropriate conclusions. Application of the guidelines will allow clinicians to spend their valuable reading time on high-quality material and to judge the validity of an author's conclusions. PMID:3355948

A systematic literature review of the quality of evidence for injury and rehabilitation interventions in humanitarian crises.

PubMed

Smith, James; Roberts, Bayard; Knight, Abigail; Gosselin, Richard; Blanchet, Karl

2015-11-01

Humanitarian crises continue to pose a significant threat to health; the United Nations estimates that 144 million people are directly affected by conflict or environmental disasters. During most humanitarian crises, surgical and rehabilitative interventions remain a priority. This review assessed the quality of evidence that informs injury and physical rehabilitation interventions in humanitarian crises. Peer-reviewed and grey literature sources were assessed in a systematic manner. Selected papers were evaluated using quality criteria based on a modified version of the STROBE protocol. 46 papers met the inclusion criteria. 63 % of the papers referred to situations of armed conflict, of which the Yugoslav Wars were the most studied crisis context. 59 % of the studies were published since the year 2000. However, only two studies were considered of a high quality. While there is now a greater emphasis on research in this sector, the volume of evidence remains inadequate given the growing number of humanitarian programmes worldwide. Further research is needed to ensure a greater breadth and depth of understanding of the most appropriate interventions in different settings.

Children's Literature and the Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2010-01-01

A quality children's literature program needs to be correlated with ongoing science lessons and units of study. It can enhance and enrich the science curriculum. Pupils tend to enjoy reading library books and the the literature may assist pupils to explore topics in greater depth. In addition to science experiments, demonstrations, and…

Research gaps in routine health information system design barriers to data quality and use in low- and middle-income countries: A literature review.

PubMed

Kumar, Manish; Gotz, David; Nutley, Tara; Smith, Jason B

2018-01-01

Despite the potential impact of health information system (HIS) design barriers on health data quality and use and, ultimately, health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), no comprehensive literature review has been conducted to study them in this context. We therefore conducted a formal literature review to understand system design barriers to data quality and use in LMICs and to identify any major research gaps related understanding how system design affects data use. We conducted an electronic search across 4 scientific databases-PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Global Health-and consulted a data use expert. Following a systematic inclusion and exclusion process, 316 publications (316 abstracts and 18 full papers) were included in the review. We found a paucity of scientific publications that explicitly describe system design factors that hamper data quality or data use for decision making. Although user involvement, work flow, human-computer interactions, and user experience are critical aspects of system design, our findings suggest that these issues are not discussed or conceptualized in the literature. Findings also showed that individual training efforts focus primarily on imparting data analysis skills. The adverse impact of HIS design barriers on data integrity and health system performance may be even bigger in LMICs than elsewhere, leading to errors in population health management and clinical care. We argue for integrating systems thinking into HIS strengthening efforts to reduce the HIS design-user reality gap. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High Quality Early Care and Education: A Review of the Literature. OPRE Report 2016-31

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caronongan, Pia; Kirby, Gretchen; Boller, Kimberly; Modlin, Emily; Lyskawa, Julia

2016-01-01

This report summarizes the findings of a literature review conducted as part of the Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High-Quality Early Care and Education (ECE-ICHQ) project. The project's goal is to create a technically sound and feasible instrument that will provide consistent, systematic measures of the implementation and costs of…

Understanding the Components of Quality Improvement Collaboratives: A Systematic Literature Review

PubMed Central

Nadeem, Erum; Olin, S Serene; Hill, Laura Campbell; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Horwitz, Sarah McCue

2013-01-01

Context In response to national efforts to improve quality of care, policymakers and health care leaders have increasingly turned to quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) as an efficient approach to improving provider practices and patient outcomes through the dissemination of evidence-based practices. This article presents findings from a systematic review of the literature on QICs, focusing on the identification of common components of QICs in health care and exploring, when possible, relations between QIC components and outcomes at the patient or provider level. Methods A systematic search of five major health care databases generated 294 unique articles, twenty-four of which met our criteria for inclusion in our final analysis. These articles pertained to either randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies with comparison groups, and they reported the findings from twenty different studies of QICs in health care. We coded the articles to identify the components reported for each collaborative. Findings We found fourteen crosscutting components as common ingredients in health care QICs (e.g., in-person learning sessions, phone meetings, data reporting, leadership involvement, and training in QI methods). The collaboratives reported included, on average, six to seven of these components. The most common were in-person learning sessions, plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles, multidisciplinary QI teams, and data collection for QI. The outcomes data from these studies indicate the greatest impact of QICs at the provider level; patient-level findings were less robust. Conclusions Reporting on specific components of the collaborative was imprecise across articles, rendering it impossible to identify active QIC ingredients linked to improved care. Although QICs appear to have some promise in improving the process of care, there is great need for further controlled research examining the core components of these collaboratives related to patient- and

Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6. 1997 Edition. NCTE Bibliography Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Wendy K., Ed.

This book contains descriptions of over 1,200 books published between 1993 and 1995, all chosen for their high quality and their interest to children, parents, teachers, and librarians. Materials described in the book include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books, young adult novels, and interactive CD-ROMs. Individual book reviews in the…

The Return of Historical Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rycik, Mary Taylor; Rosler, Brenda

2009-01-01

Recently, historical fiction has begun to dominate major children's book awards. This article describes the values of using high-quality historical fiction in the classroom and presents different ways to respond to this genre including using modern technology. Two tables, one of picture books and one of novels, with paired nonfiction texts, are…

Health-related quality of life of young women with breast cancer. Review of the literature.

PubMed

Yfantis, Aris; Intas, George; Tolia, Maria; Nikolaou, Michail; Tsoukalas, Nikolaos; Lymperi, Maria; Kyrgias, George; Zografos, George; Kontos, Michalis

2018-01-01

The purpose of the present article was to investigate the health related quality of life (QoL) of young women with breast cancer. For the purposes of this article, we reviewed the literature via the electronic databases Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar. Key words used were breast cancer, young women, health related quality of life, and quality of life. Young women reported fatigue, pain in the breast and hand problems with lymphedema as the most frequent physical effects of treatment. Other physical problems were the not periodic and painful menses, vaginal dryness and loss of libido. Many young women had depressive symptoms such as depressed mood, helplessness, hopelessness, sleep loss, psychomotor retardation and disorders of appetite. There were often concerns about the health monitoring and self-image, while they were anxious if they will have a baby in the future or if they can nurture the existing ones. Many problems arose in the career of young women. They faced discrimination in the labor supply and/or layoff because they were considered unable to do their job effectively. In addition, they reported isolation problems and feeling different from other women of similar age. Young women consider that their healthrelated QoL is worse compared with older women. Young women worry about their future, with particular reference to their role as mothers and especially to children-bearing. The free screening and non-exclusion of young women is particularly important for breast cancer prevention and women's well-being.

Economic evaluations of follow-up strategies for cancer survivors: a systematic review and quality appraisal of the literature.

PubMed

Meregaglia, Michela; Cairns, John

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to review and critically assess the health economics literature on post-treatment follow-up for adult cancer survivors. A systematic search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist was adopted to assess the quality of the included studies. Thirty-nine articles met the eligibility criteria. Around two thirds of the studies addressed the most common cancers (i.e., breast, colorectal, cervical and lung); 21 were based on a single clinical study, while the rest were modeling papers. All types of economic evaluations were represented other than cost-benefit analysis. The overall quality was generally high with an average proportion of 74% of checklist criteria fulfilled. The cost-effectiveness results supported the current trend towards less intensive, primary care-based and risk-adapted follow-up schemes.

Finding "hard to find" literature on hard to find groups: A novel technique to search grey literature on refugees and asylum seekers.

PubMed

Enticott, Joanne; Buck, Kimberly; Shawyer, Frances

2018-03-01

There is a lack of information on how to execute effective searches of the grey literature on refugee and asylum seeker groups for inclusion in systematic reviews. High-quality government reports and other grey literature relevant to refugees may not always be identified in conventional literature searches. During the process of conducting a recent systematic review, we developed a novel strategy for systematically searching international refugee and asylum seeker-related grey literature. The approach targets governmental health departments and statistical agencies, who have considerable access to refugee and asylum seeker populations for research purposes but typically do not publish findings in academic forums. Compared to a conventional grey literature search strategy, our novel technique yielded an eightfold increase in relevant high-quality grey sources that provided valuable content in informing our review. Incorporating a search of the grey literature into systematic reviews of refugee and asylum seeker research is essential to providing a more complete view of the evidence. Our novel strategy offers a practical and feasible method of conducting systematic grey literature searches that may be adaptable to a range of research questions, contexts, and resource constraints. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dementia-specific quality of life instruments and their appropriateness in shared-housing arrangements--a literature study.

PubMed

Gräske, Johannes; Fischer, Thomas; Kuhlmey, Adelheid; Wolf-Ostermann, Karin

2012-01-01

Shared-housing arrangements (SHA) in Germany are a specific type of housing arrangement that belongs to the global concept of small-scale living arrangements. This caring approach comprises characteristics of both home and institutional care for persons with dementia. To evaluate the impact of SHA on the quality of life (QoL) of residents, an appropriate setting- and dementia-specific QoL instrument is needed. This article aims to identify QoL instruments that relate to the core domains of SHA. After a comprehensive literature review, existing dementia-specific QoL instruments were evaluated to determine whether any have been specifically designed for or applied in SHA. Additionally, each domain of the instruments was matched with the core domains of SHA. None of the existing instruments was identified as having been developed for SHA. Matching of the instrument domains with the SHA core domains leads to the conclusion that Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia Quality of Life, Alzheimer Disease-Related Quality of Life, and QUALIDEM are adequate instruments for measuring the dementia-specific QoL of persons living in SHA. For the first time, a basis has been created for valid QoL evaluations of residents with dementia living in SHA. The 4 identified instruments are considered applicable in SHA. Conducting a performance test and evaluating further attributes according to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Medical Outcomes Trust (e.g., reliability and validity) will further elucidation of the appropriateness of the instruments for SHA. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality indicators for care of cancer patients in their last days of life: literature update and experts' evaluation.

PubMed

Raijmakers, Natasja; Galushko, Maren; Domeisen, Franzisca; Beccaro, Monica; Lundh Hagelin, Carina; Lindqvist, Olav; Popa-Velea, Ovidiu; Romotzky, Vanessa; Schuler, Stefanie; Ellershaw, John; Ostgathe, Christoph

2012-03-01

Quality indicators (QIs) are needed to monitor and to improve palliative care. Care of patients in the last days of life is a discrete phase of palliative care and therefore specific QIs are needed. This study aimed to identify and evaluate current QIs against which to measure future care of patients in the last days of life. To identify QIs for patients in the last days of life an update of the literature and national guidelines was conducted. Subsequently, an international panel of palliative care experts was asked to evaluate the identified QIs: how well they describe care and how applicable they are for care in the last days of life. Also additional QIs were asked. In total, 34 QIs for care in the last days were identified in the literature and guidelines. The experts (response rate 58%) agreed with seven QIs as being good descriptors and applicable: concerning a home visit for the family following a patient's death, the presence of a dedicated family room, limited patients receiving chemotherapy, limited need for pain control, gastrointestinal symptoms, and communication from professional to patient and family. The experts also suggested 18 additional topics for QIs for the last days of life. Currently no definite set of QIs exist to describe quality of care of patients in their last days of life. New QIs that are focused on care for patients in their last days of life, their relatives, as well as their professional caregivers are needed.

LITERATURE FORENSICS? DOOR TO WHAT WAS KNOWN ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Science's all-consuming drive to make new discoveries often risks losing sight of what was already known at one time - that which already exists in the published literature. Inadequate attention to the published literature and insufficient time devoted to its mining and synthesis into new knowledge is a problem faced by all disciplines, especially highly interdisciplinary fields such as environmental forensics, whose knowledge base is fragmented across numerous disciplines. While the conduct of science applies principles of quality assurance to a wide array of its processes, how pervasive are quality controls designed to ensure that planned or ongoing research has not been undertaken before? Has sufficient energy been devoted to mining what has already been discovered and synthesizing it into a larger, more useful perspective? This paper touches on the liabilities associated with insufficient examination of an exponentially growing published literature (

Topics of Stress and Abuse in Picture Books for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-D'Arezzo, Wendy M.; Thompson, Susan

2006-01-01

Numerous children face abuse at home and in the workplace. These situations of domestic and societal abuse are found depicted in children's books for younger and younger ages. This manuscript examines books in several genres, both fiction and non-fiction. The books are analyzed for the quality of the writing, the depiction of an authentic story,…

Evaluating Quality of Decision-Making Processes in Medicines' Development, Regulatory Review, and Health Technology Assessment: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Bujar, Magdalena; McAuslane, Neil; Walker, Stuart R.; Salek, Sam

2017-01-01

Introduction: Although pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies have been increasingly using decision-making frameworks, it is not certain whether these enable better quality decision making. This could be addressed by formally evaluating the quality of decision-making process within those organizations. The aim of this literature review was to identify current techniques (tools, questionnaires, surveys, and studies) for measuring the quality of the decision-making process across the three stakeholders. Methods: Using MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, and other Internet-based search engines, a literature review was performed to systematically identify techniques for assessing quality of decision making in medicines development, regulatory review, and HTA. A structured search was applied using key words and a secondary review was carried out. In addition, the measurement properties of each technique were assessed and compared. Ten Quality Decision-Making Practices (QDMPs) developed previously were then used as a framework for the evaluation of techniques identified in the review. Due to the variation in studies identified, meta-analysis was inappropriate. Results: This review identified 13 techniques, where 7 were developed specifically to assess decision making in medicines' development, regulatory review, or HTA; 2 examined corporate decision making, and 4 general decision making. Regarding how closely each technique conformed to the 10 QDMPs, the 13 techniques assessed a median of 6 QDMPs, with a mode of 3 QDMPs. Only 2 techniques evaluated all 10 QDMPs, namely the Organizational IQ and the Quality of Decision Making Orientation Scheme (QoDoS), of which only one technique, QoDoS could be applied to assess decision making of both individuals and organizations, and it possessed generalizability to capture issues relevant to companies as well as regulatory authorities. Conclusion: This review confirmed a general

Evaluating Quality of Decision-Making Processes in Medicines' Development, Regulatory Review, and Health Technology Assessment: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Bujar, Magdalena; McAuslane, Neil; Walker, Stuart R; Salek, Sam

2017-01-01

Introduction: Although pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies have been increasingly using decision-making frameworks, it is not certain whether these enable better quality decision making. This could be addressed by formally evaluating the quality of decision-making process within those organizations. The aim of this literature review was to identify current techniques (tools, questionnaires, surveys, and studies) for measuring the quality of the decision-making process across the three stakeholders. Methods: Using MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, and other Internet-based search engines, a literature review was performed to systematically identify techniques for assessing quality of decision making in medicines development, regulatory review, and HTA. A structured search was applied using key words and a secondary review was carried out. In addition, the measurement properties of each technique were assessed and compared. Ten Quality Decision-Making Practices (QDMPs) developed previously were then used as a framework for the evaluation of techniques identified in the review. Due to the variation in studies identified, meta-analysis was inappropriate. Results: This review identified 13 techniques, where 7 were developed specifically to assess decision making in medicines' development, regulatory review, or HTA; 2 examined corporate decision making, and 4 general decision making. Regarding how closely each technique conformed to the 10 QDMPs, the 13 techniques assessed a median of 6 QDMPs, with a mode of 3 QDMPs. Only 2 techniques evaluated all 10 QDMPs, namely the Organizational IQ and the Quality of Decision Making Orientation Scheme (QoDoS), of which only one technique, QoDoS could be applied to assess decision making of both individuals and organizations, and it possessed generalizability to capture issues relevant to companies as well as regulatory authorities. Conclusion: This review confirmed a general

Literature-Based Reading Series for Grades K-3: Are They Truly Literature?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoghue, Mildred R.

In its current adoptions of reading series for the elementary grades, California has chosen literature-based programs rather than the more traditional basal readers. A study investigated whether the contents of such readers for grades K-3 truly consist solely of literary selections, since it is well-recognized that quality books carry heavy…

Literature relevant to remote sensing of water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, E. M.; Marcell, R. F.

1983-01-01

References relevant to remote sensing of water quality were compiled, organized, and cross-referenced. The following general categories were included: (1) optical properties and measurement of water characteristics; (2) interpretation of water characteristics by remote sensing, including color, transparency, suspended or dissolved inorganic matter, biological materials, and temperature; (3) application of remote sensing for water quality monitoring; (4) application of remote sensing according to water body type; and (5) manipulation, processing and interpretation of remote sensing digital water data.

Building Character through Literacy with Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almerico, Gina M.

2014-01-01

Character education is described as curriculum specifically developed to teach children about the quality and traits of good character. One means in which children can learn about good character is through the pages of high quality children's literature. In this study, the author defines the characteristics of an effective character development…

The use of data for process and quality improvement in long term care and home care: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Sales, Anne E; Bostrom, Anne-Marie; Bucknall, Tracey; Draper, Kellie; Fraser, Kimberly; Schalm, Corinne; Warren, Sharon

2012-02-01

Standardized resident or client assessments, including the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI), have been available in long term care and home care settings (continuing care sector) in many jurisdictions for a number of years. Although using these data can make quality improvement activities more efficient and less costly, there has not been a review of the literature reporting quality improvement interventions using standardized data. To address 2 questions: (1) How have RAI and other standardized data been used in process or quality improvement activities in the continuing care sector? and (2) Has the use of RAI and similar data resulted in improvements to resident or other outcomes? Searches using a combination of keyword and controlled vocabulary term searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: English language publications from database inception to October 2008 were included. Eligibility criteria included the following: (1) set in continuing care (long-term care facility or home care), (2) involved some form of intervention designed to improve quality or process of care, and (3) used standardized data in the quality or process improvement intervention. After reviewing the articles, we grouped the studies according to the type of intervention used to initiate process improvement. Four different intervention types were identified. We organized the results and discussion by these 4 intervention types. Key word searches identified 713 articles, of which we excluded 639 on abstract review because they did not meet inclusion criteria. A further 50 articles were excluded on full-text review, leaving a total of 24 articles. Of the 24 studies, 10 used a defined process improvement model, 8 used a combination of interventions (multimodal), 5 implemented new guidelines or protocols, and 1 used an education

Dedos de Luna. Children's Literature in Spanish: Bilingual Edition. Guia para maestros en espanol e ingles. Elementary Literature Series, Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Dana; Huerta, Mario

This curriculum unit is designed to give primary school students foreign language experiences and also to support the cultural literacy strand of the California State History-Social Science Framework. The unit is part of an elementary literature series which utilizes quality primary source literature from various world regions and countries and…

Strategy, Structure and Quality Service: Developing School Wide Quality Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murgatroyd, Stephen

1991-01-01

Builds on earlier contributions to the literature on educational leadership and total quality management in education. Introduces two new tools--the service guarantee and the House of Quality, placing them in the context of strategic marketing, structural change, and other total quality management methods. (19 references) (MLH)

Appraisal of the quality of assessment of memory in anesthesia and psychopharmacology literature.

PubMed

Ghoneim, M M; Ali, M A; Block, R I

1990-11-01

To test the hypothesis that there are important differences between studies on memory published in anesthesia literature and those published in the psychopharmacology literature, we compared the two from the period January 1978 through May 1988 to identify deficiencies in the design and methodologies used and to provide guidelines for future experiments. Eight-eight articles in each discipline were reviewed. The sample sizes were larger in the articles in anesthesia journals than in those in psychopharmacology journals (medians 52.5 vs. 18 subjects, respectively). Most (85%) of the studies in the anesthesia literature used patients, who had a median age of 38.9 yr and included a median of 28 women among the subjects per study. In contrast, the majority (60%) of the studies in the psychopharmacology literature used healthy volunteers, who had a median age of 23.6 yr and included a median of only 3.5 females among the subjects per study. Characteristics more common in the psychopharmacology than in the anesthesia literature, respectively, were use of a control or placebo group (90% vs. 42%), double-blind design (80% vs. 47%), use of pre- and posttreatment memory measurements (64% vs. 23%), use of multiple memory tests with distinct equated stimuli (83% vs. 8%), relation of methodology to some theoretical model of memory (72% vs. 17%), and use of other behavioral tests (68% vs. 48%). Relative to the psychopharmacology literature, the anesthesia literature used pictures as stimuli for the memory tests more often (44% vs. 14%, respectively) and words less often (11% vs. 67%) and relied heavily on questions about recall of perioperative events (41% vs. 0%). There is room for improvement in both types of literature, and more so in the anesthesia literature.

Systematic literature review of clinical trials evaluating pharmacotherapy for overactive bladder in elderly patients: An assessment of trial quality.

PubMed

Kistler, Kristin D; Xu, Yingxin; Zou, Kelly H; Ntanios, Fady; Chapman, Douglass S; Luo, Xuemei

2018-01-01

Overactive bladder (OAB) disproportionately affects older-aged adults, yet most randomized controlled trials (RCTs) underrepresent patients ≥65. This systematic literature review (SLR) identified RCTs evaluating β-3 adrenergic agonists or muscarinic antagonists in elderly patients with OAB, and compared study quality across trials. MEDLINE ® , Embase ® , and Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Clinical Trials databases were searched from inception through April 28, 2015 to identify published, peer-reviewed RCT reports evaluating β-3 adrenergic agonists or muscarinic antagonists in elderly OAB patients (either ≥65 years or study-described as "elderly"). To assess study quality of RCT reports, we focused on internal/external validity, assessed via two scales: the validated Effective Public Health Practice Project [EPHPP]): Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, and a tool commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Database searches yielded 1380 records that were then screened according to predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. We included eight papers meeting study criteria. Despite scientific community efforts to improve RCT reporting standards, published reports still include incomplete and inconsistent reporting-of subject attrition, baseline patient characteristics, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and other important details. Only three of the eight OAB RCTs in this review received quality ratings of Strong (EPHPP) or Fair (AHRQ) and were multicenter with large samples. Despite the prevalence of OAB among older age individuals, relatively few RCTs evaluate OAB treatments explicitly among elderly subjects. The findings from this quality assessment suggest some areas for improvement in both conduct and reporting of future RCTs assessing OAB treatment in elderly. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Four-Part Literature Review Process: Breaking It Down for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Rebecca H.

2017-01-01

Both undergraduate and graduate students face similar challenges when tasked with writing literature reviews. Breaking down the literature review into a four-part process helps students decrease frustration and increase quality. This article provides usable advice for anyone teaching or writing literature reviews. Tips and illustrations illuminate…

Preparing Today to Empower Future Learners: Preservice Teachers' Experiences Selecting & Evaluating Children's Literature for Quality and Use in PreK-6th Grade Integrated Literacy/Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Carolyn; Conrad, Deborah

2017-01-01

The use of quality texts in elementary classrooms plays a major role in children's literacy development. Quality children's literature helps learners develop into skilled readers and writers with increased gains in vocabulary knowledge and comprehension. This paper demonstrates how pre-service teachers gained an understanding of the educational…

An Anti-Bias Children's Literature-Based Reading Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz, Luz I.

This paper presents a Reading/Language curriculum for grades K-4 (but adaptable to middle and high school students) which is anti-bias and literature-based. It is intended to help educators use high-quality multicultural children's literature as a medium for reading instruction, and to show all students why discrimination is harmful, and how bias…

Evaluating and Using Literature Including People with Disabilities in All Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oslick, Mary Ellen; Pearson, Mary

2016-01-01

To help students see their worlds differently and to expand those views beyond their own backyards, educators can expose them to quality multicultural children's literature. In this article, we focus on a subtopic within the genre of multicultural children's literature: literature including people with disabilities. We chose seven recent texts…

The Quality of Reporting of Abstracts in Physical Therapy Literature is Suboptimal: Cross-Sectional, Bibliographic Analysis.

PubMed

Richter, Randy R; Sebelski, Chris A; Austin, Tricia M

2016-09-01

The quality of abstract reporting in physical therapy literature is unknown. The purpose of this study was to provide baseline data for judging the future impact of the 2010 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement specifically referencing the 2008 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement for reporting of abstracts of randomized controlled trials across and between a broad sample and a core sample of physical therapy literature. A cross-sectional, bibliographic analysis was conducted. Abstracts of randomized controlled trials from 2009 were retrieved from PubMed, PEDro, and CENTRAL. Eligibility was determined using PEDro criteria. For outcomes measures, items from the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement for abstract reporting were used for assessment. Raters were not blinded to citation details. Using a computer-generated set of random numbers, 150 abstracts from 112 journals comprised the broad sample. A total of 53 abstracts comprised the core sample. Fourteen of 20 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials items for both samples were reported in less than 50% of the abstracts. Significantly more abstracts in the core sample reported (% difference core - broad; 95% confidence interval) title (28.4%; 12.9%-41.2%), blinding (15.2%; 1.6%-29.8%), setting (47.6%; 32.4%-59.4%), and confidence intervals (13.1%; 5.0%-25.1%). These findings provide baseline data for determining if continuing efforts to improve abstract reporting are heeded.

The impact of using student-dictated oral review stories on science vocabulary, content knowledge, and non-fiction writing skills of first grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishoff, Sandra Wells

The purpose of this study was to determine if using an intervention called Student Dictated Oral Review Stories (SDORS) had an effect on science vocabulary usage and content knowledge for ninety-three students in six first grade classrooms and the subgroup of economically disadvantaged students in a mid-sized north Texas school district. The five science units involved in the study were written incorporating the strand of physical science. Data from pre- and posttests from each unit and an end-of-study assessment were compiled and analyzed. This study also looked at integration of science with literacy through analysis of students' science journal writings. Journal writings were analyzed for vocabulary usage and non-fiction writing skills of capitalization and punctuation. Average sentence length was also analyzed for Units 1--5 of the treatment group. It was anticipated that the outcomes of this study would allow school districts and curriculum writers to determine how to best integrate key concepts and important vocabulary with literacy particularly in the area of science. Results from the study showed significant differences in the end-of-study assessment, vocabulary usage as evidenced in journal writings, and average sentence length. Although there was gain over time for every student in the study in vocabulary and content knowledge, these gains could not be attributed to the intervention. This study also hoped to establish whether students were using science vocabulary routinely in their discussions and their writings and were building and continually assessing their own schemas about scientific concepts through using Student Dictated Oral Review Stories.

University Administrators' Conceptions of Quality and Approaches to Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goff, Lori

2017-01-01

As the quality of university education garners increasingly more interest in both the public and in the literature, and as quality assurance (QA) processes are developed and implemented within universities around the world, it is important to carefully consider what is meant by the term quality. This study attempts to add to the literature…

Reporting and methodological quality of meta-analyses in urological literature.

PubMed

Xia, Leilei; Xu, Jing; Guzzo, Thomas J

2017-01-01

To assess the overall quality of published urological meta-analyses and identify predictive factors for high quality. We systematically searched PubMed to identify meta-analyses published from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2015 in 10 predetermined major paper-based urology journals. The characteristics of the included meta-analyses were collected, and their reporting and methodological qualities were assessed by the PRISMA checklist (27 items) and AMSTAR tool (11 items), respectively. Descriptive statistics were used for individual items as a measure of overall compliance, and PRISMA and AMSTAR scores were calculated as the sum of adequately reported domains. Logistic regression was used to identify predictive factors for high qualities. A total of 183 meta-analyses were included. The mean PRISMA and AMSTAR scores were 22.74 ± 2.04 and 7.57 ± 1.41, respectively. PRISMA item 5, protocol and registration, items 15 and 22, risk of bias across studies, items 16 and 23, additional analysis had less than 50% adherence. AMSTAR item 1, " a priori " design, item 5, list of studies and item 10, publication bias had less than 50% adherence. Logistic regression analyses showed that funding support and " a priori " design were associated with superior reporting quality, following PRISMA guideline and " a priori " design were associated with superior methodological quality. Reporting and methodological qualities of recently published meta-analyses in major paper-based urology journals are generally good. Further improvement could potentially be achieved by strictly adhering to PRISMA guideline and having " a priori " protocol.

Science Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Scientific Literature: Guidelines for Evaluating Scientific Literature in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jurecki, Karenann; Wander, Matthew C. F.

2012-01-01

In this work, we present an approach for teaching students to evaluate scientific literature and other materials critically. We use four criteria divided into two tiers: original research, authority, objectivity, and validity. The first tier, originality and authority, assesses the quality of the source. The second tier, objectivity and validity,…

Emotional intelligence and nursing: an integrative literature review.

PubMed

Bulmer Smith, Karen; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne; Cummings, Greta G

2009-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to present findings of an integrative literature review related to emotional intelligence (EI) and nursing. A large body of knowledge related to EI exists outside nursing. EI theory and research within nursing is a more recent phenomenon. A broad understanding of the nature and direction of theory and research related to EI is crucial to building knowledge within this field of inquiry. A broad search of computerized databases focusing on articles published in English during 1995-2007 was completed. Extensive screening sought to determine current literature themes and empirical research evidence completed in nursing focused specifically on emotional intelligence. 39 articles are included in this integrative literature review (theoretical, n=21; editorial, n=5; opinion, n=4 and empirical, n=9). The literature focuses on EI and nursing education, EI and nursing practice, EI and clinical decision-making, and EI and clinical leadership. Research that links EI and nursing are mostly correlation designs using small sample sizes. This literature reveals widespread support of EI concepts in nursing. Theoretical and editorial literature confirms EI concepts are central to nursing practice. EI needs to be explicit within nursing education as EI might impact the quality of student learning, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, evidence and knowledge use in practice. Emotionally intelligent leaders influence employee retention, quality of patient care and patient outcomes. EI research in nursing requires development and careful consideration of criticisms related to EI outside nursing is recommended.

Systematic literature review of health-related quality of life among aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors.

PubMed

Lin, Vincent W; Blaylock, Barbara; Epstein, Josh; Purdum, Anna

2018-05-18

Studies have shown that a proportion of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) treated with standard chemotherapy will have long-term life expectancy comparable to those in the age-adjusted general population. This systematic literature review summarizes current literature regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of long-term (≥2 years) survivors of aggressive NHL. Electronic databases (without restriction on years) and abstracts from four major oncology and HRQoL conferences from 2014 to 2017 were searched. Studies were included if HRQoL or health utility was assessed at least 2 years after NHL diagnosis. Studies focusing on central nervous system lymphoma, or indolent NHL, were excluded. Results were categorized relative to baseline (improvement, deterioration or no change) and compared to the general population (better, comparable or worse). Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Twelve studies included ≥1 HRQoL instrument, and two measured health utilities using EQ-5D. Half of the studies showed improvement (5/10) and half no change (5/10) in overall HRQoL. Compared to the general population, overall HRQoL was more comparable when assessed at ≥3 years from baseline (3/3 better or comparable) versus assessment at <3 years (2/3 better or comparable). Six studies reported on the physical HRQoL domain with improvement in 4/6 studies and no change in 2/6 studies. HRQoL of NHL survivors may improve from baseline and becomes more comparable to general population HRQoL with longer survival. Overall HRQoL improvement is driven mostly by improvements in the physical domain.

Reporting and methodological quality of meta-analyses in urological literature

PubMed Central

Xu, Jing

2017-01-01

Purpose To assess the overall quality of published urological meta-analyses and identify predictive factors for high quality. Materials and Methods We systematically searched PubMed to identify meta-analyses published from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2015 in 10 predetermined major paper-based urology journals. The characteristics of the included meta-analyses were collected, and their reporting and methodological qualities were assessed by the PRISMA checklist (27 items) and AMSTAR tool (11 items), respectively. Descriptive statistics were used for individual items as a measure of overall compliance, and PRISMA and AMSTAR scores were calculated as the sum of adequately reported domains. Logistic regression was used to identify predictive factors for high qualities. Results A total of 183 meta-analyses were included. The mean PRISMA and AMSTAR scores were 22.74 ± 2.04 and 7.57 ± 1.41, respectively. PRISMA item 5, protocol and registration, items 15 and 22, risk of bias across studies, items 16 and 23, additional analysis had less than 50% adherence. AMSTAR item 1, “a priori” design, item 5, list of studies and item 10, publication bias had less than 50% adherence. Logistic regression analyses showed that funding support and “a priori” design were associated with superior reporting quality, following PRISMA guideline and “a priori” design were associated with superior methodological quality. Conclusions Reporting and methodological qualities of recently published meta-analyses in major paper-based urology journals are generally good. Further improvement could potentially be achieved by strictly adhering to PRISMA guideline and having “a priori” protocol. PMID:28439452

Effecting change in primary care management of respiratory conditions: a global scoping exercise and literature review of educational interventions to inform the IPCRG's E-Quality initiative.

PubMed

McDonnell, Juliet; Williams, Siân; Chavannes, Niels H; Correia de Sousa, Jaime; Fardy, H John; Fletcher, Monica; Stout, James; Tomlins, Ron; Yusuf, Osman M; Pinnock, Hilary

2012-12-01

This discussion paper describes a scoping exercise and literature review commissioned by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) to inform their E-Quality programme which seeks to support small-scale educational projects to improve respiratory management in primary care. Our narrative review synthesises information from three sources: publications concerning the global context and health systems development; a literature search of Medline, CINAHL and Cochrane databases; and a series of eight interviews conducted with members of the IPCRG faculty. Educational interventions sit within complex healthcare, economic, and policy contexts. It is essential that any development project considers the local circumstances in terms of economic resources, political circumstances, organisation and administrative capacities, as well as the specific quality issue to be addressed. There is limited evidence (in terms of changed clinician behaviour and/or improved health outcomes) regarding the merits of different educational and quality improvement approaches. Features of educational interventions that were most likely to show some evidence of effectiveness included being carefully designed, multifaceted, engaged health professionals in their learning, provided ongoing support, were sensitive to local circumstances, and delivered in combination with other quality improvement strategies. To be effective, educational interventions must consider the complex healthcare systems within which they operate. The criteria for the IPCRG E-Quality awards thus require applicants not only to describe their proposed educational initiative but also to consider the practical and local barriers to successful implementation, and to propose a robust evaluation in terms of changed clinician behaviour or improved health outcomes.

VENTILATION RESEARCH: A REVIEW OF RECENT INDOOR AIR QUALITY LITERATURE

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a literature review, conducted to survey and summarize recent and ongoing engineering research into building ventilation, air exchange rate, pollutant distribution and dispersion, and other effects of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) s...

Teaching Writing Skills with Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierking, Connie Campbell; Anderson-McElveen, Susan

Intended for teachers, this workbook uses 20 well-known children's books as models to teach expository and narrative writing skills. The workbook teaches students about brainstorming, focus, organization, elaboration, and writing conventions with readily-available quality children's literature, such as "When I Was Young in the…

Literature search in medical publications.

PubMed

Solagberu, Babatunde A

2002-01-01

The quality of a medical publication rests as much on the research paper as on the literature search prior to writing for publication. The art of literature search and its importance to the various steps in scientific writing have been emphasised in this paper. Many medical authors in West African sub-region learned the art of publishing research work through their senior professional colleagues or by trial and error through the peer review experience of their work. This article is expected to fill this gap in training. It should guide trainee specialists or new entrants, who must do literature search towards publishing research works for earning promotion, advancing knowledge, obtaining grants and fellowship awards, into the "publish or perish" syndrome existing in academic institutions. The current trend of electronic writing has called for a new style of referencing in medical publications, which has been suggested in this paper.

Identifying educator behaviours for high quality verbal feedback in health professions education: literature review and expert refinement.

PubMed

Johnson, Christina E; Keating, Jennifer L; Boud, David J; Dalton, Megan; Kiegaldie, Debra; Hay, Margaret; McGrath, Barry; McKenzie, Wendy A; Nair, Kichu Balakrishnan R; Nestel, Debra; Palermo, Claire; Molloy, Elizabeth K

2016-03-22

Health professions education is characterised by work-based learning and relies on effective verbal feedback. However the literature reports problems in feedback practice, including lack of both learner engagement and explicit strategies for improving performance. It is not clear what constitutes high quality, learner-centred feedback or how educators can promote it. We hoped to enhance feedback in clinical practice by distinguishing the elements of an educator's role in feedback considered to influence learner outcomes, then develop descriptions of observable educator behaviours that exemplify them. An extensive literature review was conducted to identify i) information substantiating specific components of an educator's role in feedback asserted to have an important influence on learner outcomes and ii) verbal feedback instruments in health professions education, that may describe important educator activities in effective feedback. This information was used to construct a list of elements thought to be important in effective feedback. Based on these elements, descriptions of observable educator behaviours that represent effective feedback were developed and refined during three rounds of a Delphi process and a face-to-face meeting with experts across the health professions and education. The review identified more than 170 relevant articles (involving health professions, education, psychology and business literature) and ten verbal feedback instruments in health professions education (plus modified versions). Eighteen distinct elements of an educator's role in effective feedback were delineated. Twenty five descriptions of educator behaviours that align with the elements were ratified by the expert panel. This research clarifies the distinct elements of an educator's role in feedback considered to enhance learner outcomes. The corresponding set of observable educator behaviours aim to describe how an educator could engage, motivate and enable a learner to

Can commonly-used fan-driven air cleaning technologies improve indoor air quality? A literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yinping; Mo, Jinhan; Li, Yuguo; Sundell, Jan; Wargocki, Pawel; Zhang, Jensen; Little, John C.; Corsi, Richard; Deng, Qihong; Leung, Michael H. K.; Fang, Lei; Chen, Wenhao; Li, Jinguang; Sun, Yuexia

2011-08-01

Air cleaning techniques have been applied worldwide with the goal of improving indoor air quality. The effectiveness of applying these techniques varies widely, and pollutant removal efficiency is usually determined in controlled laboratory environments which may not be realized in practice. Some air cleaners are largely ineffective, and some produce harmful by-products. To summarize what is known regarding the effectiveness of fan-driven air cleaning technologies, a state-of-the-art review of the scientific literature was undertaken by a multidisciplinary panel of experts from Europe, North America, and Asia with expertise in air cleaning, aerosol science, medicine, chemistry and ventilation. The effects on health were not examined. Over 26,000 articles were identified in major literature databases; 400 were selected as being relevant based on their titles and abstracts by the first two authors, who further reduced the number of articles to 160 based on the full texts. These articles were reviewed by the panel using predefined inclusion criteria during their first meeting. Additions were also made by the panel. Of these, 133 articles were finally selected for detailed review. Each article was assessed independently by two members of the panel and then judged by the entire panel during a consensus meeting. During this process 59 articles were deemed conclusive and their results were used for final reporting at their second meeting. The conclusions are that: (1) None of the reviewed technologies was able to effectively remove all indoor pollutants and many were found to generate undesirable by-products during operation. (2) Particle filtration and sorption of gaseous pollutants were among the most effective air cleaning technologies, but there is insufficient information regarding long-term performance and proper maintenance. (3) The existing data make it difficult to extract information such as Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR), which represents a common benchmark for

Telling It Like It Is--And Like It Is Not: Fiction in the Service of Science in Jay Hosler's "The Sandwalk Adventures"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porat, Michal

2015-01-01

Biologist and graphic novelist Jay Hosler has long been introducing young readers to biological subjects through entertaining narratives combining strongly fictional elements with nonfictional ones. Extensive application of fiction to nonfictional subject matter is uncommon, even in graphic novels, but Hosler's "The Sandwalk Adventures"…

Books for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrand, Joan M.

1993-01-01

This annotated bibliography includes 27 children's books, 15 of which are fiction, and 12 nonfiction. Of the nonfiction books, three discuss historical topics and nine cover nature-related topics such as rainforests, the ocean floor, snakes and other animals, and rural farm life. (SM)

Musicians, postural quality and musculoskeletal health: A literature's review.

PubMed

Blanco-Piñeiro, Patricia; Díaz-Pereira, M Pino; Martínez, Aurora

2017-01-01

An analysis of the salient characteristics of research papers published between 1989 and 2015 that evaluate the relationship between postural quality during musical performance and various performance quality and health factors, with emphasis on musculoskeletal health variables. Searches of Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar for papers that analysed the subject of the study objective. The following MeSH descriptors were used: posture; postural balance; muscle, skeletal; task performance and analysis; back; and spine and music. A descriptive statistical analysis of their methodology (sample types, temporal design, and postural, health and other variables analysed) and findings has been made. The inclusion criterion was that the body postural quality of the musicians during performance was included among the target study variables. Forty-one relevant empirical studies were found, written in English. Comparison and analysis of their results was hampered by great disparities in measuring instruments and operationalization of variables. Despite the growing interest in the relationships among these variables, the empirical knowledge base still has many limitations, making rigorous comparative analysis difficult. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of Life After Ostomy Surgery in Muslim Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Suggestions for Clinical Practice.

PubMed

Iqbal, Fareed; Kujan, Omar; Bowley, Douglas M; Keighley, Michael R B; Vaizey, Carolynne J

2016-01-01

To determine factors that influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after ostomy surgery in Muslim patients. A systematic literature review of published data was carried out using MeSH terms ("Muslim" OR "Islam") AND ("stoma" OR "ostomy" OR "colostomy" OR "ileostomy") AND "quality of life" AND "outcomes." Twelve studies enrolling 913 subjects were deemed suitable for inclusion in the review. HRQOL was found to be particularly impaired in Muslims; this impairment went beyond that experienced by non-Muslim patients. Factors associated with this difference included psychological factors, social isolation, underreporting of complications, and sexual dysfunction leading to breakdown of marital relations as well as diminished religious practices. Muslims requiring ostomies should receive preoperative counseling by surgeons and ostomy nurses. These discussions should also include faith leaders and/or hospital chaplains. Ongoing support after surgery can be extended into the community and encompass family doctors and faith leaders. Additional research exploring HRQOL after surgery in Muslims living in Western societies is indicated.

Cassette Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

This catalog lists cassette books produced by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped during 1989. Books are listed alphabetically within subject categories under nonfiction and fiction headings. Nonfiction categories include: animals and wildlife, the arts, bestsellers, biography, blindness and physical handicaps,…

Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Published in the Urological Literature from 1998 to 2012.

PubMed

Corbyons, Katherine; Han, Julia; Neuberger, Molly M; Dahm, Philipp

2015-11-01

Systematic reviews synthesize the current best evidence to address a clinical question. Given the growing emphasis on evidence-based clinical practice, systematic reviews are being increasingly sought after and published. We previously reported limitations in the methodological quality of 57 individual systematic reviews published from 1998 to 2008. We provide an update to our previous study, adding systematic reviews published from 2009 to 2012. We systematically searched PubMed® and hand searched the table of contents of 4 major urological journals to identify systematic reviews related to questions of prevention and therapy. Two independent reviewers with prior formal evidence-based medicine training assessed the methodological quality using the validated 11-point AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) instrument. We performed predefined statistical hypothesis testing for differences by publication period (1998 to 2008 vs 2009 to 2012) and journal of publication. We performed statistical testing using SPSS®, version 23.0 with a 2-sided α of 0.05 using the Student t-test, ANOVA and the chi-square test. A total of 113 systematic reviews published from 2009 to 2012 met study inclusion criteria. The most common topics were oncology (44 reviews or 38.9%), voiding dysfunction (26 or 23.0%) and stones/endourology (13 or 11.5%). The largest contributor was European Urology (46 reviews or 40.7%), followed by BJU International (31 or 27.4%) and The Journal of Urology® (22 or 19.5%). The mean ± SD AMSTAR score for the 2009 to 2012 period was 5.3 ± 2.3 compared to 4.8 ± 2.0 for 1998 to 2008 with a mean difference of 0.5 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.2, p = 0.133). While the number of systematic reviews published in the urological literature has increased substantially, the methodological quality of these studies remains suboptimal. Systematic review authors and editors should make every effort to adhere to well established methodological standards to enhance

Assuring quality in narrative analysis.

PubMed

Bailey, P H

1996-04-01

Many nurse-researchers using qualitative strategies have been concerned with assuring quality in their work. The early literature reveals that the concepts of validity and reliability, as understood from the positivist perspective, are somehow inappropriate and inadequate when applied to interpretive research. More recent literature suggests that because of the positivist and interpretive paradigms are epistemologically divergent, the transfer of quality criteria from one perspective to the other is not automatic or even reasonable. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to clarify what the terms quality, trustworthiness, credibility, authenticity, and goodness mean in qualitative research findings. The process of assuring quality, validation, in qualitative research will be discussed within the context of the interpretive method, narrative analysis. A brief review of quality in narrative analysis nursing research will also be presented.

Transformation in the pharmaceutical industry--a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Shafiei, Nader; Ford, James L; Morecroft, Charles W; Lisboa, Paulo J; Taylor, Mark J; Mouzughi, Yusra

2013-01-01

The evolutionary development of pharmaceutical transformation was studied through systematic review of the literature. Fourteen triggers were identified that will affect the pharmaceutical business, regulatory science, and enabling technologies in future years. The relative importance ranking of the transformation triggers was computed based on their prevalence within the articles studied. The four main triggers with the strongest literature evidence were Fully Integrated Pharma Network, Personalized Medicine, Translational Research, and Pervasive Computing. The theoretical quality risks for each of the four main transformation triggers are examined, and the remaining ten triggers are described. The pharmaceutical industry is currently going through changes that affect the way it performs its research, manufacturing, and regulatory activities (this is termed pharmaceutical transformation). The impact of these changes on the approaches to quality risk management requires more understanding. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the academic, regulatory, and industry literature were used to identify 14 triggers that influence pharmaceutical transformation. The four main triggers, namely Fully Integrated Pharma Network, Personalized Medicine, Translational Research, and Pervasive Computing, were selected as the most important based on the strength of the evidence found during the literature review activity described in this paper. Theoretical quality risks for each of the four main transformation triggers are examined, and the remaining ten triggers are described.

Achieve3000®. Adolescent Literacy. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2018

2018-01-01

"Achieve3000®" is a supplemental online literacy program that provides nonfiction reading content to students in grades preK-12 and focuses on building phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. "Achieve3000®" is designed to help students advance their nonfiction reading skills…

Achieve3000®. Beginning Reading. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2018

2018-01-01

"Achieve3000®" is a supplemental online literacy program that provides nonfiction reading content to students in grades preK-12 and focuses on building phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. "Achieve3000®" is designed to help students advance their nonfiction reading skills…

Slavery and the Underground Railroad.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Nancy Comfort

2000-01-01

Presents a bibliography of sources to help children understand slavery and the Underground Railroad and recommends a combination of fiction and nonfiction for a better understanding. Includes picture books, biographies of people who played prominent roles during the time of slavery, nonfiction books for older readers, and videotape. (LRW)

What determines health-related quality of life among people living with HIV: an updated review of the literature.

PubMed

Degroote, Sophie; Vogelaers, Dirk; Vandijck, Dominique M

2014-01-01

As infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has evolved to a chronic disease, perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming a prominent and important patient-reported outcome measure in HIV care. Literature discusses different factors influencing HRQoL in this population, however, currently no consensus exists about the main determinants. In this review a clear, up-to-date overview of the determinants influencing HRQOL among people living with HIV is provided. All studies published before July 2013 that identified determinants of HRQoL among people living with HIV in high-income countries, were considered in this narrative review. PubMed, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library were consulted using the keywords 'determinants', 'quality of life', 'HIV' and 'AIDS'. To be included, studies should have reported overall health and/or physical/mental health scores on a validated instrument and performed multivariable regression analyses to identify determinants that independently influence perceived HRQoL. In total, 49 studies were included for further analysis and they used a variety of HRQoL instruments: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 or variants, Medical Outcomes Study-HIV, HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study measure, Multidimensional Quality of Life Questionnaire, HIV targeted quality of life instrument, Functional Assessment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, HIV Overview of Problems Evaluation System, EuroQol, Fanning Quality of Life scale, Health Index and PROQOL-HIV. In this review, the discussed determinants were thematically divided into socio-demographic, clinical, psychological and behavioural factors. Employment, immunological status, presence of symptoms, depression, social support and adherence to antiretroviral therapy were most frequently and consistently reported to be associated with HRQoL among people living with HIV. HRQoL among people living with HIV is influenced by several determinants. These

Generic quality of life in persons with hearing loss: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Nordvik, Øyvind; Laugen Heggdal, Peder O; Brännström, Jonas; Vassbotn, Flemming; Aarstad, Anne Kari; Aarstad, Hans Jørgen

2018-01-01

To the best of our knowledge, no empirically based consensus has been reached as to if, and to what extent, persons with hearing loss (HL) have reduced generic Quality of life (QoL). There seems to be limited knowledge regarding to what extent a hearing aid (HA) would improve QoL. The main aim of the present study was to review studies about the relationship between HL and QoL. A supporting aim was to study the association between distress and HL. Literature databases (Cinahl, Pub Med and Web of Science) were searched to identify relevant journal articles published in the period from January 2000 to March 17, 2016. We performed a primary search pertaining to the relationship between HL, HA and QoL (search number one) followed by a supporting search pertaining to the relationship between distress/mood/anxiety and HL (search number two). After checking for duplications and screening the titles of the papers, we read the abstracts of the remaining papers. The most relevant papers were read thoroughly, leaving us with the journal articles that met the inclusion criteria. Twenty journal articles were included in the present review: 13 were found in the primary search (HL and QoL), and seven in the supporting search (HL and distress). The literature yields equivocal findings regarding the association between generic QoL and HL. A strong association between distress and HL was shown, where distressed persons tend to have a lowered generic QoL. It is suggested that QoL is lowered among HL patients. Some studies suggest an increased generic QoL following the use of HA, especially during the first few months after initiation of treatment. Other studies suggest that HA use is one of several possible factors that contribute to improve generic QoL. The majority of the studies suggest that HL is associated with reduced generic QoL. Using hearing aids seem to improve general QoL at follow-up within the first year. HL is a risk factor for distress. Further research is needed to

An evaluation of emergency medicine investigators' views on open access to medical literature.

PubMed

Rodriguez, R M; Wong, J; Hardy, J; Frankel, E

2006-12-01

Scientists and governmental agencies have called for free universal access to research publications via the internet--open access. To examine the current medical literature reading practices of emergency medicine investigators (EMIs) and their views towards open access. Surveys were mailed to the 212 corresponding authors of all original research articles published in years 2002 and 2003 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine and The Journal of Emergency Medicine. The most commonly read forms of medical literature reported by the 129 (61%) EMI respondents were hard-copy medical journals and online literature review services. 59% of EMIs were in favour of open access; 58% stated they would read a wider variety of medical literature; 21% believed open access would improve the quality of publications and 39% thought it would decrease the quality. When asked how a US 1500 dollars fee for open access would affect their ability to publish research, 69% said it would greatly impede and 19% said it would slightly impede their research. Despite concerns that open access may impede their ability to publish research and decrease the quality of publications, most EMIs surveyed favoured open access. They believed open access would increase and broaden their medical literature reading.

Predictors of quality of life for chronic stroke survivors in relation to cultural differences: a literature review.

PubMed

Wang, Rongrong; Langhammer, Birgitta

2017-09-26

Stroke survivors might perceive their quality of life (QoL) as being affected even years after onset. The purpose of this review was to go through the literature to identify factors related to QoL for persons with stroke in China and Western countries for possible similarities and differences in their respective cultural views. A narrative literature review was conducted on the papers identified by searching PubMed, EBSCO/CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data that published up to November 2016. Factors predicting QoL after stroke were extracted, and comparisons were made between Chinese and Western studies respecting cultural aspects. A total of 43 articles were included in this review, with 31 conducted in Western countries and 12 in China. Predictors of QoL included Demographic factors: age, gender, marital status, education level, socioeconomic status; Clinically related factors: severity of stroke, physical function, depression/anxiety, cognitive impairment, incontinence and other comorbidities; Environmental factors: residential status, social support, social participation; and Individual factors: coping strategies and self-perception. Being married and resident at home might be associated with the perception of QoL differently between Chinese and Western survivors. Most predictors of QoL in stroke survivors were the same in China and the Western countries. However, their QoL might be predicted differently regarding to the individualistic and collectivistic cultural differences. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Active Aging and Elderly's Quality of Life: Comparing the Impact on Literature of Projects Funded by the European Union and USA.

PubMed

Kirilov, I; Atzeni, M; Perra, A; Moro, D; Carta, M G

2018-01-01

The objective of this research is to verify whether European projects on Active Aging (AA) and Elderly Quality of Life (Qol) funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) produce an impact on literature similar to projects funded by the National Health Institute (NHI) of the United States on international literature using well-known bibliometric indicators. This effort may be useful in developing standardized and replicable procedures. Fifteen randomly selected projects on AA and Elderly Qol concluded in August 2017 and funded by FP7 were compared to similar projects funded by the US NHI with reference to papers published (Scopus and Scholar), papers published in Q1 journals, and the number of citations of the papers linked to the projects. In all the indicators considered, the European projects showed no difference with the US NHI projects. The EU-funded AA and Qol Elderly projects have an impact on scientific literature comparable to projects funded in the United States by the NHI Agency.Our results are consistent with the data on general medical research, which indicates that, European research remains at a high level of competitiveness.In this experimental study, our methodology appeared to be convincing and reliable and it could be applied to the extent of the impact of more extensive research areas.Our research did not evaluate the relationship between funding required by research and scientific productivity.

New Stories and Broken Necks: Incorporating Native American Texts in the American Literature Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaLonde, Chris

1996-01-01

Describes an approach to mainstreaming Native American works into an American literature survey college course using the "Norton Anthology of American Literature." Goals are to situate Native American texts within the canon, accentuate their aesthetic qualities, address the fundamental questions they raise about literature and American…

A model for critical review of literature - with vaginismus as an example.

PubMed

Wijma, Barbro; Engman, Maria; Wijma, Klaas

2007-03-01

In this article we present a behavioral model for the critical review of the literature within a certain research field, using vaginismus as an example. We searched the literature for the title word "vaginismus" and analyzed to what extent the articles dealt with the following seven categories: prevention, etiology, maintaining factors, consequences, object of intervention, method of intervention, and method of evaluation. In each category we scrutinized the content of the articles for biological, psychological, social, relational, and gender aspects. Quality requirements of etiological and treatment studies were then added and the results presented in a "quality-adjusted" model. There were 102 articles during 1985-2001, of which 22 were included in the review. Most of the articles deal with supposed predisposing factors of etiology and different aspects of intervention. Only a few articles discuss precipitating factors, maintaining factors, or consequences of the problem. No article had a gender analysis. Only 11 of the articles fulfilled some of the proposed quality criteria. We found the behavioral model with quality requirements useful for classifying and evaluating the literature of vaginismus. The model may also be used as a guide to design methodologically good studies.

Pair Programming in Education: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Brian; Fitzgerald, Sue; McCauley, Renee; Murphy, Laurie; Zander, Carol

2011-01-01

This article provides a review of educational research literature focused on pair programming in the undergraduate computer science curriculum. Research suggests that the benefits of pair programming include increased success rates in introductory courses, increased retention in the major, higher quality software, higher student confidence in…

Executive Headteachers: What's in a Name? A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fellows, Tom; Odell, Evan

2016-01-01

This literature review aims to encapsulate existing research on the executive headteacher (EHT) position in England, building on the work of Fellows (2016). It covers three main areas: the history of EHTs in England; the skills, qualities and motivations identified in EHTs by existing literature; and the governance and school structures associated…

A Conceptual Analysis of Quality in Quality Function Deployment-Based Contexts of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matorera, Douglas

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to assess and evaluate how higher education institutions (HEIs) using Quality Function Deployment draw out the relevancy and potential of the model in shaping their concept of "Quality" and how that Quality can be assured in higher education institutions' (HEIs') programmes. An intensive literature review was…

The Use of Slave Narratives in a High School English Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolley, Susan Arpajian

2002-01-01

Notes that the key to making nonfiction work in the classroom is to connect it to the basic curriculum set forth by the school. Describes how the author's use of nonfiction slave narratives grew out of her teaching of two works of fiction. Discusses how she teaches slave narratives as a separate unit. (SG)

Meaningful Work: How the History Research Paper Prepares Students for College and Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzhugh, Will

2012-01-01

Many elementary teachers teach students to write, but this writing tends to focus only on students writing about themselves or writing short stories. Because students do not spend enough time in the early grades reading nonfiction in science and history, they lack the knowledge--of both content and the nature of nonfiction writing--necessary to…

Cost effectiveness of fecal DNA screening for colorectal cancer: a systematic review and quality appraisal of the literature.

PubMed

Skally, Mairead; Hanly, Paul; Sharp, Linda

2013-06-01

DNA sensitivity and specificity parameters were derived from 12 research studies and one meta-analysis. Outcomes assessed were life-years gained and quality-adjusted life-years gained. fDNA was cost-effective when compared with no screening in six studies. Compared with other screening modalities, fDNA was not considered cost-effective in any of the base-case analyses: in five studies it was dominated by all alternatives considered. Sensitivity analyses identified cost, compliance, and test parameters as key influential parameters. In general, poor presentation of "study design" and "data collection" details lowered the quality of included articles. Although the literature searches were designed for high sensitivity, the possibility cannot be excluded that some eligible studies may have been missed. Reports (such as Health Technology Assessments produced by government agencies) and other forms of grey literature were excluded because they are difficult to identify systematically and/or may not report methods and results in sufficient detail for assessment. On the basis of the available (albeit limited) evidence, while fDNA is cost-effective when compared with no screening, it is currently dominated by most of the other available screening options. Cost and test performance appear to be the main influences on cost-effectiveness.

Which acne treatment has the best influence on health-related quality of life? Literature review by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes.

PubMed

Chernyshov, P V; Tomas-Aragones, L; Manolache, L; Svensson, A; Marron, S E; Evers, A W M; Bettoli, V; Jemec, G B; Szepietowski, J C

2018-05-05

According to results of a recent literature search performed by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Task Forces (TF) on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes (QoL and PO) and Acne, Rosacea and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (ARHS) most of publications where health-related (HR) QoL of acne patients was studied were clinical trials. Members of the EADV TF on QoL and PO decided to detect which acne treatment has the best influence on HRQoL of acne patients. A new literature search was organized to find publications on acne treatment where the HRQoL of patients was assessed as an outcome measure. From 186 papers with HRQoL assessment 37 papers were included for further analysis. Our results revealed that oral isotretinoin had the best influence on HRQoL of acne patients. Several other treatment methods also showed good effects on the HRQoL of acne patients. Oral isotretinoin and norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol, topical clindamycin phosphate/benzoyl peroxide and adapalene/benzoyl peroxide showed significantly better effect on HRQoL than placebo. There is limited number of the high-quality studies on acne treatment where HRQoL were assessed. Dermatology-specific and acne-specific instruments showed much better sensitivity to successful therapeutic intervention than generic HRQoL instruments. The most frequently used HRQoL instrument was the DLQI questionnaire. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Service quality in health care.

PubMed

Kenagy, J W; Berwick, D M; Shore, M F

1999-02-17

Although US health care is described as "the world's largest service industry," the quality of service--that is, the characteristics that shape the experience of care beyond technical competence--is rarely discussed in the medical literature. This article illustrates service quality principles by analyzing a routine encounter in health care from a service quality point of view. This illustration and a review of related literature from both inside and outside health care has led to the following 2 premises: First, if high-quality service had a greater presence in our practices and institutions, it would improve clinical outcomes and patient and physician satisfaction while reducing cost, and it would create competitive advantage for those who are expert in its application. Second, many other industries in the service sector have taken service quality to a high level, their techniques are readily transferable to health care, and physicians caring for patients can learn from them.

Hospital performance dashboards: a literature review.

PubMed

Buttigieg, Sandra C; Pace, Adriana; Rathert, Cheryl

2017-05-15

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive and updated analysis of the available literature on hospital dashboards. Design/methodology/approach A search of the current literature was performed by searching electronic databases, including Google Scholar, EBSCO and Medline, as well as books. Findings In all, 48 manuscripts consisting of peer reviewed articles, conference proceedings, case reports and text books were included in this review. Practical implications Despite the numerous advantages of performance dashboards, several authors have mentioned a number of challenges. It was evident from the literature that any setting requires significant effort, especially to ensure the quality of data being collected. In fact, significant investment, both in terms of financial and human resources, is required to achieve an effective dashboard. Furthermore, most of the studies available in the literature were individual case reports or anecdotal accounts rather than empirical studies. Thus, further research is required to ascertain the effectiveness of performance dashboards. In view of these findings, each organisation should make its own decisions whether or not to adopt performance dashboards. Originality/value Most of the literature is fragmented as it reports the use of different types of dashboards, namely strategic, tactical and operational, as separate tools. This literature review contributes to knowledge as it brings together the different types of dashboards and the cascading effect of one dashboard onto another in order to achieve and retain organisational alignment with the overall strategic goals.

Improving clinical instruction: comparison of literature.

PubMed

Giordano, Shelley

2008-01-01

Clinical education in radiologic technology and athletic training is similar in that both programs use clinical sites and clinical instructors to instruct and evaluate student competency. The purpose of this paper is to review and compare the literature from radiologic technology and athletic training clinical education. The literature for this review was obtained using ProQuest and PubMed databases, from the years 1998 to 2006. Research is available for both radiologic technology and athletic training and provides a good comparison. Radiologic technology students experience various clinical stressors that can be remedied by properly trained clinical instructors and instructors who spend quality time with students. The opinions regarding the necessary behaviors of clinical instructors vary between program directors, clinical instructors and students. Cooperation and communication between programs and clinical instructors is important for students to achieve clinical success. A comparison of the literature demonstrates that radiologic technology and athletic training programs are similar; thus, ideas from athletic training can be applied to radiologic technology clinical education.

The impact of iron overload and its treatment on quality of life: results from a literature review.

PubMed

Abetz, Linda; Baladi, Jean-Francois; Jones, Paula; Rofail, Diana

2006-09-28

To assess the literature for the impact of iron overload and infusion Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT) on patients' quality of life (QoL), and the availability of QoL instruments for patients undergoing infusion ICT. Also, to obtain patients' experiences of having iron overload and receiving infusion ICT, and experts' clinical opinions about the impact of treatment on patients' lives. A search of studies published between 1966 and 2004 was conducted using Medline and the Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED). Qualitative results from patient and expert interviews were analysed. Hand searching of relevant conference abstracts completed the search. Few studies measuring the impact of ICT with deferoxamine (DFO) on patients QoL were located (n = 15). QoL domains affected included: depression; fatigue; dyspnoea; physical functioning; psychological distress; decrease in QoL during hospitalization. One theme in all articles was that oral ICT should improve QoL. No iron overload or ICT-specific QoL instruments were located in the articles. Interviews revealed that the impact of ICT on patients with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and myelodysplastic syndromes is high. A limited number of studies assessed the impact of ICT or iron overload on QoL. All literature suggested a need for easily administered, efficacious and well tolerated oral iron overload treatments, given the impact of current ICT on adherence. Poor adherence to ICT was documented to negatively impact survival. Further research is warranted to continue the qualitative and quantitative study of QoL using validated instruments in patients receiving ICT to further understanding the issues and improve patients QoL.

Quality of Life among Female Cancer Survivors in Africa: An Integrative Literature Review

PubMed Central

Muliira, Rhoda Suubi; Salas, Anna Santos; O’Brien, Beverley

2017-01-01

Quality of life (QOL) has been studied extensively among cancer populations in high income countries where cancer care resources are available to many. Little is known concerning the QOL of cancer groups residing in Africa where resources can be scarce. The integrative review of the literature explored and critically examined studies that had addressed QOL in female cancer survivors in Africa. The extent to which QOL studies incorporated a cultural perspective was also examined. Research studies published between 2005 and 2015 were retrieved from five databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, ProQuest dissertations and Theses full text, and GlobalHealth. Primary qualitative or quantitative studies regardless of sample size or setting were included. A total of 300 studies were identified and 28 full text studies were retrieved and assessed for eligibility. Eight studies met inclusion criteria. Factors that affected the QOL were socio-demographic especially age, education, employment, income and residence; illness-related factors such as having advanced cancer and multiple symptoms; treatment-related factors associated with surgery and radiotherapy; psychosocial factors such as support and anxiety; and cultural factors including fatalism and bewitching. Practice implications entail increasing awareness among nurses and allied healthcare providers of the potential effects on QOL of a cancer diagnosis and treatment of female cancers such as pain, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, hormonal and body image changes, anxiety, depression and cultural practices. Failure to identify and deal with these may result in poor treatment adherence, low self-esteem, and ultimately poor QOL. PMID:28217724

Collection Development: Listen to My Life's Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisner, Rosalind

2010-01-01

Memoirs and autobiographies have been a wildly popular nonfiction genre for the past 20 years, ever since Frank McCourt and Mary Karr set the craze in motion with "Angela's Ashes" and "The Liar's Club", respectively. Memoirs have drawn fiction readers to the nonfiction shelves and elbowed their way into book discussion groups. In this confessional…

Indian - Inuit - Metis: Selected Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Paul

Designed to show that native authorship is flourishing, that excellent books by non-native writers are available, and that many small and a few large companies publish these works, this bibliography of more than 200 fiction and non-fiction listings written between 1966 and 1979 contains: (1) non-fiction and fiction books and materials by native…

Phantom eye syndrome: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Andreotti, Agda M; Goiato, Marcelo C; Pellizzer, Eduardo P; Pesqueira, Aldiéris A; Guiotti, Aimée M; Gennari-Filho, Humberto; dos Santos, Daniela M

2014-01-01

The purpose of this literature review was to describe the main features of phantom eye syndrome in relation to their possible causes, symptoms, treatments, and influence of eye amputation on quality of life of anophthalmic patients. For this, a bibliographical research was performed in Pubmed database using the following terms: "eye amputation," "eye trauma," "phantom eye syndrome," "phantom pain," and "quality of life," associated or not. Thirteen studies were selected, besides some relevant references contained in the selected manuscripts and other studies hallowed in the literature. Thus, 56 articles were included in this review. The phantom eye syndrome is defined as any sensation reported by the patient with anophthalmia, originated anophthalmic cavity. In phantom eye syndrome, at least one of these three symptoms has to be present: phantom vision, phantom pain, and phantom sensations. This syndrome has a direct influence on the quality of life of the patients, and psychological support is recommended before and after the amputation of the eyeball as well as aid in the treatment of the syndrome. Therefore, it is suggested that, for more effective treatment of phantom eye syndrome, drug therapy should be associated with psychological approach.

Family Literacy and Global Literature: Parents as Partners in the Common Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truesdell, Kim S.; del Prado Hill, Pixita

2015-01-01

This "Teaching Tip" will explain an initiative, Global Book Hour, that engages families in a global literature read aloud. GBH integrates social studies, the visual and performing arts, healthy eating, and vocabulary development as children travel the world through high quality global children's literature. The program is a…

Assessing Quality in Graduate Programs: An Internal Quality Indicator. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiBiasio, Daniel A.; And Others

Four approaches to measuring quality in graduate education are reviewed, and the approach used at the graduate school at Ohio State University is assessed. Four approaches found in the literature are: measuring quality by reputation, by scholarly productivity, by correlating reputation and scholarly productivity, and by multiple measures. Ohio…

Using high-throughput literature mining to support read-across predictions of skin sensitization (WC)

EPA Science Inventory

Read-across predictions require high quality measured data for source analogues. These data are typically retrieved from structured databases, but biomedical literature data are often untapped because current literature mining approaches are resource intensive. Our high-throughpu...

Automated detection of records in biological sequence databases that are inconsistent with the literature.

PubMed

Bouadjenek, Mohamed Reda; Verspoor, Karin; Zobel, Justin

2017-07-01

We investigate and analyse the data quality of nucleotide sequence databases with the objective of automatic detection of data anomalies and suspicious records. Specifically, we demonstrate that the published literature associated with each data record can be used to automatically evaluate its quality, by cross-checking the consistency of the key content of the database record with the referenced publications. Focusing on GenBank, we describe a set of quality indicators based on the relevance paradigm of information retrieval (IR). Then, we use these quality indicators to train an anomaly detection algorithm to classify records as "confident" or "suspicious". Our experiments on the PubMed Central collection show assessing the coherence between the literature and database records, through our algorithms, is an effective mechanism for assisting curators to perform data cleansing. Although fewer than 0.25% of the records in our data set are known to be faulty, we would expect that there are many more in GenBank that have not yet been identified. By automated comparison with literature they can be identified with a precision of up to 10% and a recall of up to 30%, while strongly outperforming several baselines. While these results leave substantial room for improvement, they reflect both the very imbalanced nature of the data, and the limited explicitly labelled data that is available. Overall, the obtained results show promise for the development of a new kind of approach to detecting low-quality and suspicious sequence records based on literature analysis and consistency. From a practical point of view, this will greatly help curators in identifying inconsistent records in large-scale sequence databases by highlighting records that are likely to be inconsistent with the literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Culturally Diverse Literature: Enriching Variety in an Era of Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Fenice B.; Causey, Lauren L.; Galda, Lee

2015-01-01

The authors argue for the overwhelming importance of finding and including culturally diverse literature into the curricula teachers are authorized to teach. They discuss the implications of use and offer ideas on how to identify quality literature to include in classroom and school libraries.

Beyond Words: Mystical Fancy in Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, James E.

Concerned with books which enrich and preserve a child's wonder and faith, this publication explores the fanciful literature which communicates with the "inner child." Chapters include (1) "The Writers of These Books," (who have a childlike quality about themselves which sets them apart from their fellow writers); (2) "How These Books Are Written"…

Quality of pharmaceutical advertising and gender bias in medical journals (1998-2008): a review of the scientific literature.

PubMed

Cambronero Saiz, Belén; Ruiz Cantero, María Teresa; Papí Gálvez, Natalia

2012-01-01

To review the scientific literature on pharmaceutical advertising aimed at health professionals in order to determine whether gender bias has decreased and the quality of information in pharmaceutical advertising has improved over time. We performed a content analysis of original articles dealing with medical drug promotion (1998-2008), according to quality criteria such as (a) the number, validity and accessibility of bibliographic references provided in pharmaceutical advertising and (b) the extent to which gender representations were consistent with the prevalence of the diseases. Databases: PUBMED, Medline, Scopus, Sociological Abstract, Eric and LILACS. We reviewed 31 articles that analyzed advertising in medical journals from 1975-2005 and were published between 1998 and 2008. We found that the number of references used to support pharmaceutical advertising claims increased from 1975 but that 50% of these references were not valid. There was a tendency to depict men in paid productive roles, while women appeared inside the home or in non-occupational social contexts. Advertisements for psychotropic and cardiovascular drugs overrepresented women and men respectively. The use of bibliographic references increased between 1998 and 2008. However, representation of traditional male-female roles was similar in 1975 and 2005. Pharmaceutical advertisements may contribute to reinforcing the perception that certain diseases are associated with the most frequently portrayed sex. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Radzimińska, Agnieszka; Strączyńska, Agnieszka; Weber-Rajek, Magdalena; Styczyńska, Hanna; Strojek, Katarzyna; Piekorz, Zuzanna

2018-01-01

The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women, with a particular focus on the impact of this form of therapy on the patients' quality of life (QoL). The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (articles only in English, 1990-2017). Search terms were as follows: urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle training, pelvic floor exercises, quality of life. Systematic review methods were based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. The assessment of the impact of PFMT on the QoL of women with UI was conducted among 2,394 women in 24 selected studies. After the end of treatment, the majority of patients in the experimental groups noted a statistically significant improvement in QoL. The results of this literature review demonstrate that PFMT is an effective treatment for UI in women. PFMT significantly improves the QoL of women with UI, which is an important determinant of their physical, mental, and social functioning.

Factors Affecting Health-Related Quality of Life in Children Undergoing Curative Treatment for Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Momani, Tha'er G; Hathaway, Donna K; Mandrell, Belinda N

2016-01-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important measure to evaluate a child's reported treatment experience. Although there are numerous studies of HRQoL in children undergoing curative cancer treatment, there is limited literature on factors that influence this. To review published studies that describe the HRQoL and associated factors in children undergoing curative cancer treatment. Full-text publications in English from January 2005 to March 2013 were searched in PubMed, PsychINFO, and CINAHL for children ≤18 years of age undergoing curative cancer treatment. HRQoL-associated factors were categorized as cancer diagnosis, treatment, child, family, and community. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently used generic and cancer-specific instruments were PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) Generic and PedsQL Cancer, respectively. Cancer diagnosis and treatment were the most frequently identified variables; fewer studies measured family and community domains. Gender, treatment intensity, type of cancer treatments, time in treatment, and cancer diagnosis were correlated with HRQoL. Our study highlights the need to develop interventions based on diagnosis and treatment regimen to improve the HRQoL in children undergoing curative cancer treatment. © 2015 by Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses.

Defining and managing the quality of wilderness recreation experiences

Treesearch

Robert E. Manning; David W. Lime

2000-01-01

There is a substantial body of scientific literature on defining and managing the quality of wilderness experiences. Two conceptual frameworks derived from this literature—carrying capacity and the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS)—suggest that wilderness recreation experiences can be defined through indicators and standards of quality, and that wilderness...

Guidance for Identifying, Selecting and Evaluating Open Literature Studies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance for Office of Pesticide Program staff will assist in their evaluation of open literature studies of pesticides. It also describes how we identify, select, and ensure that data we use in risk assessments is of sufficient scientific quality.

The impact of iron overload and its treatment on quality of life: results from a literature review

PubMed Central

Abetz, Linda; Baladi, Jean-Francois; Jones, Paula; Rofail, Diana

2006-01-01

Background To assess the literature for the impact of iron overload and infusion Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT) on patients' quality of life (QoL), and the availability of QoL instruments for patients undergoing infusion ICT. Also, to obtain patients' experiences of having iron overload and receiving infusion ICT, and experts' clinical opinions about the impact of treatment on patients' lives. Methods A search of studies published between 1966 and 2004 was conducted using Medline and the Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED). Qualitative results from patient and expert interviews were analysed. Hand searching of relevant conference abstracts completed the search. Results Few studies measuring the impact of ICT with deferoxamine (DFO) on patients QoL were located (n = 15). QoL domains affected included: depression; fatigue; dyspnoea; physical functioning; psychological distress; decrease in QoL during hospitalization. One theme in all articles was that oral ICT should improve QoL. No iron overload or ICT-specific QoL instruments were located in the articles. Interviews revealed that the impact of ICT on patients with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and myelodysplastic syndromes is high. Conclusion A limited number of studies assessed the impact of ICT or iron overload on QoL. All literature suggested a need for easily administered, efficacious and well tolerated oral iron overload treatments, given the impact of current ICT on adherence. Poor adherence to ICT was documented to negatively impact survival. Further research is warranted to continue the qualitative and quantitative study of QoL using validated instruments in patients receiving ICT to further understanding the issues and improve patients QoL. PMID:17007645

Key interventions and quality indicators for quality improvement of STEMI care: a RAND Delphi survey.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2017-12-13

Identification, selection and validation of key interventions and quality indicators for improvement of in hospital quality of care for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. A structured literature review was followed by a RAND Delphi Survey. A purposively selected multidisciplinary expert panel of cardiologists, nurse managers and quality managers selected and validated key interventions and quality indicators prior for quality improvement for STEMI. First, 34 experts (76% response rate) individually assessed the appropriateness of items to quality improvement on a nine point Likert scale. Twenty-seven key interventions, 16 quality indicators at patient level and 27 quality indicators at STEMI care programme level were selected. Eighteen additional items were suggested. Experts received personal feedback, benchmarking their score with group results (response rate, mean, median and content validity index). Consequently, 32 experts (71% response rate) openly discussed items with an item-content validity index above 75%. By consensus, the expert panel validated a final set of 25 key interventions, 13 quality indicators at patient level and 20 quality indicators at care programme level prior for improvement of in hospital care for STEMI. A structured literature review and multidisciplinary expertise was combined to validate a set of key interventions and quality indicators prior for improvement of care for STEMI. The results allow researchers and hospital staff to evaluate and support quality improvement interventions in a large cohort within the context of a health care system.

Constructing Quality Childcare: Perspectives of Quality and Their Connection to Belonging, Being and Becoming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Christine

2017-01-01

Discourse on quality, within the context of childcare, has moved beyond the level of licensing to consider children's right to belong. Within Western Australia (WA), there has been a paradigm shift as international research literature on quality childcare has advocated the long-term benefits for individuals and the community when children…

Social Peer Interactions in Persons with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nijs, Sara; Maes, Bea

2014-01-01

Social interactions may positively influence developmental and quality of life outcomes. Research in persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) mostly investigated interactions with caregivers. This literature review focuses on peer interactions of persons with PIMD. A computerized literature search of three databases was…

Factors associated with dropout in medical education: a literature review.

PubMed

O'Neill, Lotte Dyhrberg; Wallstedt, Birgitta; Eika, Berit; Hartvigsen, Jan

2011-05-01

Medical school dropout may have negative consequences for society, patients, the profession, schools and dropouts. To our knowledge, the literature dealing with dropout from medical school has never been systematically and critically appraised. This review aimed to systematically and critically review studies dealing with factors found to be associated with dropping out of medical school. A systematic critical literature review of the international peer-reviewed research literature on medical education was performed. A primary search was conducted and subsequently supplemented with ancestry and descendancy searches. The population of interest was medical students and the outcome was dropout. Abstract/title screening and quality assessment were performed by two independent researchers. Studies were assessed on six domains of quality: study participation; study attrition; predictor measurement; measurement of and accounting for confounders; outcome measurement, and analysis. Only studies that accounted for confounding were included in the final analysis. Of 625 studies found, 48 were quality-assessed and 13 of these were eventually included based on their fulfilment of our quality-related criteria. A range of entry qualifications seemed to be associated with greater chances of a student dropping out (odds ratio [OR] = 1.65-4.00). Struggling academically in medical school may be strongly associated with dropout. By contrast, no specific pattern of demographic variables was particularly important in relation to dropout. The effects of socio-economic, psychological and educational variables on dropout were not well investigated. More research into causal models and theory testing, which considers the effects of education, organisation and institution, is necessary if we are to learn more about how we can actively prevent medical student withdrawal. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

The reliability-quality relationship for quality systems and quality risk management.

PubMed

Claycamp, H Gregg; Rahaman, Faiad; Urban, Jason M

2012-01-01

Engineering reliability typically refers to the probability that a system, or any of its components, will perform a required function for a stated period of time and under specified operating conditions. As such, reliability is inextricably linked with time-dependent quality concepts, such as maintaining a state of control and predicting the chances of losses from failures for quality risk management. Two popular current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) and quality risk management tools, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and root cause analysis (RCA) are examples of engineering reliability evaluations that link reliability with quality and risk. Current concepts in pharmaceutical quality and quality management systems call for more predictive systems for maintaining quality; yet, the current pharmaceutical manufacturing literature and guidelines are curiously silent on engineering quality. This commentary discusses the meaning of engineering reliability while linking the concept to quality systems and quality risk management. The essay also discusses the difference between engineering reliability and statistical (assay) reliability. The assurance of quality in a pharmaceutical product is no longer measured only "after the fact" of manufacturing. Rather, concepts of quality systems and quality risk management call for designing quality assurance into all stages of the pharmaceutical product life cycle. Interestingly, most assays for quality are essentially static and inform product quality over the life cycle only by being repeated over time. Engineering process reliability is the fundamental concept that is meant to anticipate quality failures over the life cycle of the product. Reliability is a well-developed theory and practice for other types of manufactured products and manufacturing processes. Thus, it is well known to be an appropriate index of manufactured product quality. This essay discusses the meaning of reliability and its linkages with quality

The methodological quality of health economic evaluations for the management of hip fractures: A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Sabharwal, Sanjeeve; Carter, Alexander; Darzi, Lord Ara; Reilly, Peter; Gupte, Chinmay M

2015-06-01

Approximately 76,000 people a year sustain a hip fracture in the UK and the estimated cost to the NHS is £1.4 billion a year. Health economic evaluations (HEEs) are one of the methods employed by decision makers to deliver healthcare policy supported by clinical and economic evidence. The objective of this study was to (1) identify and characterize HEEs for the management of patients with hip fractures, and (2) examine their methodological quality. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database. Studies that met the specified definition for a HEE and evaluated hip fracture management were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria (CHEC). Twenty-seven publications met the inclusion criteria of this study and were included in our descriptive and methodological analysis. Domains of methodology that performed poorly included use of an appropriate time horizon (66.7% of studies), incremental analysis of costs and outcomes (63%), future discounting (44.4%), sensitivity analysis (40.7%), declaration of conflicts of interest (37%) and discussion of ethical considerations (29.6%). HEEs for patients with hip fractures are increasing in publication in recent years. Most of these studies fail to adopt a societal perspective and key aspects of their methodology are poor. The development of future HEEs in this field must adhere to established principles of methodology, so that better quality research can be used to inform health policy on the management of patients with a hip fracture. Copyright © 2014 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

American Indian Reader: Literature. Book Three in a Series in Educational Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Jeannette, Ed.

The reader should be considered a guide to Native American literature. It is designed as an introduction to the study of the Native literature of the Americas. Content begins with the poetic art of the ancients. Special space is given to the Walum Olum, an example of the epic quality of Native literary art. In contrast, but also as a natural…

Community representation in hospital decision making: a literature review.

PubMed

Murray, Zoë

2015-06-01

Advancing quality in health services requires structures and processes that are informed by consumer input. Although this agenda is well recognised, few researchers have focussed on the establishment and maintenance of customer input throughout the structures and processes used to produce high-quality, safe care. We present an analysis of literature outlining the barriers and enablers involved in community representation in hospital governance. The review aimed to explore how community representation in hospital governance is achieved. Studies spanning 1997-2012 were analysed using Donabedian' s model of quality systems as a guide for categories of interest: structure, in relation to administration of quality; process, which is particularly concerned with cooperation and culture; and outcome, considered, in this case, to be the achievement of effective community representation on quality of care. There are limited published studies on community representation in hospital governance in Australia. What can be gleaned from the literature is: 1) quality subcommittees set up to assist Hospital Boards are a key structure for involving community representation in decision making around quality of care, and 2) there are a number of challenges to effectively developing the process of community representation in hospital governance: ambiguity and the potential for escalated indecision; inadequate value and consideration given to it by decision makers resulting in a lack of time and resources needed to support the community engagement strategy (time, facilitation, budgets); poor support and attitude amongst staff; and consumer issues, such as feeling isolated and intimidated by expert opinion. The analysis indicates that: quality subcommittees set up to assist boards are a key structure for involving community representation in decision making around quality of care. There are clearly a number of challenges to effectively developing the process of community representation in

Quality of life assessments in major depressive disorder: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Papakostas, George I; Petersen, Timothy; Mahal, Yasmin; Mischoulon, David; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Fava, Maurizio

2004-01-01

According to the DSM-IV classification, a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is possible only when there is evidence of significant inference with functioning. However, despite the high prevalence of MDD in the general population, it is uncommon for clinicians to assess overall functioning in a systematic way before making such diagnosis. An important correlate of functioning is quality of life, which is typically defined as "patients' own assessments of how they feel about what they have, how they are functioning, and their ability to derive pleasure from their life activities". In the present article, we review studies focusing on the relationship between depression and quality of life, particularly focusing on the impact of the treatment of depression on quality of life. Studies focusing on the quality of life in MDD are reviewed. Candidate studies published between 1970 and recently were initially identified by Pubmed and Ovid search cross-referencing the terms "quality of life," "psychosocial functioning" with "major depression" and "treatment." A number of studies report poorer quality of life in MDD patients compared to controls. Several studies also report an improvement in quality of life measures during various phases of treatment with antidepressants and/or psychotherapy. However, trials comparing the role of newer psychopharmacologic agents in the acute phase of treatment, and the role of newer psychotherapies in the continuation and maintenance phases of treatment in restoring psychosocial functioning and improving the quality of life in MDD are lacking. Exploring the impact of these modalities on psychosocial function and quality of life in MDD are necessary to help translate clinical response into restoration of psychosocial function and to thus further improve the standard of care.

Quality indicators for hip fracture care, a systematic review.

PubMed

Voeten, S C; Krijnen, P; Voeten, D M; Hegeman, J H; Wouters, M W J M; Schipper, I B

2018-05-17

Quality indicators are used to measure quality of care and enable benchmarking. An overview of all existing hip fracture quality indicators is lacking. The primary aim was to identify quality indicators for hip fracture care reported in literature, hip fracture audits, and guidelines. The secondary aim was to compose a set of methodologically sound quality indicators for the evaluation of hip fracture care in clinical practice. A literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines and an internet search were performed to identify hip fracture quality indicators. The indicators were subdivided into process, structure, and outcome indicators. The methodological quality of the indicators was judged using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument. For structure and process indicators, the construct validity was assessed. Sixteen publications, nine audits and five guidelines were included. In total, 97 unique quality indicators were found: 9 structure, 63 process, and 25 outcome indicators. Since detailed methodological information about the indicators was lacking, the AIRE instrument could not be applied. Seven indicators correlated with an outcome measure. A set of nine quality indicators was extracted from the literature, audits, and guidelines. Many quality indicators are described and used. Not all of them correlate with outcomes of care and have been assessed methodologically. As methodological evidence is lacking, we recommend the extracted set of nine indicators to be used as the starting point for further clinical research. Future research should focus on assessing the clinimetric properties of the existing quality indicators.

Embedding Quality: The Challenges for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lomas, Laurie

2004-01-01

This paper reviews recent research, literature and the views of a small sample of senior managers and academics in English higher education institutions on the challenges associated with embedding quality. When implemented by a university, quality enhancement models such as total quality management and the European Foundation for Quality…

The Bidirectional Relationship between Diabetes and Depression: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Alzoubi, Abdallah; Abunaser, Rnad; Khassawneh, Adi; Alfaqih, Mahmoud; Khasawneh, Aws; Abdo, Nour

2018-05-01

Diabetes is a major public health problem worldwide. Depression is a serious mental condition that decreases mental and physical functioning and reduces the quality of life. Several lines of evidence suggest a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and depression: diabetes patients are twice as likely to experience depression than nondiabetic individuals. In contrast, depression increases the risk of diabetes and interferes with its daily self-management. Diabetes patients with depression have poor glycemic control, reduced quality of life, and an increased risk of diabetes complications, consequently having an increased mortality rate. Conflicting evidence exists on the potential role of factors that may account for or modulate the relationship between diabetes and depression. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the most notable body of literature that dissects the various facets of the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and depression. A focused discussion of the proposed mechanisms underlying this relationship is also provided. We systematically reviewed the relevant literature in the PubMed database, using the keywords "Diabetes AND Depression". After exclusion of duplicate and irrelevant material, literature eligible for inclusion in this review was based on meta-analysis studies, clinical trials with large sample sizes (n≥1,000), randomized clinical trials, and comprehensive national and cross-country clinical studies. The evidence we present in this review supports the pressing need for long, outcome-oriented, randomized clinical trials to determine whether the identification and treatment of patients with these comorbid conditions will improve their medical outcomes and quality of life.

Quality control algorithms for rainfall measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golz, Claudia; Einfalt, Thomas; Gabella, Marco; Germann, Urs

2005-09-01

One of the basic requirements for a scientific use of rain data from raingauges, ground and space radars is data quality control. Rain data could be used more intensively in many fields of activity (meteorology, hydrology, etc.), if the achievable data quality could be improved. This depends on the available data quality delivered by the measuring devices and the data quality enhancement procedures. To get an overview of the existing algorithms a literature review and literature pool have been produced. The diverse algorithms have been evaluated to meet VOLTAIRE objectives and sorted in different groups. To test the chosen algorithms an algorithm pool has been established, where the software is collected. A large part of this work presented here is implemented in the scope of the EU-project VOLTAIRE ( Validati on of mu ltisensors precipit ation fields and numerical modeling in Mediter ran ean test sites).

Implementing quality initiatives in healthcare organizations: drivers and challenges.

PubMed

Abdallah, Abdallah

2014-01-01

Various quality initiatives seem to have successful implementation in some healthcare organizations yet fail in others. This paper sets out to study the literature trying to understand drivers and challenges facing quality initiatives implementation in healthcare organizations then compare findings from literature with those of a structured questionnaire answered by 60 representatives from 18 hospitals. Finally it proposes a framework that mitigates challenges and utilizes drivers to ensure best implementation results. Literature regarding implementing various quality initiatives in the healthcare sector was reviewed. Representatives from several healthcare organizations were surveyed. Results from both approaches are compared to highlight the key challenges and drivers facing implementers. This research reveals that internal factors related to leadership and employees greatly affect quality initiative success or failure. Design and relevance play a major role in successful implementation. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONs: This research offers healthcare professionals greater success when implementing certain quality initiatives by taking success/failure factors into consideration. A general framework for successful implementation in the healthcare sector is provided. This article uncovers reasons behind success or failure in a comprehensive and practical way. It also explores how most popular quality initiatives are applied in hospitals.

Attributes Affecting Computer-Aided Decision Making--A Literature Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moldafsky, Neil I; Kwon, Ik-Whan

1994-01-01

Reviews current literature about personal, demographic, situational, and cognitive attributes that affect computer-aided decision making. The effectiveness of computer-aided decision making is explored in relation to decision quality, effectiveness, and confidence. Studies of the effects of age, anxiety, cognitive type, attitude, gender, and prior…

The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Radzimińska, Agnieszka; Strączyńska, Agnieszka; Weber-Rajek, Magdalena; Styczyńska, Hanna; Strojek, Katarzyna; Piekorz, Zuzanna

2018-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women, with a particular focus on the impact of this form of therapy on the patients’ quality of life (QoL). Methods The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (articles only in English, 1990–2017). Search terms were as follows: urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle training, pelvic floor exercises, quality of life. Systematic review methods were based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Results The assessment of the impact of PFMT on the QoL of women with UI was conducted among 2,394 women in 24 selected studies. After the end of treatment, the majority of patients in the experimental groups noted a statistically significant improvement in QoL. Conclusion The results of this literature review demonstrate that PFMT is an effective treatment for UI in women. PFMT significantly improves the QoL of women with UI, which is an important determinant of their physical, mental, and social functioning.

Role of nutritional status in predicting quality of life outcomes in cancer – a systematic review of the epidemiological literature

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Malnutrition is a significant factor in predicting cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL). We systematically reviewed the literature on the role of nutritional status in predicting QoL in cancer. We searched MEDLINE database using the terms “nutritional status” in combination with “quality of life” together with “cancer”. Human studies published in English, having nutritional status as one of the predictor variables, and QoL as one of the outcome measures were included. Of the 26 included studies, 6 investigated head and neck cancer, 8 gastrointestinal, 1 lung, 1 gynecologic and 10 heterogeneous cancers. 24 studies concluded that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL, 1 study showed that better nutritional status was associated with better QoL only in high-risk patients, while 1 study concluded that there was no association between nutritional status and QoL. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of QoL in cancer patients. We recommend that more providers implement the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines for oncology patients, which includes nutritional screening, nutritional assessment and intervention as appropriate. Correcting malnutrition may improve QoL in cancer patients, an important outcome of interest to cancer patients, their caregivers, and families. PMID:22531478

Quality of care and service trajectories for people with intellectual disabilities: defining the aspects of quality from the client's perspective.

PubMed

Barelds, Anna; van de Goor, Ien; van Heck, Guus; Schols, Jos

2010-03-01

Care and service trajectories for people with intellectual disabilities (i.e. people with mental retardations) are routes within the healthcare delivery system that consist of all the steps that people with intellectual disabilities and their families have to take in order to realise the needed care and services. This article aims to identify the quality aspects of trajectories that are considered important by people with intellectual disabilities and their parents/relatives. In addition, it examines how these aspects are related to quality determinants mentioned in the literature on integrated care and to authoritative models for quality assessment of care and service delivery. Quality aspects were collected during eight focus group discussions with people with intellectual disabilities or their parents/relatives. In addition, quality determinants of integrated care and authoritative models for quality assessment were selected by means of a thorough review of the literature. Finally, the quality aspects identified using focus groups were compared to the determinants and models found in the literature. The quality aspects presented by people with intellectual disabilities referred particularly to the immediate situation in receiving care and services, such as 'keeping appointments' and 'time and attention', whereas parents/relatives also referred to broader 'organisational issues', such as 'access to support' and 'problems with placement'. The quality aspects, however, are minimally related to the quality determinants of integrated care, probably because clients and their parents/relatives find it difficult to have an overview of the coherence between the various actions that have to be performed, when going through the trajectories. In contrast, the quality aspects seem to fit into the domains of the authoritative models for quality assessment, probably because of the minimal focus of the models on long-term aspects in care and service delivery.

[Design and establishment of modern literature database about acupuncture Deqi].

PubMed

Guo, Zheng-rong; Qian, Gui-feng; Pan, Qiu-yin; Wang, Yang; Xin, Si-yuan; Li, Jing; Hao, Jie; Hu, Ni-juan; Zhu, Jiang; Ma, Liang-xiao

2015-02-01

A search on acupuncture Deqi was conducted using four Chinese-language biomedical databases (CNKI, Wan-Fang, VIP and CBM) and PubMed database and using keywords "Deqi" or "needle sensation" "needling feeling" "needle feel" "obtaining qi", etc. Then, a "Modern Literature Database for Acupuncture Deqi" was established by employing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, introducing the contents, data types, information structure and logic constraint of the system table fields. From this Database, detailed inquiries about general information of clinical trials, acupuncturists' experience, ancient medical works, comprehensive literature, etc. can be obtained. The present databank lays a foundation for subsequent evaluation of literature quality about Deqi and data mining of undetected Deqi knowledge.

Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS): An Instrument for Evaluating Service Quality of Health-Fitness Clubs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Eddie T. C.; Zhang, James J.; Jensen, Barbara E.

2005-01-01

This study was designed to develop the Service Quality Assessment Scale to evaluate the service quality of health-fitness clubs. Through a review of literature, field observations, interviews, modified application of the Delphi technique, and a pilot study, a preliminary scale with 46 items was formulated. The preliminary scale was administered to…

Goals of Quality in Doctoral Studies and Forecasted Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zelvys, Rimantas

2007-01-01

This article discusses the quality assurance policy of doctoral studies implemented in Lithuania and its probable outcomes are forecasted. In scientific literature the quality of education is commonly defined as a holistic phenomenon composed of the quality of initial conditions, quality of process and quality of outputs. The accomplished document…

Quality of Literature Review and Discussion of Findings in Selected Papers on Integration of ICT in Teaching, Role of Mentors, and Teaching Science through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudavanhu, Young

2017-01-01

The purposes of this study were to examine the extent to which literature was used to discuss findings in selected papers from Zimbabwe Journal, and to compare the quality of reviews in this journal with other international journals. The study was largely qualitative in nature and used convenient sampling. In the study, the Zimbabwe Journal was…

Nursing Workload and the Changing Health Care Environment: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neill, Denise

2011-01-01

Changes in the health care environment have impacted nursing workload, quality of care, and patient safety. Traditional nursing workload measures do not guarantee efficiency, nor do they adequately capture the complexity of nursing workload. Review of the literature indicates nurses perceive the quality of their work has diminished. Research has…

Children's Literature on the Digital Move

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Shelby A.

2014-01-01

Children's literature is on the digital move, and many of the new technologies are eye popping in terms of their aesthetic qualities. Books that are already beloved are moving into new spaces well beyond the combination of words and illustration, as movement, sound, and interactivity enter the scene. The purpose of this article is to explore…

A systematic scoping review of adherence to reporting guidelines in health care literature

PubMed Central

Samaan, Zainab; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Kosa, Daisy; Debono, Victoria Borg; Dillenburg, Rejane; Zhang, Shiyuan; Fruci, Vincent; Dennis, Brittany; Bawor, Monica; Thabane, Lehana

2013-01-01

Background Reporting guidelines have been available for the past 17 years since the inception of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement in 1996. These guidelines were developed to improve the quality of reporting of studies in medical literature. Despite the widespread availability of these guidelines, the quality of reporting of medical literature remained suboptimal. In this study, we assess the current adherence practice to reporting guidelines; determine key factors associated with better adherence to these guidelines; and provide recommendations to enhance adherence to reporting guidelines for future studies. Methods We undertook a systematic scoping review of systematic reviews of adherence to reporting guidelines across different clinical areas and study designs. We searched four electronic databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Embase, and Medline) from January 1996 to September 2012. Studies were included if they addressed adherence to one of the following guidelines: Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Quality of Reporting of Meta-analysis (QUOROM), Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND), Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). A protocol for this study was devised. A literature search, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors in duplicate. This study reporting follows the PRISMA guidelines. Results Our search retrieved 5159 titles, of which 50 were eligible. Overall, 86.0% of studies reported suboptimal levels of adherence to reporting guidelines. Factors associated with better adherence included journal impact factor and endorsement of guidelines, publication date, funding source, multisite studies, pharmacological

At Issue: A Comprehensive Review and Synthesis of the Literature on Late Registration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tompkins, Patrick; Williams, Mitchell R.

2015-01-01

Using a literature review taxonomy described by Cooper and Hedges (2009), an analysis of 32 publicly available studies of late registrations was conducted to provide researchers and policymakers with an assessment of the extent, quality, and major findings of the studies. The reviewer asserted that few high-quality studies have been conducted on…

[Animal drugs quality status and reason analysis].

PubMed

Ding, Qing; Qiu, Ya-jing; Fang, Ke-hui; Hu, Hao-bin; Wu, Yue

2015-11-01

In order to reaction the quality present situation, problems on the current quality of animal sources of drugs are summed up by using test data analysis, literature search and marketing research. This paper can also help the improvement of the quality management, the revision of the relevant department policy system and the improvement of standards.

Quality Is Key--The Impact of Community Service, Community Service Quality, and Reflection on Adolescents' Volunteering Intentions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Goethem, Anne A. J.; van Hoof, Anne; Orobio de Castro, Bram; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

2014-01-01

This study examined the effect of community service program-quality on changes in adolescents' intentions to volunteer. Based on the literature, volunteering intentions were expected to increase by programs with high quality community service activities (e.g., instructive activities) and educational activities including reflection. Adolescents (N=…

The costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of strategies to increase coverage of routine immunizations in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review of the grey literature.

PubMed

Batt, Katherine; Fox-Rushby, J A; Castillo-Riquelme, Marianela

2004-09-01

Evidence-based reviews of published literature can be subject to several biases. Grey literature, however, can be of poor quality and expensive to access. Effective search strategies also vary by topic and are rarely known in advance. This paper complements a systematic review of the published literature on the costs and effects of expanding immunization services in developing countries. The quality of data on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of strategies to increase immunization coverage is shown to be similar across literatures, but the quality of information on costing is much lower in the grey literature. After excluding poorer quality studies from this review we found the quantity of available evidence almost doubled, particularly for more complex health-system interventions and cost or cost-effectiveness analyses. Interventions in the grey literature are more up to date and cover a different geographical spread. Consequently the conclusions of the published and grey literatures differ, although the number of papers is still too low to account for differences across types of interventions. We recommend that in future researchers consider using non-English keywords in their searches.

Advocating for Peace and Social Justice through Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yokota, Junko; Kolar, Jacqui

2008-01-01

Preparing students to be global citizens is foremost among teachers' educational goals and is central to the teaching of social studies. High quality trade books with multicultural and international themes can promote cultural and global awareness, which in turn advocates for peace and social justice. Such literature allows teachers to select…

Chicano Perspectives in Literature--A Critical and Annotated Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lomeli, Francisco A.; Urioste, Donaldo W.

As an effort to define and explore the horizons of Chicano literature, this annotated and critical bibliography provides bibliographical data and critical evaluations and judgments regarding the quality, importance, and impact of 131 literary works by Chicanos. The commentaries are intended to be taken as opinions with the objective for promoting…

Patient care in family medicine : what's new in the 2016 literature findings ?

PubMed

Cohidon, Christine; Senn, Nicolas

During the last two decades in Europe, the scope of activities regarding chronic diseases management in family medicine has increased while technical activities and preventative care have decreased. A new literature review and meta-analysis confirms that the use of electronic health records improves the quality of care. In the field of interprofessionnality, the task delegation in chronic care management to nurses or medical assistants is a source of satisfaction for these professionals. At the same time, this could improve patients' quality of life. Finally, a systematic literature review reports the major assets according to the family physicians regarding their occupation i.e. freedom to organize and manage their own work, good balance between workload and income and high intellectual stimulation.

Methodological quality of systematic reviews addressing femoroacetabular impingement.

PubMed

Kowalczuk, Marcin; Adamich, John; Simunovic, Nicole; Farrokhyar, Forough; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2015-09-01

As the body of literature on femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) continues to grow, clinicians turn to systematic reviews to remain current with the best available evidence. The quality of systematic reviews in the FAI literature is currently unknown. The goal of this study was to assess the quality of the reporting of systematic reviews addressing FAI over the last 11 years (2003-2014) and to identify the specific methodological shortcomings and strengths. A search of the electronic databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed, was performed to identify relevant systematic reviews. Methodological quality was assessed by two reviewers using the revised assessment of multiple systematic reviews (R-AMSTAR) scoring tool. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) was used to determine agreement between reviewers on R-AMSTAR quality scores. A total of 22 systematic reviews were assessed for methodological quality. The mean consensus R-AMSTAR score across all studies was 26.7 out of 40.0, indicating fair methodological quality. An ICC of 0.931, 95 % CI 0.843-0.971 indicated excellent agreement between reviewers during the scoring process. The systematic reviews addressing FAI are generally of fair methodological quality. Use of tools such as the R-AMSTAR score or PRISMA guidelines while designing future systematic reviews can assist in eliminating methodological shortcomings identified in this review. These shortcomings need to be kept in mind by clinicians when applying the current literature to their patient populations and making treatment decisions. Systematic reviews of highest methodological quality should be used by clinicians when possible to answer clinical questions.

Electronic Biomedical Literature Search for Budding Researcher

PubMed Central

Thakre, Subhash B.; Thakre S, Sushama S.; Thakre, Amol D.

2013-01-01

Search for specific and well defined literature related to subject of interest is the foremost step in research. When we are familiar with topic or subject then we can frame appropriate research question. Appropriate research question is the basis for study objectives and hypothesis. The Internet provides a quick access to an overabundance of the medical literature, in the form of primary, secondary and tertiary literature. It is accessible through journals, databases, dictionaries, textbooks, indexes, and e-journals, thereby allowing access to more varied, individualised, and systematic educational opportunities. Web search engine is a tool designed to search for information on the World Wide Web, which may be in the form of web pages, images, information, and other types of files. Search engines for internet-based search of medical literature include Google, Google scholar, Scirus, Yahoo search engine, etc., and databases include MEDLINE, PubMed, MEDLARS, etc. Several web-libraries (National library Medicine, Cochrane, Web of Science, Medical matrix, Emory libraries) have been developed as meta-sites, providing useful links to health resources globally. A researcher must keep in mind the strengths and limitations of a particular search engine/database while searching for a particular type of data. Knowledge about types of literature, levels of evidence, and detail about features of search engine as available, user interface, ease of access, reputable content, and period of time covered allow their optimal use and maximal utility in the field of medicine. Literature search is a dynamic and interactive process; there is no one way to conduct a search and there are many variables involved. It is suggested that a systematic search of literature that uses available electronic resource effectively, is more likely to produce quality research. PMID:24179937

Electronic biomedical literature search for budding researcher.

PubMed

Thakre, Subhash B; Thakre S, Sushama S; Thakre, Amol D

2013-09-01

Search for specific and well defined literature related to subject of interest is the foremost step in research. When we are familiar with topic or subject then we can frame appropriate research question. Appropriate research question is the basis for study objectives and hypothesis. The Internet provides a quick access to an overabundance of the medical literature, in the form of primary, secondary and tertiary literature. It is accessible through journals, databases, dictionaries, textbooks, indexes, and e-journals, thereby allowing access to more varied, individualised, and systematic educational opportunities. Web search engine is a tool designed to search for information on the World Wide Web, which may be in the form of web pages, images, information, and other types of files. Search engines for internet-based search of medical literature include Google, Google scholar, Scirus, Yahoo search engine, etc., and databases include MEDLINE, PubMed, MEDLARS, etc. Several web-libraries (National library Medicine, Cochrane, Web of Science, Medical matrix, Emory libraries) have been developed as meta-sites, providing useful links to health resources globally. A researcher must keep in mind the strengths and limitations of a particular search engine/database while searching for a particular type of data. Knowledge about types of literature, levels of evidence, and detail about features of search engine as available, user interface, ease of access, reputable content, and period of time covered allow their optimal use and maximal utility in the field of medicine. Literature search is a dynamic and interactive process; there is no one way to conduct a search and there are many variables involved. It is suggested that a systematic search of literature that uses available electronic resource effectively, is more likely to produce quality research.

Competence and Competency-based Training: What the Literature Says

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, Hugh

2009-01-01

This literature review, commissioned by the National Quality Council, provides a historical account of the development of competency-based training in Australia and summarises the issues arising from the range of reviews conducted on elements of the national training system. It also explores the variety of ways in which competence is conceived…

TQM in Higher Education: What Does the Literature Say?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzler, Elizabeth

The implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in an organization implies a fundamental change in the way that organization functions. Therefore an examination of the adoption of the TQM philosophy necessitates a review of the most significant and latest literature on change theory and on the impact of organizational culture on change, as…

Quality Perception within Corporate E-Learning Providers in Catalonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangra, Albert; Fernandez-Michels, Pedro

2011-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to describe the Catalan corporate e-learning providers from the perspective of quality perception, quality assessment and quality control. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review reveals key aspects of the definition of quality in e-learning. The results of the review constitute the basis for exploratory research…

Creating the Total Quality Effective School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lezotte, Lawrence W.

This book shows how Deming's Total Quality Management (TQM) theory for organizational management can be integrated with the effective-schools literature. Part 1 compares the 14 principles of TQM with the tenets of effective-schools research. The second part develops a blueprint for creating the total quality effective school. The conceptual…

A School-Based Quality Improvement Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rappaport, Lewis A.

1993-01-01

As one Brooklyn high school discovered, quality improvement begins with administrator commitment and participants' immersion in the literature. Other key elements include ongoing training of personnel involved in the quality-improvement process, tools such as the Deming Cycle (plan-do-check-act), voluntary and goal-oriented teamwork, and a worthy…

Intra-Articular Cellular Therapy for Osteoarthritis and Focal Cartilage Defects of the Knee: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Study Quality Analysis.

PubMed

Chahla, Jorge; Piuzzi, Nicolas S; Mitchell, Justin J; Dean, Chase S; Pascual-Garrido, Cecilia; LaPrade, Robert F; Muschler, George F

2016-09-21

Intra-articular cellular therapy injections constitute an appealing strategy that may modify the intra-articular milieu or regenerate cartilage in the settings of osteoarthritis and focal cartilage defects. However, little consensus exists regarding the indications for cellular therapies, optimal cell sources, methods of preparation and delivery, or means by which outcomes should be reported. We present a systematic review of the current literature regarding the safety and efficacy of cellular therapy delivered by intra-articular injection in the knee that provided a Level of Evidence of III or higher. A total of 420 papers were screened. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified Coleman methodology score. Only 6 studies (4 Level II and 2 Level III) met the criteria to be included in this review; 3 studies were on treatment of osteoarthritis and 3 were on treatment of focal cartilage defects. These included 4 randomized controlled studies without blinding, 1 prospective cohort study, and 1 retrospective therapeutic case-control study. The studies varied widely with respect to cell sources, cell characterization, adjuvant therapies, and assessment of outcomes. Outcome was reported in a total of 300 knees (124 in the osteoarthritis studies and 176 in the cartilage defect studies). Mean follow-up was 21.0 months (range, 12 to 36 months). All studies reported improved outcomes with intra-articular cellular therapy and no major adverse events. The mean modified Coleman methodology score was 59.1 ± 16 (range, 32 to 82). The studies of intra-articular cellular therapy injections for osteoarthritis and focal cartilage defects in the human knee suggested positive results with respect to clinical improvement and safety. However, the improvement was modest and a placebo effect cannot be disregarded. The overall quality of the literature was poor, and the methodological quality was fair, even among Level-II and III studies. Effective clinical assessment and

Measuring patient-perceived hospital service quality: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Pai, Yogesh P; Chary, Satyanarayana T

2016-04-18

Purpose - Although measuring healthcare service quality is not a new phenomenon, the instruments used to measure are timeworn. With the shift in focus to patient centric processes in hospitals and recognizing healthcare to be different compared to other services, service quality measurement needs to be tuned specifically to healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to design a conceptual framework for measuring patient perceived hospital service quality (HSQ), based on existing service quality literature. Design/methodology/approach - Using HSQ theories, expanding existing healthcare service models and literature, a conceptual framework is proposed to measure HSQ. The paper outlines patient perceived service quality dimensions. Findings - An instrument for measuring HSQ dimensions is developed and compared with other service quality measuring instruments. The latest dimensions are in line with previous studies, but a relationship dimension is added. Practical implications - The framework empowers managers to assess healthcare quality in corporate, public and teaching hospitals. Originality/value - The paper helps academics and practitioners to assess HSQ from a patient perspective.

Quality assurance of qualitative research: a review of the discourse

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Increasing demand for qualitative research within global health has emerged alongside increasing demand for demonstration of quality of research, in line with the evidence-based model of medicine. In quantitative health sciences research, in particular clinical trials, there exist clear and widely-recognised guidelines for conducting quality assurance of research. However, no comparable guidelines exist for qualitative research and although there are long-standing debates on what constitutes 'quality' in qualitative research, the concept of 'quality assurance' has not been explored widely. In acknowledgement of this gap, we sought to review discourses around quality assurance of qualitative research, as a first step towards developing guidance. Methods A range of databases, journals and grey literature sources were searched, and papers were included if they explicitly addressed quality assurance within a qualitative paradigm. A meta-narrative approach was used to review and synthesise the literature. Results Among the 37 papers included in the review, two dominant narratives were interpreted from the literature, reflecting contrasting approaches to quality assurance. The first focuses on demonstrating quality within research outputs; the second focuses on principles for quality practice throughout the research process. The second narrative appears to offer an approach to quality assurance that befits the values of qualitative research, emphasising the need to consider quality throughout the research process. Conclusions The paper identifies the strengths of the approaches represented in each narrative and recommend these are brought together in the development of a flexible framework to help qualitative researchers to define, apply and demonstrate principles of quality in their research. PMID:22182674

Governing the quality and safety of healthcare: A conceptual framework.

PubMed

Brown, Alison; Dickinson, Helen; Kelaher, Margaret

2018-04-01

Recent research has advanced understanding of corporate governance of healthcare quality, highlighting the need for future empirical work to develop beyond a focus on board composition to a more detailed exploration of the internal workings of governance that influence board engagement and activities. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to guide empirical research examining the work of board and senior management in governing healthcare quality. To generate this framework, existing conceptual approaches and key constructs influencing effectiveness are identified in the governance literature. Commonalities between governance and team effectiveness literature are mapped and suggest a number of key constructs in the team effectiveness literature are applicable to, but not yet fully explored, within the governance literature. From these we develop a healthcare governance conceptual framework encompassing both literatures, that outlines input and mediating factors influencing governance. The mapping process highlights gaps in research related to board dynamics and external influences that require further investigation. Organizing the multiple complex factors that influence governance of healthcare quality in a conceptual framework brings a new perspective to structuring theory-led research and informing future policy initiatives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Assessment of an educational technology in the string literature about breastfeeding].

PubMed

de Oliveira, Paula Marciana Pinheiro; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag

2013-02-01

The goal of this study was to assess educational technology in the string literature about breastfeeding. The study was conducted between March and September 2009 by breastfeeding experts and experts on string literature. A psychometric model was adopted as the theoretical-methodological framework. For data collection, an instrument was used to assess the content about breastfeeding and the string literature rules. The analysis was based on comparisons of the notes and critical reflections of experts. Ethical guidelines were followed during the study. After the assessments, the educational technology was adjusted until all of the experts agreed. The assessment of educational technology can reduce obstacles to information dissemination and can lead to improvements in quality of life.

Implementation Quality of Family Literacy Programmes: A Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Rie, S.; van Steensel, R. C. M.; van Gelderen, A. J. S.

2017-01-01

Raising the literacy levels of young children is a major concern in many countries for which various programmes have been suggested. One of these is family literacy programmes. In previous meta-analyses wide variability in effects has been found and it has been suggested that this is partly caused by variability in implementation quality. This…

Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Air Pollution Control Administration (DHEW), Washington, DC.

To assist states in developing air quality standards, this book offers a review of literature related to atmospheric particulates and the development of criteria for air quality. It not only summarizes the current scientific knowledge of particulate air pollution, but points up the major deficiencies in that knowledge and the need for further…

Quality Assurance in Distance Learning Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripathi, Manorama; Jeevan, V. K. J.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to study how the present distance learning libraries can improve upon their existing services and introduce new ones to enhance quality of services to distance learners. Design/methodology/approach: The paper includes a review of literature on quality assurance in open and distance education in general and student support…

Protein quality and growth in malnourished children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Protein quality refers to the amounts and ratios of essential amino acids in a food. Two methods most commonly used for determining protein quality are the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) and the digestible indispensible amino acid score (DIAAS). To use existing literature ...

T4 Syndrome: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Karas, Steve; Pannone, Albert

2017-02-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify any available evidence regarding T4 syndrome. Databases were searched from inception through October 2015 and included PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, Google Scholar, Osteomed-DR; Index to Chiropractic Literature, PROSPERO, and Chiroaccess. All studies with information about T4 syndrome that were published in a peer-reviewed journal or textbook were included. The information was organized in the format of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Studies were ranked using Sackett's levels of evidence. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria. Studied areas included theoretical pathophysiology and symptom etiology, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes of T4 syndrome. The methodological quality of included studies was low. T4 syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion that appears to be rare. It has been treated conservatively in the literature using mobilization and exercise. There is no high-quality evidence published about T4 syndrome, and we caution clinicians when considering it as a primary means to determine patient care. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of strategies to increase coverage of routine immunizations in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review of the grey literature.

PubMed Central

Batt, Katherine; Fox-Rushby, J. A.; Castillo-Riquelme, Marianela

2004-01-01

Evidence-based reviews of published literature can be subject to several biases. Grey literature, however, can be of poor quality and expensive to access. Effective search strategies also vary by topic and are rarely known in advance. This paper complements a systematic review of the published literature on the costs and effects of expanding immunization services in developing countries. The quality of data on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of strategies to increase immunization coverage is shown to be similar across literatures, but the quality of information on costing is much lower in the grey literature. After excluding poorer quality studies from this review we found the quantity of available evidence almost doubled, particularly for more complex health-system interventions and cost or cost-effectiveness analyses. Interventions in the grey literature are more up to date and cover a different geographical spread. Consequently the conclusions of the published and grey literatures differ, although the number of papers is still too low to account for differences across types of interventions. We recommend that in future researchers consider using non-English keywords in their searches. PMID:15628207

Linking Children's Literature with Social Studies in the Elementary Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almerico, Gina M.

2013-01-01

The author shares information related to integrating quality literature written for children into the teaching of social studies at the elementary school level. Research within the past decade informs educators of the strong impact of curriculum standards for the social studies as developed by professional organizations. Teachers today are…

Clinical Case Reporting in the Peer-Reviewed Physical Therapy Literature: Time to Move Toward Functioning.

PubMed

Davenport, Todd E

2015-12-01

Physical therapists increasingly are contributing clinical case reports to the health literature, which form the basis for higher quality evidence that has been incorporated into clinical practice guidelines. Yet, few resources exist to assist physical therapists with the basic mechanics and quality standards of producing a clinical case report. This situation is further complicated by the absence of uniform standards for quality in case reporting. The importance of including a concise yet comprehensive description of patient functioning in all physical therapy case reports suggest the potential appropriateness of basing quality guidelines on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) model. The purpose of this paper is to assist physical therapists in creating high-quality clinical case reports for the peer-reviewed literature using the ICF model as a guiding framework. Along these lines, current recommendations related to the basic mechanics of writing a successful clinical case report are reviewed, as well and a proposal for uniform clinical case reporting requirements is introduced with the aim to improve the quality and feasibility of clinical case reporting in physical therapy that are informed by the ICF model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Process and key points of clinical literature evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

The clinical literature evaluation of the post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine is a comprehensive evaluation by the comprehensive gain, analysis of the drug, literature of drug efficacy, safety, economy, based on the literature evidence and is part of the evaluation of evidence-based medicine. The literature evaluation in the post-marketing Chinese medicine clinical evaluation is in the foundation and the key position. Through the literature evaluation, it can fully grasp the information, grasp listed drug variety of traditional Chinese medicines second development orientation, make clear further clinical indications, perfect the medicines, etc. This paper discusses the main steps and emphasis of the clinical literature evaluation. Emphasizing security literature evaluation should attach importance to the security of a comprehensive collection drug information. Safety assessment should notice traditional Chinese medicine validity evaluation in improving syndrome, improveing the living quality of patients with special advantage. The economics literature evaluation should pay attention to reliability, sensitivity and practicability of the conclusion.

Accounting for quality: on the relationship between accounting and quality improvement in healthcare.

PubMed

Pflueger, Dane

2015-04-23

Accounting-that is, standardized measurement, public reporting, performance evaluation and managerial control-is commonly seen to provide the core infrastructure for quality improvement in healthcare. Yet, accounting successfully for quality has been a problematic endeavor, often producing dysfunctional effects. This has raised questions about the appropriate role for accounting in achieving quality improvement. This paper contributes to this debate by contrasting the specific way in which accounting is understood and operationalized for quality improvement in the UK National Health Service (NHS) with findings from the broadly defined 'social studies of accounting' literature and illustrative examples. This paper highlights three significant differences between the way that accounting is understood to operate in the dominant health policy discourse and recent healthcare reforms, and in the social studies of accounting literature. It shows that accounting does not just find things out, but makes them up. It shows that accounting is not simply a matter of substance, but of style. And it shows that accounting does not just facilitate, but displaces, control. The illumination of these differences in the way that accounting is conceptualized helps to diagnose why accounting interventions often fail to produce the quality improvements that were envisioned. This paper concludes that accounting is not necessarily incompatible with the ambition of quality improvement, but that it would need to be understood and operationalized in new ways in order to contribute to this end. Proposals for this new way of advancing accounting are discussed. They include the cultivation of overlapping and even conflicting measures of quality, the evaluation of accounting regimes in terms of what they do to practice, and the development of distinctively skeptical calculative cultures.

Guidelines for overcoming hospital managerial challenges: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Crema, Maria; Verbano, Chiara

2013-01-01

Purpose The need to respond to accreditation institutes’ and patients’ requirements and to align health care results with increased medical knowledge is focusing greater attention on quality in health care. Different tools and techniques have been adopted to measure and manage quality, but clinical errors are still too numerous, suggesting that traditional quality improvement systems are unable to deal appropriately with hospital challenges. The purpose of this paper is to grasp the current tools, practices, and guidelines adopted in health care to improve quality and patient safety and create a base for future research on this young subject. Methods A systematic literature review was carried out. A search of academic databases, including papers that focus not only on lean management, but also on clinical errors and risk reduction, yielded 47 papers. The general characteristics of the selected papers were analyzed, and a content analysis was conducted. Results A variety of managerial techniques, tools, and practices are being adopted in health care, and traditional methodologies have to be integrated with the latest ones in order to reduce errors and ensure high quality and patient safety. As it has been demonstrated, these tools are useful not only for achieving efficiency objectives, but also for providing higher quality and patient safety. Critical indications and guidelines for successful implementation of new health managerial methodologies are provided and synthesized in an operative scheme useful for extending and deepening knowledge of these issues with further studies. Conclusion This research contributes to introducing a new theme in health care literature regarding the development of successful projects with both clinical risk management and health lean management objectives, and should address solutions for improving health care even in the current context of decreasing resources. PMID:24307833

Quality improvement in neurology: AAN Parkinson disease quality measures

PubMed Central

Cheng, E.M.; Tonn, S.; Swain-Eng, R.; Factor, S.A.; Weiner, W.J.; Bever, C.T.

2010-01-01

Background: Measuring the quality of health care is a fundamental step toward improving health care and is increasingly used in pay-for-performance initiatives and maintenance of certification requirements. Measure development to date has focused on primary care and common conditions such as diabetes; thus, the number of measures that apply to neurologic care is limited. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) identified the need for neurologists to develop measures of neurologic care and to establish a process to accomplish this. Objective: To adapt and test the feasibility of a process for independent development by the AAN of measures for neurologic conditions for national measurement programs. Methods: A process that has been used nationally for measure development was adapted for use by the AAN. Topics for measure development are chosen based upon national priorities, available evidence base from a systematic literature search, gaps in care, and the potential impact for quality improvement. A panel composed of subject matter and measure development methodology experts oversees the development of the measures. Recommendation statements and their corresponding level of evidence are reviewed and considered for development into draft candidate measures. The candidate measures are refined by the expert panel during a 30-day public comment period and by review by the American Medical Association for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) II codes. All final AAN measures are approved by the AAN Board of Directors. Results: Parkinson disease (PD) was chosen for measure development. A review of the medical literature identified 258 relevant recommendation statements. A 28-member panel approved 10 quality measures for PD that included full specifications and CPT II codes. Conclusion: The AAN has adapted a measure development process that is suitable for national measurement programs and has demonstrated its capability to independently develop quality measures. GLOSSARY

Text mining applications in psychiatry: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Abbe, Adeline; Grouin, Cyril; Zweigenbaum, Pierre; Falissard, Bruno

2016-06-01

The expansion of biomedical literature is creating the need for efficient tools to keep pace with increasing volumes of information. Text mining (TM) approaches are becoming essential to facilitate the automated extraction of useful biomedical information from unstructured text. We reviewed the applications of TM in psychiatry, and explored its advantages and limitations. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using the CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases. In this review, 1103 papers were screened, and 38 were included as applications of TM in psychiatric research. Using TM and content analysis, we identified four major areas of application: (1) Psychopathology (i.e. observational studies focusing on mental illnesses) (2) the Patient perspective (i.e. patients' thoughts and opinions), (3) Medical records (i.e. safety issues, quality of care and description of treatments), and (4) Medical literature (i.e. identification of new scientific information in the literature). The information sources were qualitative studies, Internet postings, medical records and biomedical literature. Our work demonstrates that TM can contribute to complex research tasks in psychiatry. We discuss the benefits, limits, and further applications of this tool in the future. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Marital Quality from a Rural Indian Context in Comparative Perspective

PubMed Central

Allendorf, Keera

2016-01-01

This paper describes the conception of marital quality held by respondents living in one Indian village, as identified through an analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=46). Their conception of marital quality is summed up in the overarching ideal of the life partner and characterized by the dimensions of love, peace, understanding, communication, trust, and balance. This conception is then compared to the conception of marital quality found in the literature, which was developed in reference to Western contexts. The comparison suggests that the villagers’ conception of marital quality intersects in many ways with that found in the literature, but there are also important differences. These results point to the importance of greater examination of marital quality in non-Western contexts without unthinkingly applying Western measures. PMID:27152057

Risk factors for domestic minor sex trafficking in the United States: a literature review.

PubMed

Choi, Kristen R

2015-01-01

Domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) is an important social and public health problem, but it has received little attention from healthcare professionals in research, practice, and policy. Prevention and early victim identification efforts for this population are severely limited or entirely absent. The aim of this study was to integrate evidence on risk factors for DMST and critically appraise the quality and quantity of nursing literature on DMST. This literature review was reported using PRISMA criteria. Three databases (CINAHL, PsychInfo, and PubMed) were searched using various terms for (a) human trafficking, (b) risk factors, and (c) children. Demographic factors were not important predictors of DMST. Childhood maltreatment trauma and running away from home were the most important risk factors for trafficking victimization. There was little nursing literature on the topic of DMST. Nurses and other healthcare professionals must engage in confronting DMST by improving early identification of victims and conducting high-quality research to inform practice.

Infusing Multicultural Literature into Teacher Education Programs: Three Instructional Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howlett, Kristina M.; Bowles, Freddie A.; Lincoln, Felicia

2017-01-01

Today's classrooms in the United States reflect the growing diversity of the changing world. In order to prepare high-quality multicultural educators, the authors of this article, three teacher educators at a large, mid-south, research-one university, collaborated to share successful strategies to infuse multicultural literature into the three…

Assessing Personal Qualities in Medical School Admissions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albanese, Mark A.; Snow, Mikel H.; Skochelak, Susan E.; Huggett, Kathryn N.; Farrell, Philip M.

2003-01-01

Analyzes the challenges to using academic measures (MCAT scores and GPAs) as thresholds for medical school admissions and, for applicants exceeding the threshold, using personal qualities for admission decisions; reviews the literature on using the medical school interview and other admission data to assess personal qualities of applicants;…

[Technical recommendations and best practice guidelines for May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining: literature review and insights from the quality assurance].

PubMed

Piaton, Eric; Fabre, Monique; Goubin-Versini, Isabelle; Bretz-Grenier, Marie-Françoise; Courtade-Saïdi, Monique; Vincent, Serge; Belleannée, Geneviève; Thivolet, Françoise; Boutonnat, Jean; Debaque, Hervé; Fleury-Feith, Jocelyne; Vielh, Philippe; Cochand-Priollet, Béatrix; Egelé, Caroline; Bellocq, Jean-Pierre; Michiels, Jean-François

2015-08-01

May-Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) stain is a Romanowsky-type, polychromatic stain as those of Giemsa, Leishman and Wright. Apart being the reference method of haematology, it has become a routine stain of diagnostic cytopathology for the study of air-dried preparations (lymph node imprints, centrifuged body fluids and fine needle aspirations). In the context of their actions of promoting the principles of quality assurance in cytopathology, the French Association for Quality Assurance in Anatomic and Cytologic Pathology (AFAQAP) and the French Society of Clinical Cytology (SFCC) conducted a proficiency test on MGG stain in 2013. Results from the test, together with the review of literature data allow pre-analytical and analytical steps of MGG stain to be updated. Recommendations include rapid air-drying of cell preparations/imprints, fixation using either methanol or May-Grünwald alone for 3-10minutes, two-step staining: 50% May-Grünwald in buffer pH 6.8 v/v for 3-5minutes, followed by 10% buffered Giemsa solution for 10-30minutes, and running water for 1-3minutes. Quality evaluation must be performed on red blood cells (RBCs) and leukocytes, not on tumour cells. Under correct pH conditions, RBCs must appear pink-orange (acidophilic) or buff-coloured, neither green nor blue. Leukocyte cytoplasm must be almost transparent, with clearly delineated granules. However, staining may vary somewhat and testing is recommended for automated methods (slide stainers) which remain the standard for reproducibility. Though MGG stain remains the reference stain, Diff-Quik(®) stain can be used for the rapid evaluation of cell samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fatigue following Acute Q-Fever: A Systematic Literature Review

PubMed Central

Delsing, Corine E.; Bleijenberg, Gijs; Langendam, Miranda; Timen, Aura; Bleeker-Rovers, Chantal P.

2016-01-01

Background Long-term fatigue with detrimental effects on daily functioning often occurs following acute Q-fever. Following the 2007–2010 Q-fever outbreak in the Netherlands with over 4000 notified cases, the emphasis on long-term consequences of Q-fever increased. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of all relevant available literature, and to identify knowledge gaps regarding the definition, diagnosis, background, description, aetiology, prevention, therapy, and prognosis, of fatigue following acute Q-fever. Design A systematic review was conducted through searching Pubmed, Embase, and PsycInfo for relevant literature up to 26th May 2015. References of included articles were hand searched for additional documents, and included articles were quality assessed. Results Fifty-seven articles were included and four documents classified as grey literature. The quality of most studies was low. The studies suggest that although most patients recover from fatigue within 6–12 months after acute Q-fever, approximately 20% remain chronically fatigued. Several names are used indicating fatigue following acute Q-fever, of which Q-fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) is most customary. Although QFS is described to occur frequently in many countries, a uniform definition is lacking. The studies report major health and work-related consequences, and is frequently accompanied by nonspecific complaints. There is no consensus with regard to aetiology, prevention, treatment, and prognosis. Conclusions Long-term fatigue following acute Q-fever, generally referred to as QFS, has major health-related consequences. However, information on aetiology, prevention, treatment, and prognosis of QFS is underrepresented in the international literature. In order to facilitate comparison of findings, and as platform for future studies, a uniform definition and diagnostic work-up and uniform measurement tools for QFS are proposed. PMID:27223465

Fatigue following Acute Q-Fever: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Morroy, Gabriella; Keijmel, Stephan P; Delsing, Corine E; Bleijenberg, Gijs; Langendam, Miranda; Timen, Aura; Bleeker-Rovers, Chantal P

2016-01-01

Long-term fatigue with detrimental effects on daily functioning often occurs following acute Q-fever. Following the 2007-2010 Q-fever outbreak in the Netherlands with over 4000 notified cases, the emphasis on long-term consequences of Q-fever increased. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of all relevant available literature, and to identify knowledge gaps regarding the definition, diagnosis, background, description, aetiology, prevention, therapy, and prognosis, of fatigue following acute Q-fever. A systematic review was conducted through searching Pubmed, Embase, and PsycInfo for relevant literature up to 26th May 2015. References of included articles were hand searched for additional documents, and included articles were quality assessed. Fifty-seven articles were included and four documents classified as grey literature. The quality of most studies was low. The studies suggest that although most patients recover from fatigue within 6-12 months after acute Q-fever, approximately 20% remain chronically fatigued. Several names are used indicating fatigue following acute Q-fever, of which Q-fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) is most customary. Although QFS is described to occur frequently in many countries, a uniform definition is lacking. The studies report major health and work-related consequences, and is frequently accompanied by nonspecific complaints. There is no consensus with regard to aetiology, prevention, treatment, and prognosis. Long-term fatigue following acute Q-fever, generally referred to as QFS, has major health-related consequences. However, information on aetiology, prevention, treatment, and prognosis of QFS is underrepresented in the international literature. In order to facilitate comparison of findings, and as platform for future studies, a uniform definition and diagnostic work-up and uniform measurement tools for QFS are proposed.

Quality of life in Arab women with breast cancer: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Haddou Rahou, Bouchra; El Rhazi, Karima; Ouasmani, Fatima; Nejjari, Chakib; Bekkali, Rachid; Montazeri, Ali; Mesfioui, Abdelhalem

2016-04-27

Quality of life has become an important concept in cancer care. Among the quality of lifestudies in cancer patients, breast cancer has received most attention. This review reports on quality of life in Arab patients with breast cancer. The search was conducted using inclusion and exclusion criteria and in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The databases consulted were PubMed, Sciences Direct, Index Medicus for Wordl Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean, African Journals Online and African Index Medicus. Thirteen articles from eight countries met the inclusion criteria. The EORTC quality of life questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23) were the most used instrument (7 out of 13). The results showed that good scores of global health were recorded at Arab women living in United Arab Emirates (mean score = 74.6) compared to other countries. The results indicated that there was a difference in quality of life scores and its associated factors among Arab women with breast cancer. This paper is the first that reviewed published research on quality of life among Arab women with breast cancer. We found that insufficient results-related information is available.

Health-related quality-of-life of children with speech and language difficulties: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Feeney, Rachel; Desha, Laura; Ziviani, Jenny; Nicholson, Jan M

2012-02-01

A review of the literature has been undertaken to examine health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents with speech and language difficulties (SaLD), with a particular focus on evidence regarding the domains of HRQoL most affected by SaLD. Twelve electronic databases were searched for articles on this topic published from 1966 to January 2011. Seven studies suitable for inclusion were identified. These papers were reviewed in relation to their participants, sample size, study design, and outcome measures, which differed considerably across studies. From the studies reviewed, there is emerging evidence that HRQoL can be compromised for children and adolescents with SaLD relative to their peers, and some consensus that the social domain of HRQoL is most impacted. Overall, the review highlights a paucity of research in this area and recommendations are made as to how research may advance. Most importantly, studies examining the effect of child and family factors in mediating or moderating the relationship between SaLD and HRQoL are required. This knowledge will support the identification of children with SaLD at risk of poorer HRQoL outcomes and inform intervention strategies through the identification of relevant risk and protective factors.

Grading the commercial optical biosensor literature-Class of 2008: 'The Mighty Binders'.

PubMed

Rich, Rebecca L; Myszka, David G

2010-01-01

Optical biosensor technology continues to be the method of choice for label-free, real-time interaction analysis. But when it comes to improving the quality of the biosensor literature, education should be fundamental. Of the 1413 articles published in 2008, less than 30% would pass the requirements for high-school chemistry. To teach by example, we spotlight 10 papers that illustrate how to implement the technology properly. Then we grade every paper published in 2008 on a scale from A to F and outline what features make a biosensor article fabulous, middling or abysmal. To help improve the quality of published data, we focus on a few experimental, analysis and presentation mistakes that are alarmingly common. With the literature as a guide, we want to ensure that no user is left behind. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Influence of leadership on quality nursing care.

PubMed

Mendes, Luis; Fradique, Maria de Jesus José Gil

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which nursing leadership, perceived by nursing staff, influences nursing quality. Data were collected between August and October 2011 in a Portuguese health center via a questionnaire completed by nurses. Our original sample included 283 employees; 184 questionnaires were received (65% response). The theoretical model presents reasonably satisfactory fit indices (values above literature reference). Path analysis between latent constructs clearly suggests that nursing leadership has a direct (beta = 0.724) and statistically significant (p = 0.007) effect on nursing quality. Results reinforce several ideas propagated throughout the literature, which suggests the relationship's relevance, but lacks empirical support, which this study corrects.

Quality of Life in Patients Suffering from Insomnia

PubMed Central

Bagot, Kara; Thomas, Shannon; Magakian, Naira; Bedwani, Dina; Larson, David; Brownstein, Alexandra; Zaky, Christine

2012-01-01

Objective: Systematic review of the literature pertaining to quality of life studies in adults suffering from insomnia, by specifically addressing the following questions: 1) What is the impact of insomnia on quality of life? 2) To what extent do comorbid conditions affect quality of life in patients with insomnia? 3) What is the impact of insomnia treatment on quality of life? Design: Our search was conducted using the MEDLINE/PubMed and PsycINFO databases from the past 25 years (1987–2012), using the keywords “Insomnia” AND “Quality of Life,” “QOL,” “Health-related quality of life,” or “HRQOL.” Fifty-eight studies were selected for inclusion by two physicians who reached a consensus about the studies to include in this review. Results: The literature reveals that quality of life is severely impaired in individuals with insomnia, comorbid conditions significantly affects quality of life negatively, and sleep restoration techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy and medications, are successful at improving quality of life. However, restoration of quality of life to community levels is still unclear. Conclusion: Insomnia and its comorbidities negatively affect an individual’s quality of life, and different modalities of treatment can produce improvements in physical and psychological wellbeing and quality of life. More research is needed to develop more interventions that specifically focus on improving quality of life in patients suffering from insomnia. PMID:23198273

Older Adult Participants in Music: A Review of Related Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darrough, Galen P.; Boswell, Jacquelyn

1992-01-01

Reviews research literature published between 1957 and 1990 regarding the musical involvement of the elderly. Divides studies into works dealing with (1) musical aptitude, (2) musical preferences, (3) music programs for older adults, and (4) the aging voice. Cites the enormous and growing quantity and quality of research on the subject. Identifies…

Environmental-Ecological Education: A Bibliography of Fiction, Nonfiction, and Textbooks for Elementary and Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watt, Lois B., Comp.; Thomas, Myra H., Comp.

This bibliography of juvenile literature, textbooks, and professional resources for teachers is based on acquisitions received between January 1st 1969 and May 25 1971 by the Educational Materials Center of the National Center for Educational Communication. The books annotated within have not been evaluated, however, they have been selected on the…

Health related quality of life in men with prostate cancer.

PubMed

Penson, David F; Litwin, Mark S; Aaronson, Neil K

2003-05-01

Quality of life is of great concern to patients considering treatment options for prostate cancer. In the absence of clinical trial data clearly demonstrating that a particular treatment is superior to another for localized prostate cancer, in terms of cause specific survival, patients may value quality of life as much as quantity of life. The goal of this review is to familiarize the reader with the methodology of quality of life research and to review the recent literature on quality of life outcomes in prostate cancer. A structured MEDLINE review of literature on health related quality of life in prostate cancer for the years 1995 to 2001 was performed, and was augmented with highly relevant articles from additional selected journals. In the case of advanced or metastatic disease, where the goal of treatment is palliation and symptom-free survival, quality of life often becomes the primary desired outcome. In localized disease all treatments affect health related quality of life, although the impact of each therapy on sexual, urinary and bowel function is unique. Although a highly personal and subjective entity, health related quality of life can be assessed using rigorous and scientifically stringent methods from the field of psychometric test theory. A substantial amount of literature exists regarding the use of established and validated instruments for assessing the impact of prostate cancer and its treatment on health related quality of life. This information is of critical importance when counseling men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer regarding treatment choices and is also helpful in setting appropriate expectations for men with metastatic disease.

The effect of feedback to general practitioners on quality of care for people with type 2 diabetes. A systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Guldberg, Trine Lignell; Lauritzen, Torsten; Kristensen, Jette Kolding; Vedsted, Peter

2009-01-01

Background There have been numerous efforts to improve and assure the quality of treatment and follow-up of people with Type 2 diabetes (PT2D) in general practice. Facilitated by the increasing usability and validity of guidelines, indicators and databases, feedback on diabetes care is a promising tool in this aspect. Our goal was to assess the effect of feedback to general practitioners (GPs) on the quality of care for PT2D based on the available literature. Methods Systematic review searches were conducted using October 2008 updates of Medline (Pubmed), Cochrane library and Embase databases. Additional searches in reference lists and related articles were conducted. Papers were included if published in English, performed as randomized controlled trials, studying diabetes, having general practice as setting and using feedback to GPs on diabetes care. The papers were assessed according to predefined criteria. Results Ten studies complied with the inclusion criteria. Feedback improved the care for PT2D, particularly process outcomes such as foot exams, eye exams and Hba1c measurements. Clinical outcomes like lowering of blood pressure, Hba1c and cholesterol levels were seen in few studies. Many process and outcome measures did not improve, while none deteriorated. Meta analysis was unfeasible due to heterogeneity of the studies included. Two studies used electronic feedback. Conclusion Based on this review, feedback seems a promising tool for quality improvement in diabetes care, but more research is needed, especially of electronic feedback. PMID:19419548

Lean interventions in healthcare: do they actually work? A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Moraros, John; Lemstra, Mark; Nwankwo, Chijioke

2016-04-01

Lean is a widely used quality improvement methodology initially developed and used in the automotive and manufacturing industries but recently expanded to the healthcare sector. This systematic literature review seeks to independently assess the effect of Lean or Lean interventions on worker and patient satisfaction, health and process outcomes, and financial costs. We conducted a systematic literature review of Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, ABI/Inform, ERIC, EMBASE and SCOPUS. Peer reviewed articles were included if they examined a Lean intervention and included quantitative data. Methodological quality was assessed using validated critical appraisal checklists. Publically available data collected by the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses were also analysed and reported separately. Data on design, methods, interventions and key outcomes were extracted and collated. Our electronic search identified 22 articles that passed methodological quality review. Among the accepted studies, 4 were exclusively concerned with health outcomes, 3 included both health and process outcomes and 15 included process outcomes. Our study found that Lean interventions have: (i) no statistically significant association with patient satisfaction and health outcomes; (ii) a negative association with financial costs and worker satisfaction and (iii) potential, yet inconsistent, benefits on process outcomes like patient flow and safety. While some may strongly believe that Lean interventions lead to quality improvements in healthcare, the evidence to date simply does not support this claim. More rigorous, higher quality and better conducted scientific research is required to definitively ascertain the impact and effectiveness of Lean in healthcare settings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care.

Chicano Literature: Expanding the Base of American Literature, Bibliography and Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-T., Cesar A.; Salgado, Jose

This paper has 2 parts: (1) an overview of the history and chronology of Chicano literature; and (2) a review of bibliographies of Chicano literature. Chicano literature can be divided into pre-Chicano literature (1535-1959) and contemporary Chicano literature (1959 to the present). Colonial literature is that written between 1542 and the Mexican…

Continuous Improvement and Quality: Implications for Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satterlee, Brian

This paper reviews the literature pertaining to Total Quality Management (TQM) and its application in educational settings, especially at institutions of higher education. The review is organized into the following topical areas: the concept of "quality" (usually involving customer satisfaction, executive-level leadership, and employee…

Drawing on Other Disciplines to Define Quality in Bioethics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avci, Ercan

2017-01-01

In light of the lack of scholarly studies on the determination of quality in bioethics education, this paper aims to elaborate the concept of quality, focus on its understanding in education and explore a definition of quality in bioethics education. The findings of the literature-based research indicate that quality is a multidimensional concept…

Clinical leadership in pre-registration nursing programmes--an international literature review.

PubMed

Brown, Angela; Crookes, Patrick; Dewing, Jan

2015-01-01

Clinical leadership and the safety, quality and efficiency of patient/client care are inextricably linked in government reports, major inquiries and the professional literature. This review explores the literature on clinical leadership development within pre-registration nursing programmes. The literature retrieved from a scoping review was evaluated to identify what is already published on the development of clinical leadership within pre-registration nursing programmes. Twenty-seven publications matched the inclusion criteria and were included in this review, 14 journal articles, one thesis and 11 chapters within one book were analysed and three themes were identified: clinical leadership; curriculum content and pedagogy. RESULTS AND MAIN OUTCOMES: This review identified a paucity of literature specifically relating to clinical leadership and pre-registration nursing programmes and what is available is inconclusive and unconvincing. Academics, curriculum development leaders and accreditation bodies have a responsibility to influence how nurses are prepared for the profession as such clinical leadership and the new graduate should be considered an area of greater importance.

Clinical librarian attendance at general surgery quality of care rounds (Morbidity and Mortality Conference).

PubMed

Greco, Elisa; Englesakis, Marina; Faulkner, Amy; Trojan, Boguslawa; Rotstein, Lorne E; Urbach, David R

2009-09-01

Quality of Care rounds, also known as Mortality and Morbidity conferences, are an important and time-honored forum for quality audit in clinical surgery services. The authors created a modification to their hospital's Quality of Care rounds by incorporating a clinical librarian, who assisted residents in conducting literature reviews related to clinical topics discussed during the rounds. The objective of this article is to describe the authors' experience with this intervention. The clinical librarian program has greatly improved the Quality of Care rounds by aiding in literature searches and quality of up-to-date, evidence-based presentations.

Searching for disability in electronic databases of published literature.

PubMed

Walsh, Emily S; Peterson, Jana J; Judkins, Dolores Z

2014-01-01

As researchers in disability and health conduct systematic reviews with greater frequency, the definition of disability used in these reviews gains importance. Translating a comprehensive conceptual definition of "disability" into an operational definition that utilizes electronic databases in the health sciences is a difficult step necessary for performing systematic literature reviews in the field. Consistency of definition across studies will help build a body of evidence that is comparable and amenable to synthesis. To illustrate a process for operationalizing the World Health Organization's International Classification of Disability, Functioning, and Health concept of disability for MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. We created an electronic search strategy in conjunction with a reference librarian and an expert panel. Quality control steps included comparison of search results to results of a search for a specific disabling condition and to articles nominated by the expert panel. The complete search strategy is presented. Results of the quality control steps indicated that our strategy was sufficiently sensitive and specific. Our search strategy will be valuable to researchers conducting literature reviews on broad populations with disabilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regulators' Views of Quality in Early Childhood Care and Education Settings in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanafin, Sinéad

2016-01-01

There is a substantial literature on the importance of good-quality early childhood care and education services. There is also, however, some agreement that service quality is a nebulous concept which is difficult to define and therefore difficult to assess. While there is growing literature in the area, the views of one stakeholder group--that of…

Quality improvement in pediatric sepsis.

PubMed

Melendez, Elliot; Bachur, Richard

2015-06-01

Although there is abundant literature detailing the impact of quality improvement in adult sepsis, the pediatric literature is lacking. Despite consensus definitions for sepsis, which patients along the sepsis spectrum should receive aggressive management and the exact onset of sepsis ('time zero') are not clearly established. In the adult emergency department (ED), sepsis onset is defined as the time of entry into the ED; however, this definition cannot be applied to hospitalized patients or patients who evolve during their ED course. Since the time of sepsis onset will dictate the timeliness of subsequent process measures, the variable definitions in the literature make it difficult to generalize findings among prior studies. Despite the variation in defining time zero, aggressive fluid administration, timely antibiotics, and compliance with sepsis bundles have been shown to improve mortality and to reduce hospital and intensive care length of stay. In addition, early identification tools show promise in beginning to define sepsis onset and retrospective search tools may allow improved case finding of those children of concern for sepsis. Quality improvement in pediatric sepsis is evolving. As we continue to define quality measures, we must standardize the definition of sepsis onset. This definition should be applicable to any treatment venue to ensure measures can be evaluated across all settings. In addition, we must delineate which patients along the sepsis spectrum should be candidates for timely interventions and standardize other outcome measures beyond mortality.

State-of-the-evidence reviews: advantages and challenges of including grey literature.

PubMed

Benzies, Karen M; Premji, Shahirose; Hayden, K Alix; Serrett, Karen

2006-01-01

Increasingly, health policy decision-makers and professionals are turning to research-based evidence to support decisions about policy and practice. Systematic reviews are useful for gathering, summarizing, and synthesizing published and unpublished research about clearly defined interventions. State-of-the-evidence reviews are broader than traditional systematic reviews and may include not only published and unpublished research, but also published and unpublished non-research literature. Decisions about whether to include this "grey literature" in a review are challenging and lead to many questions about whether the advantages outweigh the challenges. The primary purpose of this article is to describe what constitutes grey literature, and methods to locate it and assess its quality. The secondary purpose is to discuss the core issues to consider when making decisions to include grey literature in a state-of-the-evidence review. A recent state-of-the-evidence review is used as an exemplar to present advantages and challenges related to including grey literature in a review. Despite the challenges, in the exemplar, inclusion of grey literature was useful to validate the results of a research-based literature search. Decisions about whether to include grey literature in a state-of-the-evidence review are complex. A checklist to assist in decision-making was created as a tool to assist the researcher in determining whether it is advantageous to include grey literature in a review.

Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: An Assessment and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernon, Peter; Nitecki, Danuta A.; Altman, Ellen

1999-01-01

Reviews the literature of library and information science to examine issues related to service quality and customer satisfaction in academic libraries. Discusses assessment, the application of a business model to higher education, a multiple constituency approach, decision areas regarding service quality, resistance to service quality, and future…

Psychogeriatric inpatient unit design: a literature review.

PubMed

Dobrohotoff, John T; Llewellyn-Jones, Robert H

2011-03-01

In many parts of the world the provision of psychogeriatric inpatient units (PGUs) remains limited. More units will be required over coming decades given rapid population aging. Medline (1950-2010), psycINFO (1806-2009), EMBASE (1980-2009) and CINAHL (1982-2009) were searched for papers about PGU design. Selected non-peer reviewed literature such as government reports and unpublished academic dissertations were also reviewed. Data were also obtained from the literature related to general adult psychiatry inpatient units where there was limited information from studies of units designed for older people. Over 200 papers were reviewed and 130 were included. There are few good quality studies to guide the design of acute PGUs and much of the existing literature is based on opinion and anecdote or, at best, based on observational studies. Randomized controlled studies comparing different designs and assessing outcomes are virtually non-existent. Several studies have identified violence and trauma resulting from hospitalization as significant problems with current acute PGU care. Despite its limitations the available literature provides useful guidance on how PGU design can optimize patient and staff safety and improve clinical outcomes. There are significant problems with current acute PGUs, and patient mix on existing units is an important issue. Future research should examine patient and staff perceptions of different PGU ward environments, the relationship between ward design and clinical outcomes, the effects of segregating patients with challenging behaviors in dementia and the benefits or otherwise of gender segregation.

Parent and Professional Perceptions of Inclusion in Childcare: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weglarz-Ward, Jenna M.; Santos, Rosa Milagros

2018-01-01

Many families seek quality, inclusive care for their young children with disabilities. A key to successful inclusion is understanding the needs of families and professionals who serve them. This review examined literature about the inclusion of young children with disabilities in childcare programs and collaboration among early childhood…

Bareroot nursery production and practices for white spruce: a literature review.

Treesearch

A.A. Alm; V.M. Vaughn; H.M. Rauscher

1991-01-01

This summary of white spruce literature covers seed collection and treatment, nursery cultural practices, seedling growth patterns and measurements of seedling quality. It includes information relevant to bareroot white spruce but does not cover containerized seedlings. It is intended for forest land managers, researchers and bareroot forest nursery managers.

Finding order in heterogeneity: types of quality-improvement intervention publications.

PubMed

Rubenstein, L V; Hempel, S; Farmer, M M; Asch, S M; Yano, E M; Dougherty, D; Shekelle, P W

2008-12-01

Stakeholders in quality improvement agree on the need for augmenting and synthesising the scientific literature supporting it. The diversity of perspectives, approaches, and contexts critical to advancing quality improvement science, however, creates challenges. The paper explores the heterogeneity in clinical quality improvement intervention (QII) publications. A preliminary classification framework was developed for QII articles, aiming for categories homogeneous enough to support coherent scientific discussion on QII reporting standards and facilitate systematic review. QII experts were asked to identify articles important to QII science. The framework was tested and revised by applying it to the article set. The final framework screened articles into (1) empirical literature on development and testing of QIIs; (2) QII stories, theories, and frameworks; (3) QII literature syntheses and meta-analyses; or (4) development and testing of QII-related tools. To achieve homogeneity, category (1) required division into (1a) development of QIIs; 1(b) history, documentation, or description of QIIs; or (1c) success, effectiveness or impact of QIIs. By discussing unique issues and established standards relevant to each category, QII stakeholders can advance QII practice and science, including the scope and conduct of systematic literature reviews.

School Quality, Educational Inequality and Economic Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Ramesh; Jani, Rohana bt

2008-01-01

Realizing the importance of education in developing a country, many governments had begun to pay more attention in improving the education quality in their country. However whether the desired level of education quality is equally distributed is still debated on. On top of that, current literature on which level of education, either basic or…

Critical Literature Pedagogy: Teaching Canonical Literature for Critical Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borsheim-Black, Carlin; Macaluso, Michael; Petrone, Robert

2014-01-01

This article introduces Critical Literature Pedagogy (CLP), a pedagogical framework for applying goals of critical literacy within the context of teaching canonical literature. Critical literacies encompass skills and dispositions to understand, question, and critique ideological messages of texts; because canonical literature is often…

Access to the scientific literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albarède, Francis

The Public Library of Science Open Letter (http://www.publiclibraryofscience.org) is a very generous initiative, but, as most similar initiatives since the advent of electronic publishing, it misses the critical aspects of electronic publishing.Ten years ago, a Publisher would be in charge of running a system called a “scientific journal.” In such a system, the presence of an Editor and peer Reviewers secures the strength of the science and the rigor of writing; the Publisher guarantees the professional quality of printing, efficient dissemination, and long-term archiving. Publishing used to be in everyone's best interest, or nearly everyone. The Publisher, because he/she is financially motivated, ensures widespread dissemination of the journal amongst libraries and individual subscribers. The interest of the Author is that the system guarantees a broad potential readership. The interest of the Reader is that a line is drawn between professionally edited literature, presumably of better quality, and gray literature or home publishing, so that he/she does not waste time going through ‘low yield’ ungraded information. The Publisher could either be a private company, an academic institution, or a scholarly society. My experience is that, when page charges and subscription rates are compounded, journals published by scholarly societies are not necessarily cheaper. The difference between these cases is not the cost of running an office with rents, wages, printing, postage, advertisement, and archiving, but that a private Publisher pays shareholders. Shareholders have the bad habit of minding their own business and, therefore, they may interfere negatively with scientific publishing. Nevertheless, while the stranglehold imposed by private Publishers on our libraries over the last 10 years by increasing subscription rates may in part be due to shareholders' greed, this is true only in part. The increases are also a consequence of the booming number of pages being

Global Health and Graduate Medical Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Bills, Corey B.; Ahn, James

2016-01-01

Background  Global health (GH) interest is increasing in graduate medical education (GME). The popularity of the GH topic has created growth in the GME literature. Objective  The authors aim to provide a systematic review of published approaches to GH in GME. Methods  We searched PubMed using variable keywords to identify articles with abstracts published between January 1975 and January 2015 focusing on GME approaches to GH. Articles meeting inclusion criteria were evaluated for content by authors to ensure relevance. Methodological quality was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI), which has demonstrated reliability and validity evidence. Results  Overall, 69 articles met initial inclusion criteria. Articles represented research and curricula from a number of specialties and a range of institutions. Many studies reported data from a single institution, lacked randomization and/or evidence of clinical benefit, and had poor reliability and validity evidence. The mean MERSQI score among 42 quantitative articles was 8.87 (2.79). Conclusions  There is significant heterogeneity in GH curricula in GME, with no single strategy for teaching GH to graduate medical learners. The quality of literature is marginal, and the body of work overall does not facilitate assessment of educational or clinical benefit of GH experiences. Improved methods of curriculum evaluation and enhanced publication guidelines would have a positive impact on the quality of research in this area. PMID:28018532

Application of Total Quality Management in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farooq, M. S.; Akhtar, M. S.; Ullah, S. Zia; Memon, R. A.

2007-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to analyzing thoughts of the modern management paradigm "Total Quality Management" (TQM), and its application in the field of education. The basic theme of TQM is participatory approach to address the question(s) of quality in business aswell as in the field of education. Reviewing fresh literature from the internet …

Multicultural Literature (Bookalogues).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Violet; And Others

1993-01-01

Reviews 23 recently published works of multicultural literature (African-American, Asian and Asian-American, Native American, and Hispanic literature). Discusses some issues related to multicultural literature, and includes a 58-item list of other multicultural literature. (RS)

Changes in the prosthodontic literature 1966 to 2042.

PubMed

Carlsson, Gunnar E

2005-05-01

To describe the growth and content of the prosthodontic literature over the last 4 decades, to make a prognosis on its probable development in the coming 4 decades and to discuss changes in the content of the International Journal of Prosthodontics (IJP) from its start in 1988 to 2004. MEDLINE was searched for articles on prosthodontics published between 1966 and April 2004. All volumes of IJP were examined with respect to type, subject area and geographic origin of articles. Using the term "prosthodontics," the MEDLINE search produced 66,600 hits. The proportion of clinical studies increased from 1% during the first 10-year period to 13% since 2001. Articles on removable dentures decreased during the period reviewed, whereas those on implant prosthodontics increased. Randomized controlled trials were rare and often of inadequate quality. Literature reviews have become popular, but many do not follow current guidelines for systematic reviews. A marked change in geographic origin of articles in IJP has occurred, with a decrease in material from North America and an increase in that from Europe and Asia. The Internet and open-access publishing will probably have a great impact on the future development of the prosthodontic literature. Substantial changes have occurred in the prosthodontic literature between 1966 and 2004, and they can be expected to continue with the rapid development of information technology and increased use of the Internet.

Regeneration and health: a structured, rapid literature review.

PubMed

McCartney, G; Hearty, W; Taulbut, M; Mitchell, R; Dryden, R; Collins, C

2017-07-01

To identify and synthesise what is known about the impacts of regeneration on health, health inequalities and their socio-economic determinants. Rapid, structured literature review. A rapid, structured approach was undertaken to identifying relevant studies involving a search of peer-reviewed literature databases, an Internet search to identify relevant grey literature, and a review of articles citing two key systematic reviews. The identified citations were screened, critically appraised according to the research design and narratively synthesised. Of the 1382 identified citations, 46 were screened as relevant to the review and included in the synthesis. Fifteen citations were reviews but most of the evidence identified or included within the reviews was of medium or low quality due to a lack of longitudinal follow-up, low response rates or attrition. The evidence base on the impacts of regeneration is generally not of high quality and is prone to bias. However, it is theorised as being an important means of addressing the socio-economic determinants of health. Housing refurbishment (generally, and for specific improvements) seems likely to lead to small improvements in health, whereas rehousing and mixed-tenure approaches have less clear impacts on health and carry risks of disruption to social networks and higher rents. Changes in the social composition of communities (gentrification) is a common outcome of regeneration and some 'partnership' approaches to regeneration have been shown to have caused difficulties within communities. The evidence base for regeneration activities is limited but they have substantial potential to contribute to improving population health. Better quality evidence is available for there being positive health impacts from housing-led regeneration programmes involving refurbishment and specific housing improvements. There is also some evidence of the potential harms of regeneration activities, including social stratification

Taking the trip of a lifetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pegg, David

2008-01-01

Upon receiving this book I was somewhat sceptical to see that the author, David Toomey, is not a physicist but instead has a PhD in English literature and teaches technical and non-fiction writing at the University of Massachusetts in the US. As I began to read it, however, my attitude changed. To many physicists, a book about time travel would be virtually indistinguishable from a piece of science fiction, particularly when there are no equations or experimental results provided. To have any chance of presenting the work in a convincing manner, therefore, any author of such a book must be quite skilled. Toomey not only accomplishes this, but also makes the book an enjoyable read.

Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verner, Zenobia, Ed.

1977-01-01

This issue provides a selection of articles about literature and the teaching of literature. Titles include "Sin, Salvation, and Grace in 'The Scarlet Letter,'""'The Road Not Taken': A Study in Ambiguity,""In Search of Shakespeare: The Essential Years,""Right Deeds for Wrong Reasons: Teaching the Bible as…

Lean interventions in healthcare: do they actually work? A systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Moraros, John; Lemstra, Mark; Nwankwo, Chijioke

2016-01-01

Purpose Lean is a widely used quality improvement methodology initially developed and used in the automotive and manufacturing industries but recently expanded to the healthcare sector. This systematic literature review seeks to independently assess the effect of Lean or Lean interventions on worker and patient satisfaction, health and process outcomes, and financial costs. Data sources We conducted a systematic literature review of Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, ABI/Inform, ERIC, EMBASE and SCOPUS. Study selection Peer reviewed articles were included if they examined a Lean intervention and included quantitative data. Methodological quality was assessed using validated critical appraisal checklists. Publically available data collected by the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses were also analysed and reported separately. Data extraction Data on design, methods, interventions and key outcomes were extracted and collated. Results of data synthesis Our electronic search identified 22 articles that passed methodological quality review. Among the accepted studies, 4 were exclusively concerned with health outcomes, 3 included both health and process outcomes and 15 included process outcomes. Our study found that Lean interventions have: (i) no statistically significant association with patient satisfaction and health outcomes; (ii) a negative association with financial costs and worker satisfaction and (iii) potential, yet inconsistent, benefits on process outcomes like patient flow and safety. Conclusion While some may strongly believe that Lean interventions lead to quality improvements in healthcare, the evidence to date simply does not support this claim. More rigorous, higher quality and better conducted scientific research is required to definitively ascertain the impact and effectiveness of Lean in healthcare settings. PMID:26811118

The Use of “Non-Fiction Novels” in a Sensation and Perception Course

PubMed Central

Gunther, Karen L.

2011-01-01

Scientific material can be difficult to relate to everyday knowledge. Textbook facts can be abstract. This Study of Teaching and Learning project examined the use of “non-fiction novels” (biographies and other books that read like novels but are true) in an undergraduate Sensation and Perception course in order to increase the concreteness of the reading material and to give the students a story on which to hang the facts learned in lecture. In Phase I (Fall 2009) non-fiction novels were used for half of the units and a standard textbook for the other half. In Phase II (Fall 2010) only non-fiction novels were used. The Fall 2009 class was very positive about the use of non-fiction novels, but exam scores did not mirror this enthusiasm, either on semester exam scores or on a four-month re-take of the cumulative final exam. In contrast, the Fall 2010 class missed having a textbook, but exam performance significantly improved over prior semesters, and performance on the four-month re-take of the cumulative final exam showed performance equivalent to the Fall 2009 class’s four-month performance on questions from textbook units. In both semesters, the effectiveness of the instructor in stimulating student interest was significantly higher than in prior years where only the textbook was used. In addition, 68% of the students said that reading the non-fiction novels made them want to learn more about our sensory systems. PMID:23626489

The Impact of Visualization Dashboards on Quality of Care and Clinician Satisfaction: Integrative Literature Review.

PubMed

Khairat, Saif Sherif; Dukkipati, Aniesha; Lauria, Heather Alico; Bice, Thomas; Travers, Debbie; Carson, Shannon S

2018-05-31

Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the United States admit more than 5.7 million people each year. The ICU level of care helps people with life-threatening illness or injuries and involves close, constant attention by a team of specially-trained health care providers. Delay between condition onset and implementation of necessary interventions can dramatically impact the prognosis of patients with life-threatening diagnoses. Evidence supports a connection between information overload and medical errors. A tool that improves display and retrieval of key clinical information has great potential to benefit patient outcomes. The purpose of this review is to synthesize research on the use of visualization dashboards in health care. The purpose of conducting this literature review is to synthesize previous research on the use of dashboards visualizing electronic health record information for health care providers. A review of the existing literature on this subject can be used to identify gaps in prior research and to inform further research efforts on this topic. Ultimately, this evidence can be used to guide the development, testing, and implementation of a new solution to optimize the visualization of clinical information, reduce clinician cognitive overload, and improve patient outcomes. Articles were included if they addressed the development, testing, implementation, or use of a visualization dashboard solution in a health care setting. An initial search was conducted of literature on dashboards only in the intensive care unit setting, but there were not many articles found that met the inclusion criteria. A secondary follow-up search was conducted to broaden the results to any health care setting. The initial and follow-up searches returned a total of 17 articles that were analyzed for this literature review. Visualization dashboard solutions decrease time spent on data gathering, difficulty of data gathering process, cognitive load, time to task completion, errors

High-Quality Music Teacher Professional Development: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Alfredo; Yau, Xenia; Wong, Joanne

2017-01-01

Most published journal articles describing professional development (PD) initiatives for K-12 music teachers have not explicitly alluded to the "features of high-quality PD", a solid theoretical framework arisen in content areas with more tradition in PD research (e.g. mathematics and science education). The goal of this review was to…

The Dietary Quality of Food Pantry Users: A Systematic Review of Existing Literature.

PubMed

Simmet, Anja; Depa, Julia; Tinnemann, Peter; Stroebele-Benschop, Nanette

2017-04-01

Users of food pantries often have a long history of food insecurity and may be vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies. The quality of their diets is not well researched. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the published evidence about the dietary quality of food pantry users. Systematic database searches of PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Psychology Behavioral Sciences Collection, and hand searches of references were conducted to identify cross-sectional, cohort, and intervention studies reporting baseline data, conducted in high-income countries and published between 1980 and 2015, which reported on the nutritional adequacy of individuals who have used a food pantry at least once in the previous 12 months. All identified citations were screened and independently assessed for eligibility. Results for dietary quality were summarized for overall diet quality, energy, food groups, macro- and micronutrients separately. The risk of bias of included studies was evaluated by using criteria of an adapted Ottawa Scale. The systematic review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. After applying predefined eligibility criteria, 16 articles were identified for inclusion. The diet quality among included food pantry users was low, as reflected by inadequate mean group intake of energy, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and calcium. Even if the group mean intake was adequate, large percentages of study populations did not meet the recommendations for vitamins A, C, D, and B vitamins, or iron, magnesium, and zinc. The representativeness of the studies varied widely and none of them were nationally representative. The current evidence suggests that the dietary intake of most food pantry users does not meet recommendations. Future research should draw more representative samples and investigate the impact of food pantries on users' diet. Copyright © 2017 Academy of

Medical literature searches: a comparison of PubMed and Google Scholar.

PubMed

Nourbakhsh, Eva; Nugent, Rebecca; Wang, Helen; Cevik, Cihan; Nugent, Kenneth

2012-09-01

Medical literature searches provide critical information for clinicians. However, the best strategy for identifying relevant high-quality literature is unknown. We compared search results using PubMed and Google Scholar on four clinical questions and analysed these results with respect to article relevance and quality. Abstracts from the first 20 citations for each search were classified into three relevance categories. We used the weighted kappa statistic to analyse reviewer agreement and nonparametric rank tests to compare the number of citations for each article and the corresponding journals' impact factors. Reviewers ranked 67.6% of PubMed articles and 80% of Google Scholar articles as at least possibly relevant (P = 0.116) with high agreement (all kappa P-values < 0.01). Google Scholar articles had a higher median number of citations (34 vs. 1.5, P < 0.0001) and came from higher impact factor journals (5.17 vs. 3.55, P = 0.036). PubMed searches and Google Scholar searches often identify different articles. In this study, Google Scholar articles were more likely to be classified as relevant, had higher numbers of citations and were published in higher impact factor journals. The identification of frequently cited articles using Google Scholar for searches probably has value for initial literature searches. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

A literature review of comfort in the paediatric critical care patient.

PubMed

Bosch-Alcaraz, Alejandro; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; Jordan, Iolanda

2018-03-08

To investigate the meaning of comfort and to contextualise it within the framework of paediatric critical care. The concept of comfort is closely linked to care in all health contexts. However, in specific settings such as the paediatric critical care unit, it takes on particular importance. A literature review was conducted. A literature search was performed of articles in English and Spanish in international health science databases, from 1992-March 2017, applying the quality standards established by the PRISMA methodology and the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 1,203 publications were identified in the databases. Finally, 59 articles which met the inclusion criteria were entered in this literature review. Almost all were descriptive studies written in English and published in Europe. The concept of comfort was defined as the immediate condition of being strengthened through having the three types of needs (relief, ease and transcendence) addressed in the four contexts of experience (physical, psychospiritual, social and environmental). Only two valid and reliable tools for assessing comfort were found: the Comfort Scale and the Comfort Behavior Scale. Comfort is subjective and difficult to assess. It has four facets: physical, emotional, social and environmental. High levels of noise and light are the inputs that cause the most discomfort. Comfort is a holistic, universal concept and an important component of quality nursing care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Quality of life after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a Comprehensive literature review and critical appraisal].

PubMed

Ferrari, Susy; Ciuca, Cristina; Grisoglio, Enrica; Aranzulla, Tiziana Claudia; Gabbieri, Davide; Vecchio Verderame, Lavinia; Dispensa, Flavia; Caruso, Cinzia; Di Mauro, Alda Carmela; Di Gregorio, Omar; Pandolfi, Claudia; Rongoni, Silvia; Ottoboni, Giovanni; Moretti, Carolina; De Palma, Rossana; Marzocchi, Antonio; Chattat, Rabih; Saia, Francesco

2016-12-01

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a very effective treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are either not suitable candidates or at high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). Patients undergoing TAVI are often very elderly and their clinical status is burdened with multiple comorbidities, therefore evaluation of quality of life (QoL) might be challenging. We sought to provide an overview of available data on QoL changes after TAVI and critical insights on the instruments used to detect these changes. This analysis focuses on studies that evaluated QoL after TAVI with standardized questionnaires. Out of 706 items identified through literature search, 23 studies were included in the final review: 2 randomized controlled trials (one comparing QoL pre- vs post-TAVI, one TAVI vs AVR vs medical therapy) and 21 observational studies (19 studies comparing QoL pre- and post-TAVI and 2 studies TAVI vs AVR). The instruments used in all studies were not specific for TAVI patients. Most studies reported a significant improvement in QoL after TAVI, greater for physical aspects compared with psychological components, which persisted at mid and long-term follow-up. A short-term benefit was found for transfemoral TAVI patients as compared with transapical TAVI and AVR; however, these differences tended to disappear over time. The study highlights an improvement in QoL after TAVI that persists over time. As different instruments resulted to be more sensitive to detect different aspects, multidimensional assessments - capable of combining disease-specific and disease-non-specific measures - should foster clinical research in order to have a more complete picture of QoL of TAVI patients.

Measuring Environmental Quality in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

Linwood Pendleton; Brent Sohngen; Robert Mendelsohn; Thomas Holmes

1998-01-01

This study presents a method for valuing recreational environmental quality in the forests of the southeastern United States. The paper offers a method for choosing, measuring, and valuing forest attributes. Surveys and popular recreation literature are used to identify forest attributes that contribute to recreational quality. Standard ecological techniques are...

Assessing telemedicine: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Roine, R; Ohinmaa, A; Hailey, D

2001-09-18

To clarify the current status of telemedicine, we carried out a systematic review of the literature. We identified controlled assessment studies of telemedicine that reported patient outcomes, administrative changes or economic assessments and assessed the quality of that literature. We carried out a systematic electronic search for articles published from 1966 to early 2000 using the MEDLINE (1966-April 2000), HEALTHSTAR (1975-January 2000), EMBASE (1988-February 2000) and CINALH (1982-January 2000) databases. In addition, the HSTAT database (Health Services/Technology Assessment Text, US National Library of Medicine), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE, NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, United Kingdom), the NHS Economic Evaluation Database and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched. We consulted experts in the field and did a manual search of the reference lists of review articles. A total of 1124 studies were identified. Based on a review of the abstracts, 133 full-text articles were obtained for closer inspection. Of these, 50 were deemed to represent assessment studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria of the review. Thirty-four of the articles assessed at least some clinical outcomes; the remaining 16 were mainly economic analyses. Most of the available literature referred only to pilot projects and short-term outcomes, and most of the studies were of low quality. Relatively convincing evidence of effectiveness was found only for teleradiology, teleneurosurgery, telepsychiatry, transmission of echocardiographic images, and the use of electronic referrals enabling e-mail consultations and video conferencing between primary and secondary health care providers. Economic analyses suggested that teleradiology, especially transmission of CT images, can be cost-saving. Evidence regarding the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of telemedicine is still limited. Based on current scientific evidence, only a few

Critical reading and critical thinking--study design and methodology: a personal approach on how to read the clinical literature.

PubMed

Lipman, Timothy O

2013-04-01

The volume of medical literature grows exponentially. Yet we are faced with the necessity to make clinical decisions based on the availability and quality of scientific information. The general strength (reliability, robustness) of any interpretation that guides us in clinical decision making is dependent on how information was obtained. All information and medical studies and, consequently, all conclusions are not created equal. It is incumbent upon us to be able to assess the quality of the information that guides us in the care of our patients. Being able to assess medical literature critically requires use of critical reading and critical thinking skills. To achieve these skills, to be able to analyze medical literature critically, takes a combination of education and practice, practice, and more practice.

The current literature regarding the cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes.

PubMed

Nelluri, Bhargava; Murphy, Katie; Mookadam, Farouk; Mookadam, Martina

2016-03-01

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality globally. Electronic cigarettes are marketed both as nicotine substitutes and recreational devices. The popularity of electronic cigarettes has superseded other forms of nicotine replacement therapy. They are also popular in 'never smokers'. This review summarizes the available data regarding the cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes. The existing literature is limited and short term with a lack of high-quality studies and adequate follow-up. The available literature suggests that electronic cigarettes have sympathomimetic effects related to nicotine exposure, however, electronic cigarettes also contain other chemicals that require further investigation. Sparse data suggest vascular injury may be another concern. Further research is needed before broad recommendations can be made.

Annotated bibliography on forest practices legislation related to water quality

Treesearch

Neil K. Huyler; David McMath; Daphne Hewitt

1999-01-01

Includes annotated citations of literature on forest practices regulations related to all aspects of water quality protection. The bibliography is divided into three sections: 1) Water quality protection during timber harvesting; 2) Methods for assessing the costs and benefits of water quality protection; and 3) Effectiveness of regulatory programs in protecting water...

Instructional Implications for Small Schools: A Review of the Literature. Administrative Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raze, Nasus

Drawing on information from 15 sources, this literature review discusses advantages/disadvantages of small schools and summarizes practices for both rural and urban small schools to follow to maintain educational quality despite dwindling enrollments and resources. Small school disadvantages in the areas of staff, instructional program, and…

Pain management interventions in the nursing home: a structured review of the literature.

PubMed

Herman, Adam D; Johnson, Theodore M; Ritchie, Christine S; Parmelee, Patricia A

2009-07-01

Residents in nursing homes (NHs) experience pain that is underrecognized and undertreated. This pain contributes to a decline in quality of life. Although descriptive studies of pain assessment and management have been conducted, few have been published that critically evaluate interventions to improve pain management. Identification of the strengths and gaps in the current literature is required. A literature search was conducted of clinical trials that evaluated prospective interventions to improve pain management. Information on the intervention type, resident sample and setting, endpoints, and study design were extracted. Studies were classified based on a modification of Donabedian's model of healthcare quality. Four categories of interventions were identified: actor, decision support, treatment, and systems. The search strategy and selection criteria yielded 21 articles. Eleven studies used an actor intervention; of these, eight also employed a systems intervention, and one also used a treatment intervention. Two studies used a decision support intervention, seven used a treatment intervention, and one used a systems intervention. The overall quality of research was uneven in several areas: research design--nine studies were quasi-experimental in nature, endpoints measures were not consistent--three did not perform statistical analysis, and characteristics of the resident samples varied dramatically. In conclusion, the number of high-quality studies of pain management in NHs remains limited. Process endpoints are used as surrogate measures for resident endpoints. Systematic approaches are needed to understand how each type of intervention improves the quality of pain management at the resident level.

The Need for Comprehensive Health Care Quality Measures for Older Adults.

PubMed

MacLeod, Stephanie; Schwebke, Kay; Hawkins, Kevin; Ruiz, Joann; Hoo, Emma; Yeh, Charlotte S

2017-10-24

Research indicates that older adults receive only about half of their recommended care, with varying quality and limited attention to social issues impacting their health through the most commonly used quality measures. Additionally, many existing measures neglect to address nonclinical social determinants of health. Evidence of the need for more comprehensive measures for seniors is growing. The primary purpose of this article, which is supported by a limited review of literature, is to describe gaps among current quality measures in addressing certain nonclinical needs of older adults, including key social determinants of health. In doing so, the authors describe their position on the need for expanded measures to incorporate these factors to improve care and quality of life. The authors conducted a limited review of the literature to inform this article, focusing specifically on selected measures for older adults rather than a broader systematic review of all measures. Most research identified was related to clinical practice guidelines rather than quality measures of care as applied to older adults. Furthermore, the literature reviewed reflected limited evidence of efforts to tailor quality measures for the unique social needs of older adults, confirming a potential gap in this area. A growing need exists for improved quality measures specifically designed to help providers address the unique social needs of older adults. Filling this gap will improve overall understanding of seniors and help them to achieve optimal health and successful aging.

Conceptualising Gender Equality in Research on Education Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aikman, Sheila; Halai, Anjum; Rubagiza, Jolly

2011-01-01

This article sets out to re-conceptualise gender equality in education quality. Four approaches to conceptualising gender equitable education quality are identified in the literature: human capital theory with a focus on parity and sameness for all; a human rights and power perspective, within which gender equality is viewed as transforming unjust…

Academic Quality Rankings of American Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, David S.

Past and current methods used in academic quality rankings of U.S. colleges and universities are discussed. In addition to a literature and historical review, modern quality rankings are compared with early (pre-1959) rankings, including past rankings of medical, dental, legal and black education. Also considered are the exemplary 1982 evaluation…

Quality of Life as Medicine: Interventions that Induce Salutogenesis. A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ventegodt, Soren; Omar, Hatim A.; Merrick, Joav

2011-01-01

This paper reviews the medical (salutogenic) effect of interventions that aim to improve quality of life. Review of studies where the global quality of life in chronically ill patients was improved independently of subjective and objective factors (like physical and mental health, yearly income, education, social network, self-esteem, sexual…

Solid Wastes and Water Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWalle, F. B.; Chian, E. S. K.

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of solid wastes and water quality, covering publications of 1976-77. This review covers areas such as: (1) environmental impacts and health aspects for waste disposal, and (2) processed and hazardous wastes. A list of 80 references is also presented. (HM)

Clinical education facilitators: a literature review.

PubMed

Lambert, Veronica; Glacken, Michèle

2005-07-01

The aim of this literature review, set within an Irish context, is to present a broad overview of former and existing clinical support personnel, explore the concept of facilitation and examine what is known about the role of the clinical education facilitator. The importance of providing a supportive clinical environment to enhance clinical teaching and learning is strongly portrayed in the literature. While the past two decades have borne witness to various clinical support personnel, the literature identifies conflicting demands that these personnel face. No suggestions are advanced as to how to overcome these difficulties, which inevitably influence the quality and quantity of their clinical teaching role. An identifiable gap exists over who has prime responsibility for clinical teaching. It is timely that alternative possibilities for organizing clinical teaching are investigated. A new post emerging in practice settings is that of the clinical education facilitator who is meant to be the key linchpin in clinical areas for reducing the theory-practice gap. Relevant literature for this review was sourced using the computerized databases CINAHL, Medline and Synergy. Manual searching of relevant nursing journals and sourcing of secondary references extended the search. Government reports and other relevant documents were obtained through pertinent websites. Papers that explicitly examined the concept of facilitation and explored the posts of clinical education facilitators were included; six research papers were accessed and reviewed. In addition seven non-empirical papers were included. It is clear that considerable lack of role clarity resides over what constitutes clinical facilitation and the role of the clinical facilitator. Thus, it is paramount to strengthen this support role with Irish empirical evidence. A major advantage in having a ward-based clinical education facilitator is the benefit of having access to someone who can concentrate solely on

Assessment of the quality of reporting observational studies in the pediatric dental literature.

PubMed

Butani, Yogita; Hartz, Arthur; Levy, Steven; Watkins, Catherine; Kanellis, Michael; Nowak, Arthur

2006-01-01

The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate reporting of observational studies in the pediatric dental literature. This assessment included the following steps: (1) developing a model for reporting information in clinical dentistry studies; (2) identifying treatment comparisons in pediatric dentistry that were evaluated by at least 5 observational studies; (3) abstracting from these studies any data indicated by applying the reporting model; and (4) comparing available data elements to the desired data elements in the reporting model. The reporting model included data elements related to: (1) patients; (2) providers; (3) treatment details; and (4) study design. Two treatment comparisons in pediatric dentistry were identified with 5 or more observational studies: (1) stainless steel crowns vs amalgams (10 studies); and (2) composite restorations vs amalgam (5 studies). Results from studies comparing the same treatments varied substantially. Data elements from the reporting model that could have explained some of the variation were often reported inadequately or not at all. Reporting of observational studies in the pediatric dental literature may be inadequate for an informed interpretation of the results. Models similar to that used in this study could be used for developing standards for the conduct and reporting of observational studies in pediatric dentistry.

Missing and accounted for: gaps and areas of wealth in the public health review literature

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background High-quality review evidence is useful for informing and influencing public health policy and practice decisions. However, certain topic areas lack representation in terms of the quantity and quality of review literature available. The objectives of this paper are to identify the quantity, as well as quality, of review-level evidence available on the effectiveness of public health interventions for public health decision makers. Methods Searches conducted on http://www.health-evidence.ca produced an inventory of public health review literature in 21 topic areas. Gaps and areas of wealth in the review literature, as well as the proportion of reviews rated methodologically strong, moderate, or weak were identified. The top 10 topic areas of interest for registered users and visitors of http://www.health-evidence.ca were extracted from user profile data and Google Analytics. Results Registered users' top three interests included: 1) healthy communities, 2) chronic diseases, and 3) nutrition. The top three preferences for visitors included: 1) chronic diseases, 2) physical activity, and 3) addiction/substance use. All of the topic areas with many (301+) available reviews were of interest to registered users and/or visitors (mental health, physical activity, addiction/substance use, adolescent health, child health, nutrition, adult health, and chronic diseases). Conversely, the majority of registered users and/or visitors did not have preference for topic areas with few (≤ 150) available reviews (food safety and inspection, dental health, environmental health) with the exception of social determinants of health and healthy communities. Across registered users' and visitors' topic areas of preference, 80.2% of the reviews were of well-done methodological quality, with 43.5% of reviews having a strong quality rating and 36.7% a moderate review quality rating. Conclusions In topic areas in which many reviews are available, higher level syntheses are needed to

Development of Innovative Business Model of Modern Manager's Qualities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yashkova, Elena V.; Sineva, Nadezda L.; Shkunova, Angelika A.; Bystrova, Natalia V.; Smirnova, Zhanna V.; Kolosova, Tatyana V.

2016-01-01

The paper defines a complex of manager's qualities based on theoretical and methodological analysis and synthesis methods, available national and world literature, research papers and publications. The complex approach methodology was used, which provides an innovative view of the development of modern manager's qualities. The methodological…

Bone quality and the immediate loading of implants-critical aspects based on literature, research, and clinical experience.

PubMed

Romanos, Georgios E

2009-06-01

Immediate loading of oral implants has been extensively described in the international literature and the requirements for long-term success are evaluated. The author presents here the critical aspects of the criteria for success as well as describes the characteristics of an implant macro- and microdesign for immediate loading to control the periimplant crestal bone loss and secure the long-term stability. Information from the literature and the clinical experience will be presented.

A comprehensive literature review of guidelines facilitating transition of newly graduated nurses to professional nurses.

PubMed

van Rooyen, Dalena R M; Jordan, Portia J; Ten Ham-Baloyi, Wilma; Caka, Ernestina M

2018-05-01

Literature shows that successful transition of newly graduate nurses to professional nurses is imperative but does not always take place, resulting in difficulty in performance, cognizance or behaviour of a role as a nurse, affecting the quality of patient care negatively. No integrative literature review could be found to summarize available guidelines facilitating transition of final year nursing students to professional nurses. An extensive search of the literature by means of an integrative literature review was conducted in 2014 and updated in June 2017, following a five-step process. All relevant studies were subsequently appraised for rigour and quality using the AGREE II tool by two independent reviewers. Eight (n = 8) guidelines on transitions were independently extracted. After thematic analysis was done, three factors to facilitate transition of final year nursing students to professional nurses were found: 1) support for new graduates, 2) the graduate's need for socialization and belonging, and 3) a positive clinical learning environment. The availability and implementation of guidelines on transition of final year nursing students by educational institutions and healthcare facilities could ease the transition from being final year nursing students to becoming professional nurses as well as improve retention of newly qualified professional nurses. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Educational Interventions for Children with ASD: A Systematic Literature Review 2008-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Caroline; Symes, Wendy; Hebron, Judith; Humphrey, Neil; Morewood, Gareth; Woods, Kevin

2016-01-01

Systematic literature reviews can play a key role in underpinning evidence-based practice. To date, large-scale reviews of interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have focused primarily on research quality. To assist practitioners, the current review adopted a broader framework which allowed for greater consideration of…

Economic evaluations in shoulder pathologies: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Kuye, Ifedayo O; Jain, Nitin B; Warner, Lauren; Herndon, James H; Warner, Jon J P

2012-03-01

Economic evaluations provide decision makers with a tool for reducing health care costs because they assess both the costs and consequences of health care interventions. This study reviewed the quality of published economic evaluations for shoulder pathologies. A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify articles published from 1980 to 2010 that contained "cost" or "economic" combined with terms for several shoulder disorders and treatments. We selected studies that fit the definition of 1 of the 4 routinely performed economic evaluations: cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analyses. Study quality was determined by measuring adherence to 6 established health economic principles, as described in the literature. The search retrieved 942 studies. Of these, 32 were determined to be economic evaluations, and 53% of the economic evaluations were published from 2005 to 2010. Only 8 of the 32 studies (25%) adhered to all 6 health economic principles. Publication in a nonsurgical journal (P < .05) or in more recent years (P < .01) was significantly associated with higher quality. Future health care resource allocation will likely be based on the economic feasibility of treatments. Although the number and quality of economic evaluations of shoulder disorders have risen in recent years, the current state of the literature is poor. Given that availability of such data may factor in private and public reimbursement decisions, there is a clear demand for more rigorous economic evaluations. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Qualities of the Professional English Language Teacher Educator: Implications for Achieving Quality and Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Issa, Ali S. M.

2017-01-01

There is a growing body of literature about the qualities of professional teacher educators (TEs) and their impact on preparing professional teachers. However, English Language Teaching (ELT) research has fallen behind in this regard, despite the fact that different programs worldwide suffer from different limitations, due to certain aspects…

The SQUIRE (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence) guidelines for quality improvement reporting: explanation and elaboration

PubMed Central

Ogrinc, G; Mooney, S E; Estrada, C; Foster, T; Goldmann, D; Hall, L W; Huizinga, M M; Liu, S K; Mills, P; Neily, J; Nelson, W; Pronovost, P J; Provost, L; Rubenstein, L V; Speroff, T; Splaine, M; Thomson, R; Tomolo, A M; Watts, B

2008-01-01

As the science of quality improvement in health care advances, the importance of sharing its accomplishments through the published literature increases. Current reporting of improvement work in health care varies widely in both content and quality. It is against this backdrop that a group of stakeholders from a variety of disciplines has created the Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence, which we refer to as the SQUIRE publication guidelines or SQUIRE statement. The SQUIRE statement consists of a checklist of 19 items that authors need to consider when writing articles that describe formal studies of quality improvement. Most of the items in the checklist are common to all scientific reporting, but virtually all of them have been modified to reflect the unique nature of medical improvement work. This “Explanation and Elaboration” document (E & E) is a companion to the SQUIRE statement. For each item in the SQUIRE guidelines the E & E document provides one or two examples from the published improvement literature, followed by an analysis of the ways in which the example expresses the intent of the guideline item. As with the E & E documents created to accompany other biomedical publication guidelines, the purpose of the SQUIRE E & E document is to assist authors along the path from completion of a quality improvement project to its publication. The SQUIRE statement itself, this E & E document, and additional information about reporting improvement work can be found at http://www.squire-statement.org. PMID:18836062

The cognitive science of fiction.

PubMed

Oatley, Keith

2012-07-01

Fiction might be dismissed as observations that lack reliability and validity, but this would be a misunderstanding. Works of fiction are simulations that run on minds. They were the first kinds of simulation. All art has a metaphorical quality: a painting can be both pigments on canvas and a person. In literary art, this quality extends to readers who can be both themselves and, by empathetic processes within a simulation, also literary characters. On the basis of this hypothesis, it was found that the more fiction people read the better were their skills of empathy and theory-of-mind; the inference from several studies is that reading fiction improves social skills. In functional magnetic resonance imaging meta-analyses, brain areas concerned with understanding narrative stories were found to overlap with those concerned with theory-of-mind. In an orthogonal effect, reading artistic literature was found to enable people to change their personality by small increments, not by a writer's persuasion, but in their own way. This effect was due to artistic merit of a text, irrespective of whether it was fiction or non-fiction. An empirically based conception of literary art might be carefully constructed verbal material that enables self-directed personal change. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012, 3:425-430. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1185 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Literature review of questionnaires assessing vertigo and dizziness, and their impact on patients' quality of life.

PubMed

Duracinsky, Martin; Mosnier, Isabelle; Bouccara, Didier; Sterkers, Olivier; Chassany, Olivier

2007-01-01

Vertigo and dizziness, which are major symptoms of diseases affecting the vestibular system, drastically impair patients' health-related quality of life (QoL). Patient's perspectives are thus essential to symptom assessment. We sought to make a critical review of published questionnaires measuring vertigo or dizziness, and/or their impact on QoL. Twenty-nine articles reporting the validation or use in clinical trials of vertigo- or dizziness-specific questionnaires were identified over the 1991-2004 period, and reviewed using a methodological and a Patient-Reported Outcomes specific checklist. Questionnaires were classified into three categories according to content: QoL (or handicap), mixed (assessing both symptoms and QoL), and symptom questionnaires. Four QoL, three mixed questionnaires, two symptoms, and one Meniere's disease-specific questionnaire were identified. QoL questionnaire validation was usually not complete. The structural validity of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory is not established, although this questionnaire is considered to be the reference questionnaire in the QoL domain. Moreover, QoL questionnaires were not very specific to vertigo or dizziness. Similarly, the Vertigo Handicap Questionnaire appeared to have the most pertinent content, but its validation remains to be completed. Mixed questionnaires have the same imperfections. The Vertigo, Dizziness, Imbalance (VDI) Questionnaire had the best validation score from the checklist, but its responsiveness appears to be weak. Regarding symptom questionnaires, the European Evaluation of Vertigo questionnaire evaluated the five major symptoms of vestibular syndrome satisfactorily. The present literature review failed to find any relevant and validated questionnaire assessing the impact of vertigo or dizziness on QoL.

Quality of life in age-related macular degeneration: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Jan; Bradley, Clare

2006-01-01

Background The Age-related Macular Degeneration Alliance International commissioned a review of the literature on quality of life (QoL) in macular degeneration (MD) with a view to increasing awareness of MD, reducing its impact and improving services for people with MD worldwide. Method A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases, conference proceedings and key journal hand search checks. The resulting 'White Paper' was posted on the AMD Alliance website and is reproduced here. Review MD is a chronic, largely untreatable eye condition which leads to loss of central vision needed for tasks such as reading, watching TV, driving, recognising faces. It is the most common cause of blindness in the Western world. Shock of diagnosis, coupled with lack of information and support are a common experience. Incidence of depression is twice that found in the community-dwelling elderly, fuelled by functional decline and loss of leisure activities. Some people feel suicidal. MD threatens independence, especially when comorbidity exacerbates functional limitations. Rehabilitation, including low vision aid (LVA) provision and training, peer support and education, can improve functional and psychological outcomes but many people do not receive services likely to benefit them. Medical treatments, suitable for only a small minority of people with MD, can improve vision but most limit progress of MD, at least for a time, rather than cure. The White Paper considers difficulties associated with inappropriate use of health status measures and misinterpretation of utility values as QoL measures: evidence suggests they have poor validity in MD. Conclusion There is considerable evidence for the major damage done to QoL by MD which is underestimated by health status and utility measures. Medical treatments are limited to a small proportion of people. However, much can be done to improve QoL by early diagnosis of MD with good communication of prognosis and continuing support

Correlating wine quality indicators to chemical and sensory measurements.

PubMed

Hopfer, Helene; Nelson, Jenny; Ebeler, Susan E; Heymann, Hildegarde

2015-05-12

Twenty-seven commercial Californian Cabernet Sauvignon wines of different quality categories were analyzed with sensory and chemical methods. Correlations between five quality proxies-points awarded during a wine competition, wine expert scores, retail price, vintage, and wine region-were correlated to sensory attributes, volatile compounds, and elemental composition. Wine quality is a multi-faceted construct, incorporating many different layers. Depending on the quality proxy studied, significant correlations between quality and attributes, volatiles and elements were found, some of them previously reported in the literature.

Defining patient-centred care in dentistry? A systematic review of the dental literature.

PubMed

Scambler, S; Delgado, M; Asimakopoulou, K

2016-10-21

Objective This paper presents the results of a systematic review, designed to explore how patient-centred care (PCC) is defined in the dental literature.Method An electronic search of MEDLINE (1946-2012), Embase (1980-2012) PsycINFO (1806-2012), the Cochrane Library and non-peer reviewed literature was conducted using a standardised search protocol. Definitions of patient centred care were identified and scored on two criteria to evaluate quality of definition and quality/type of evidence.Results Of the 28 papers included in the review the majority provided definitions of PCC synonymous with good quality general care (holistic, humanitarian). Only three mentioned the provision of information and the tools to facilitate informed choice. Less than a third of the papers included in this review were based on empirical evidence, and of those that were, only one was an RCT study.Conclusion The evidence suggests that the concept of PCC is neither clearly understood nor empirically and systematically assessed in dental settings. Whilst most authors seem to suggest that PCC is about delivering care that is humane, involving good communication and shared decision-making, there is no work assessing these concepts empirically or relating them to practical outcomes.

Integrating Literature with Craft in a Learning Process with Creative Elements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aerila, Juli-Anna; Rönkkö, Marja-Leena

2015-01-01

Art-related learning should be the central way of doing and playing in preschool, because the high quality of art-related education has a positive effect on children's well-being, identity development, and creative thinking. In our study we tested an integrated learning process where reading literature and telling stories is combined with the…

Development and Validation of a Consumer Quality Assessment Instrument for Dentistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jeffrey D.; And Others

1990-01-01

This paper reviews the literature on consumer involvement in dental quality assessment, argues for inclusion of this information in quality assessment measures, outlines a conceptual model for measuring dental consumer quality assessment, and presents data relating to the development and validation of an instrument based on the conceptual model.…

E-Learning Quality Assurance: A Process-Oriented Lifecycle Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdous, M'hammed

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a process-oriented lifecycle model for ensuring quality in e-learning development and delivery. As a dynamic and iterative process, quality assurance (QA) is intertwined with the e-learning development process. Design/methodology/approach: After reviewing the existing literature, particularly…

What is quality, who wants it, and why?

PubMed

Friedman, L H; White, D B

1999-01-01

The health services literature is replete with examples of the failure of total quality management to produce significant change in organizational performance. Some authors suggest that incremental quality improvement be abandoned in favor of structural reengineering. However, these naysayers ignore the critical impact of environmental change, managed care, and customer service as primary organizational drivers that demand an enhanced focus on continuous quality improvement. Coupled with these factors is the movement towards the creation of learning organizations. At the core of any learning organization is a commitment to quality and the empowerment of employees to identify and improve quality.

Exploring African Life and Literature: Novel Guides to Promote Socially Responsive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasgow, Jacqueline N., Ed.; Rice, Linda J., Ed.

2007-01-01

In today's interconnected and global society, socially responsive learning is an integral part of educational excellence. This book encourages socially responsive learning by showing the reader how to use traditional African folk tales and quality children's books, young adult novels, classic literature, and film media about Africa as the mode for…

Teacher Retention in Refugee and Emergency Settings: The State of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Hannah Reeves; West, Amy R.

2015-01-01

Teacher quality is recognised as a primary driver of variation in student learning outcomes, particularly in refugee and emergency settings, but few studies have examined the factors that motivate or demotivate teachers in these contexts. In this article we use secondary source materials from academic experts and grey literature from United…

What is the effect of surgery on the quality of life of the adolescent with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? A review and statistical analysis of the literature.

PubMed

Rushton, Paul R P; Grevitt, Michael P

2013-04-20

Review and statistical analysis of studies evaluating the effect of surgery on the health-related quality of life of adolescents with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, using Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) outcomes. Apply published minimum clinical important differences (MCID) values for the SRS22r questionnaire to the literature to identify what areas of health-related quality of life are consistently affected by surgery and whether changes are clinically meaningful. The interpretation of published studies using the SRS outcomes has been limited by the lack of MCID values for the questionnaire domains. The recent publication of these data allows the clinical importance of any changes in these studies to be examined for the first time. A literature search was undertaken to locate suitable studies that were then analyzed. Statistically significant differences from baseline to 2 years postoperatively were ascertained by narratively reporting the analyses within included studies. When possible, clinically significant changes were assessed using 95% confidence intervals for the change in mean domain score. If the lower bound of the confidence intervals for the change exceeded the MCID for that domain, the change was considered clinically significant. The numbers of cohorts available for the different analyses varied (5-16). Eighty-one percent and 94% of included cohorts experienced statistically significant improvements in pain and self-image domains. In terms of clinical significance, it was only self-image that regularly improved by more than MCID, doing so in 4 of 5 included cohorts (80%) compared with 1 of 12 cohorts (8%) for pain. No clinically relevant changes occurred in mental health or activity domains. Evidence suggests that surgery can lead to clinically important improvement in patient self-image. Surgeons and patients should be aware of the limited evidence for improvements in domains other than self-image after surgery. Surgical decision-making will also

Measuring Quality in Online Education: A Meta-Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esfijani, Azam

2018-01-01

This article presents a meta-synthesis review of quality of online education (QOE) measurement approaches. In order to survey the existing body of knowledge, a qualitative method was employed to investigate what quality of online education is comprised of and how the concept has been measured through the literature. To achieve this, a total of 112…

Explanation and elaboration of the SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) Guidelines, V.2.0: examples of SQUIRE elements in the healthcare improvement literature

PubMed Central

Goodman, Daisy; Ogrinc, Greg; Davies, Louise; Baker, G Ross; Barnsteiner, Jane; Foster, Tina C; Gali, Kari; Hilden, Joanne; Horwitz, Leora; Kaplan, Heather C; Leis, Jerome; Matulis, John C; Michie, Susan; Miltner, Rebecca; Neily, Julia; Nelson, William A; Niedner, Matthew; Oliver, Brant; Rutman, Lori; Thomson, Richard

2016-01-01

Since its publication in 2008, SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) has contributed to the completeness and transparency of reporting of quality improvement work, providing guidance to authors and reviewers of reports on healthcare improvement work. In the interim, enormous growth has occurred in understanding factors that influence the success, and failure, of healthcare improvement efforts. Progress has been particularly strong in three areas: the understanding of the theoretical basis for improvement work; the impact of contextual factors on outcomes; and the development of methodologies for studying improvement work. Consequently, there is now a need to revise the original publication guidelines. To reflect the breadth of knowledge and experience in the field, we solicited input from a wide variety of authors, editors and improvement professionals during the guideline revision process. This Explanation and Elaboration document (E&E) is a companion to the revised SQUIRE guidelines, SQUIRE 2.0. The product of collaboration by an international and interprofessional group of authors, this document provides examples from the published literature, and an explanation of how each reflects the intent of a specific item in SQUIRE. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist authors in writing clearly, precisely and completely about systematic efforts to improve the quality, safety and value of healthcare services. Authors can explore the SQUIRE statement, this E&E and related documents in detail at http://www.squire-statement.org. PMID:27076505

School nurse book clubs: an innovative strategy for lifelong learning.

PubMed

Greenawald, Deborah A; Adams, Theresa M

2008-04-01

Recognizing the ongoing need for continuing education for school nurses, the authors discuss the use of school nurse book clubs as an innovative lifelong-learning strategy. Current research supports the use of literature in nursing education. This article discusses the benefits of book club participation for school nurses and includes suggested fiction and nonfiction books that can be used to enhance nursing knowledge and practice. Through reading and discussion, school nurses can increase their knowledge of nursing history and current health care issues, thus becoming better prepared to address challenging issues that arise in practice. In addition, the use of literature as a learning strategy allows school nurses to broaden their understanding of unique cultural factors that influence the health beliefs and practices of students and their families. Book club participation can also assist school nurses in honing leadership and communication skills and becoming energized to become better advocates for children and families.

Do quality improvement systems improve health library services? A systematic review.

PubMed

Gray, Hannah; Sutton, Gary; Treadway, Victoria

2012-09-01

A turbulent financial and political climate requires health libraries to be more accountable than ever. Quality improvement systems are widely considered a 'good thing to do', but do they produce useful outcomes that can demonstrate value? To undertake a systematic review to identify which aspects of health libraries are being measured for quality, what tools are being used and what outcomes are reported following utilisation of quality improvement systems. Many health libraries utilise quality improvement systems without translating the data into service improvements. Included studies demonstrate that quality improvement systems produce valuable outcomes including a positive impact on strategic planning, promotion, new and improved services and staff development. No impact of quality improvement systems on library users or patients is reported in the literature. The literature in this area is sparse and requires updating. We recommend further primary research is conducted in health libraries focusing upon the outcomes of utilising quality improvement systems. An exploration of quality improvement systems in other library sectors may also provide valuable insight for health libraries. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Portfolio Assessment and Quality Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Youb; Yazdian, Lisa Sensale

2014-01-01

Our article focuses on using portfolio assessment to craft quality teaching. Extant research literature on portfolio assessment suggests that the primary purpose of assessment is to serve learning, and portfolio assessments facilitate the process of making linkages among assessment, curriculum, and student learning (Asp, 2000; Bergeron, Wermuth,…

A Survey Data Quality Strategy: The Institutional Research Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qin

2009-01-01

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

The trend of quality of publications in endodontic surgery: a 10-year systematic survey of the literature.

PubMed

Del Fabbro, Massimo; Corbella, Stefano; Tsesis, Igor; Taschieri, Silvio

2015-03-01

The aims of the present systematic literature analysis were to evaluate, over a 10-year period, the trend of the proportion of RCT, SR, MA published on endodontic surgery, and to investigate if the impact factor (IF) of the main endodontic Journals correlates with the proportion of RCT, SR, MA they publish. An electronic search of the RCT, SR and MA published on the topic "endodontic surgery" from 2001 to 2010 was performed on Medline and Cochrane CENTRAL database using specific search terms combined with Boolean operators. Endodontic Journals impact factor was retrieved by the Thomson Scientific database. The proportion of each study type over the total number of articles on endodontic surgery published per year was estimated. The correlation between the number of high-evidence level studies published on the main endodontic Journals and the IF of such Journals per year was estimated. From a total of 900 articles published in 2001-2010 on endodontic surgery, there were 114 studies of high evidence level. A significant increase of the proportion of either RCT, SR and MA over the years was found. A modest to unclear correlation was found between the Journal IF and the number of high-evidence articles published. There is a positive trend over the years among researchers in performing studies of good quality in endodontic surgery. The impact factor of endodontic Journals is not consistently influenced by publication of high-evidence level articles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The quantity, quality and characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian mentoring literature: a systematic review.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Roxanne; Tsey, Komla; McCalman, Janya; Towle, Simon

2014-12-13

Mentoring is a key predictor of empowerment and prospectively a game changer in the quest to improve health inequities. This systematic review reports on the state of evidence on mentoring for Indigenous Australians by identifying the quantity, nature, quality and characteristics of mentoring publications. Thirteen databases were searched using specific search strings from 1983 - 2012. Grey literature was also canvassed. The resultant publications were mined to identify their outputs, nature, and quality. These were then conceptually mined for their characteristics to develop a model of mentoring that included the initiating environments, facilitating environments, operational strategies and outcomes. 771 citations were identified; 37 full text publications met inclusion criteria and were assessed. Fifteen were eligible for review. Four of five original research publications used strong qualitative research designs. No publications were found before 1999; the largest proportion concentrated in 2011 (n = 4). Facilitating environments included: mapping participants' socio-cultural and economic context; formal mentoring practices with internal flexibility; voluntary participation; integrated models with wrap-around services; mentor/staff competencies; and sustained funding. Mentoring strategies comprised: holistic scaffolding approaches; respectful, trusting, one-on-one mentoring relationships; knowledgeable mentors; regular contact; longer-term relationships and exit strategies; culturally-tailored programs; personal and social development opportunities; and specialised skills and learning opportunities. Outcomes varied in accordance to program aims and included improvements in aspects of education and employment, offending behaviours, relationships, and personal, social and professional development. Little research explored the effectiveness of mentoring, captured its impact qualitatively or quantitatively, developed appropriate measures or assessed its cost

Improving the Quality of Electronic Documentation in Critical Care Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Brent

2017-01-01

Electronic nursing documentation systems can facilitate complete, accurate, timely documentation practices, but without effective policies and procedures in place, a gap in practice exists and quality of care may be impacted. This systematic review of literature examined current evidence regarding electronic nursing documentation quality. General…

Mexican American Mothers' Perceptions of Childhood Obesity: A Theory-Guided Systematic Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosa, Erica T.

2012-01-01

Childhood obesity continues to increase, disproportionately affecting Mexican American children. The aims of this review are to (a) assess the literature regarding Mexican American mothers' knowledge and perceptions of childhood obesity, prevention, and their role in prevention; (b) critically evaluate the methodological quality of the research…

HVAC SYSTEMS AS EMISSION SOURCES AFFECTING INDOOR AIR QUALITY: A CRITICAL REVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses results of an evaluation of literature on heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems as contaminant emission sources that affect indoor air quality (IAQ). The various literature sources and methods for characterizing HVAC emission sources are re...

Advanced manufacturing technology effectiveness: A review of literature and some issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, Sanjeev; Grover, Sandeep

2012-09-01

Advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) provides advantages to manufacturing managers in terms of flexibility, quality, reduced delivery times, and global competitiveness. Although a large number of publications had presented the importance of this technology, only a few had delved into related literature review. Considering the importance of this technology and the recent contributions by various authors, the present paper conducts a more comprehensive review. Literature was reviewed in a way that will help researchers, academicians, and practitioners to take a closer look at the implementation, evaluation, and justification of the AMT. The authors reviewed various papers, proposed a different classification scheme, and identified certain gaps that will provide hints for further research in AMT management.

Quality Management and Enhancement Processes in UK Business Schools: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgkinson, Myra; Kelly, Mike

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the processes that can be and have been adopted by UK business schools as they attempt to meet the Quality Assurance Agency's concern with the standard of quality management and enhancement. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature provides interpretations of quality,…

[Audit and feedback, and continuous quality improvement strategies to improve the quality of care for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of literature].

PubMed

Vecchi, Simona; Agabiti, Nera; Mitrova, Susanna; Cacciani, Laura; Amato, Laura; Davoli, Marina; Bargagli, Anna Maria

2016-01-01

we analysed evidence on effective interventions to improve the quality of care and management in patients with diabetes type 2. This review focuses particularly on audit and feedback intervention, targeted to healthcare providers, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) involving health professionals and health care systems, respectively. we searched The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE (search period: January 2005-December 2015) to identify systematic reviews (SR) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) considering patients' outcomes and process measures as quality indicators in diabetes care. Selection of studies and data extraction were carried out independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality of individual studies was assessed using the checklist «Assessment of methodological quality of systematic review» (AMSTAR) and the Cochrane's tool, respectively. We produced summaries of results for each study design. the search process resulted in 810 citations. One SR and 7 RCTs that compared any intervention in which audit and feedback and CQI was a component vs. other interventions were selected. The SR found that audit and feedback activity was associated with improvements of glycaemic (mean difference: 0.26; 95%CI 0.08;0.44) and cholesterol control (mean difference: 0.03; 95%CI -0.04;0.10). CQI interventions were not associated with an improvement of quality of diabetes care. The RCTs considered in this review compared a broad range of interventions including feedback as unique activity or as part of more complex strategies. The methodological quality was generally poor in all the included trials. the available evidence suggests that audit and feedback and CQI improve quality of care in diabetic patients, although the effect is small and heterogeneous among process and outcomes indicators.

Methodology and reporting of meta-analyses in the neurosurgical literature.

PubMed

Klimo, Paul; Thompson, Clinton J; Ragel, Brian T; Boop, Frederick A

2014-04-01

, assessment of heterogeneity, publication bias, and study quality. Almost one-third of the papers did not meet our basic definition of a meta-analysis. The quality of reporting and methodology was better 1) when the study met our definition of a meta-analysis; 2) when one or more of the authors had experience or expertise in conducting a meta-analysis; 3) when the meta-analysis was not conducted alongside an evaluation of the authors' own data; and 4) in more recent studies. Reporting and methodology of meta-analyses in the neurosurgery literature is excessively variable and overall poor. As these papers are being published with increasing frequency, neurosurgical journals need to adopt a clear definition of a meta-analysis and insist that they be created using checklists for both reporting and methodology. Standardization will ensure high-quality publications.

Quality Matters: Collaborative Program Planning at a State Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shattuck, Kay

2007-01-01

Quality in online distance education has been a hot topic in the popular, professional, and academic literature during the past decade. This article describes an innovative response to the problem of assuring quality in sharable online courses encountered by MarylandOnline, a statewide consortium of 19 Maryland community colleges and four-year…

Floating call boys and agile homosexuals: homophobia/Venice/history.

PubMed

Champagne, John

2014-01-01

Because works of nonfiction are always composed of literary tropes and metaphors, they have to be read critically for the ways in which their truth claims are potentially structured by ideologies and stereotypes. This essay reads passages from Richard Sennett's sociological analysis Flesh and Stone, The Body and the City in Western Civilization and Joseph Brodsky's memoir Watermark in order to demonstrate how these alleged works of nonfiction shore up some dishearteningly familiar literary stereotypes of male homosexuality and participate in a tradition, dating from the 19th century, of linking the city of Venice with homosexuality and death.

Promoting quality: the health-care organization from a management perspective.

PubMed

Glickman, Seth W; Baggett, Kelvin A; Krubert, Christopher G; Peterson, Eric D; Schulman, Kevin A

2007-12-01

Although agreement about the need for quality improvement in health care is almost universal, the means of achieving effective improvement in overall care is not well understood. Avedis Donabedian developed the structure-process-outcome framework in which to think about quality-improvement efforts. There is now a robust evidence-base in the quality-improvement literature on process and outcomes, but structure has received considerably less attention. The health-care field would benefit from expanding the current interpretation of structure to include broader perspectives on organizational attributes as primary determinants of process change and quality improvement. We highlight and discuss the following key elements of organizational attributes from a management perspective: (i) executive management, including senior leadership and board responsibilities (ii) culture, (iii) organizational design, (iv) incentive structures and (v) information management and technology. We discuss the relevant contributions from the business and medical literature for each element, and provide this framework as a roadmap for future research in an effort to develop the optimal definition of 'structure' for transforming quality-improvement initiatives.

Does Quality of Radiotherapy Predict Outcomes of Multicentre Cooperative Group Trials? A Literature Review