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Issue

Vol 129 No 1441: 9 September 2016

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Issue Summary

SUMMARY

Clinical ethics support services in New Zealand tailoring services to meet the needs of doctors

Elizabeth Dai, Angela Ballantyne

The New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner and the courts recommend doctors engage in broad consultation in difficult clinical situations, but do not specify mechanisms by which this should occur. Clinical ethics support services (CESS) aim to assist doctors in complicated ethical decision-making. This formal ethics support is well established overseas but relatively new to New Zealand. We did a qualitative study interviewing senior doctors at CCDHB to better understand their needs in regards to ethical support at work and their views of the new CESS at CCDHB. We found some misconceptions about the role of the CESS and wariness regarding abdicating responsibility for ethical decision-making for their patients. Allowing referring doctors to be present for the CESS deliberation would make the process more acceptable to doctors.

SUMMARY

Protecting New Zealand children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks: a comparison of three nutrient profiling systems to classify foods

Cliona Ni Mhurchu, Tara Mackenzie, Stefanie Vandevijvere

Marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children is an important, changeable risk-factor for child obesity and development of diet-related diseases. An accepted food classification system is necessary to classify foods as suitable/unsuitable for marketing to children and to implement restrictions. We compared three accepted systems to identify the best one to protect New Zealand children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks. Under any of the three systems, only about one-third of New Zealand packaged foods would be permitted to be marketed to children. The World Health Organization Europe Model restricts marketing of unhealthy foods more effectively than the other two systems, and should underpin the Advertising Standards Authority revised Children s Code for Advertising Food.

SUMMARY

Socioeconomic correlates of quality of life for non-Māori in advanced age: Te Puāwaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia ora Tonu. Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ)

Ngaire Kerse, Ruth Teh, Simon A Moyes, Lorna Dyall, Janine L Wiles, Mere Kepa, Carol Wham, Karen J Hayman, Martin Connolly, Tim Wilkinson, Valerie Wright-St Clair, Sally Keeling, Joanna B Broad, Santosh Jatrana, Thomas Lumley

The study is from the Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ), led by Professor Ngaire Kerse from the University of Auckland. It analysed data from 516 non-Mori aged 85 years, living in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua areas. Socioeconomic and cultural characteristics were established in face-to-face interviews in 2010 and health-related quality of life was assessed by researchers. Most women in advanced age live alone while men are more likely to be married and living with a spouse. A higher proportion of women reported they can count on someone to help with daily tasks, (83 percent vs 77 percent in men). Those who said they did not have anyone to count on, or who said they could have gotten more assistance than they had (unmet need) had lower health related quality of life.

SUMMARY

Adherence to the current guidelines for bradycardic pacing in the octogenarian and nonagenarian populations

Vivienne Kim, James Pemberton, Fiona Riddell, Khang-Li Looi

In New Zealand, there is increasing aging population that require bradycardia-support device implantation. Our study showed that there was underutilisation of dual chamber pacemakers in this population. Presence of cognitive impairment and multiple comorbidities influence the device of implanting single-chamber device in this population.

SUMMARY

Improved compliance with the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist is associated with reduced surgical specimen labelling errors

Walston R Martis, Jacqueline A Hannam, Tracey Lee, Alan F Merry, Simon J Mitchell

If used properly the World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist has been shown to reduce deaths and complications in patients undergoing surgery. Currently, the biggest related challenge is facilitating optimal use of the checklist by operating room teams. A recent study conducted at Auckland City Hospital found that several strategic process changes resulted in a marked improvement in compliance and team engagement in checklist use. Following on from that, the present study demonstrated that this improvement in checklist use was associated with a reduction in surgical specimen labelling errors to less than half the rate occurring prior to the process changes. This is important because errors in the labelling of specimens sent to the laboratory for analysis can result in misguidance of patient care. The Health Quality and Safety Commission is currently advocating the adoption of the Auckland checklist process changes at hospitals throughout New Zealand.

SUMMARY

What s new with the flu? Reflections regarding the management and prevention of influenza from the 2nd New Zealand Influenza Symposium, November 2015

Nadia A Charania, Osman D Mansoor, Diana Murfitt, Nikki M Turner

Seasonal outbreaks of influenza cause substantial morbidity and mortality that burdens healthcare services every year; thus, focused discussions on improving management and prevention efforts is warranted. The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) hosted the 2nd New Zealand Influenza Symposium (NZiS) in November 2015. International and national participants discussed current issues in influenza management and prevention. Experts in the field presented data from recent studies and discussed the ecology of influenza viruses, epidemiology of influenza, methods of prevention and minimisation, and experiences from the 2015 seasonal influenza immunisation campaign. The symposium concluded that although much progress in this field has been made, many areas for future research remain.

SUMMARY

The uses of mental health telephone counselling service for Chinese speaking people in New Zealand: demographics, presenting problems and evaluation of the calls

Christine Yang Dong

This study aimed to investigate the call profiles of a Chinese-speaking mental health counselling helpline service in New Zealand (Chinese Lifeline provided by Lifeline Aotearoa) and to evaluate the calls and explore the possible factors influencing the outcome of the calls. A random sample of 151 answered calls was involved. The results showed that the service receives calls from callers with a wide range of demographics and with a large variety of presenting issues. This study identified several important factors which influenced counsellors' satisfaction of the calls and the length of the calls.

ALL ARTICLES
SUMMARY

Amniotic fluid embolism after intrauterine fetal demise

Karl Kristensen, Fali Langdana, Howard Clentworth, Chu Hansby, Paul Dalley

Clinical ethics support services in New Zealand tailoring services to meet the needs of doctors

Elizabeth Dai, Angela Ballantyne

Protecting New Zealand children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks: a comparison of three nutrient profiling systems to classify foods

Cliona Ni Mhurchu, Tara Mackenzie, Stefanie Vandevijvere

Perspectives of New Zealand health professionals and smokers on e-cigarettes

Trish Fraser, Nigel Chee, Murray Laugesen

Socioeconomic correlates of quality of life for non-Māori in advanced age: Te Puāwaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia ora Tonu. Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ)

Ngaire Kerse, Ruth Teh, Simon A Moyes, Lorna Dyall, Janine L Wiles, Mere Kepa, Carol Wham, Karen J Hayman, Martin Connolly, Tim Wilkinson, Valerie Wright-St Clair, Sally Keeling, Joanna B Broad, Santosh Jatrana, Thomas Lumley

Adherence to the current guidelines for bradycardic pacing in the octogenarian and nonagenarian populations

Vivienne Kim, James Pemberton, Fiona Riddell, Khang-Li Looi

Improved compliance with the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist is associated with reduced surgical specimen labelling errors

Walston R Martis, Jacqueline A Hannam, Tracey Lee, Alan F Merry, Simon J Mitchell

A continuation of 10% annual tobacco tax increases until 2020: Modelling results for smoking prevalence by sex and ethnicity

Frederieke Sanne van der Deen, Nick Wilson, Tony Blakely

What s new with the flu? Reflections regarding the management and prevention of influenza from the 2nd New Zealand Influenza Symposium, November 2015

Nadia A Charania, Osman D Mansoor, Diana Murfitt, Nikki M Turner

The therapeutics of cancer

Long-term aromatase-inhibitor therapy in breast cancer

What are clinical ethics advisory groups for?

John McMillan

Does smoking cessation prior to elective spinal surgery lead to long-term smoking abstinence

Bruce Hodgson, Chris Hanrahan, Vivian Cuthbertson

The uses of mental health telephone counselling service for Chinese speaking people in New Zealand: demographics, presenting problems and evaluation of the calls

Christine Yang Dong

SUMMARY

Clinical ethics support services in New Zealand tailoring services to meet the needs of doctors

Elizabeth Dai, Angela Ballantyne

The New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner and the courts recommend doctors engage in broad consultation in difficult clinical situations, but do not specify mechanisms by which this should occur. Clinical ethics support services (CESS) aim to assist doctors in complicated ethical decision-making. This formal ethics support is well established overseas but relatively new to New Zealand. We did a qualitative study interviewing senior doctors at CCDHB to better understand their needs in regards to ethical support at work and their views of the new CESS at CCDHB. We found some misconceptions about the role of the CESS and wariness regarding abdicating responsibility for ethical decision-making for their patients. Allowing referring doctors to be present for the CESS deliberation would make the process more acceptable to doctors.

SUMMARY

Protecting New Zealand children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks: a comparison of three nutrient profiling systems to classify foods

Cliona Ni Mhurchu, Tara Mackenzie, Stefanie Vandevijvere

Marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children is an important, changeable risk-factor for child obesity and development of diet-related diseases. An accepted food classification system is necessary to classify foods as suitable/unsuitable for marketing to children and to implement restrictions. We compared three accepted systems to identify the best one to protect New Zealand children from exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks. Under any of the three systems, only about one-third of New Zealand packaged foods would be permitted to be marketed to children. The World Health Organization Europe Model restricts marketing of unhealthy foods more effectively than the other two systems, and should underpin the Advertising Standards Authority revised Children s Code for Advertising Food.

SUMMARY

Socioeconomic correlates of quality of life for non-Māori in advanced age: Te Puāwaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia ora Tonu. Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ)

Ngaire Kerse, Ruth Teh, Simon A Moyes, Lorna Dyall, Janine L Wiles, Mere Kepa, Carol Wham, Karen J Hayman, Martin Connolly, Tim Wilkinson, Valerie Wright-St Clair, Sally Keeling, Joanna B Broad, Santosh Jatrana, Thomas Lumley

The study is from the Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ), led by Professor Ngaire Kerse from the University of Auckland. It analysed data from 516 non-Mori aged 85 years, living in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua areas. Socioeconomic and cultural characteristics were established in face-to-face interviews in 2010 and health-related quality of life was assessed by researchers. Most women in advanced age live alone while men are more likely to be married and living with a spouse. A higher proportion of women reported they can count on someone to help with daily tasks, (83 percent vs 77 percent in men). Those who said they did not have anyone to count on, or who said they could have gotten more assistance than they had (unmet need) had lower health related quality of life.

SUMMARY

Adherence to the current guidelines for bradycardic pacing in the octogenarian and nonagenarian populations

Vivienne Kim, James Pemberton, Fiona Riddell, Khang-Li Looi

In New Zealand, there is increasing aging population that require bradycardia-support device implantation. Our study showed that there was underutilisation of dual chamber pacemakers in this population. Presence of cognitive impairment and multiple comorbidities influence the device of implanting single-chamber device in this population.

SUMMARY

Improved compliance with the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist is associated with reduced surgical specimen labelling errors

Walston R Martis, Jacqueline A Hannam, Tracey Lee, Alan F Merry, Simon J Mitchell

If used properly the World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist has been shown to reduce deaths and complications in patients undergoing surgery. Currently, the biggest related challenge is facilitating optimal use of the checklist by operating room teams. A recent study conducted at Auckland City Hospital found that several strategic process changes resulted in a marked improvement in compliance and team engagement in checklist use. Following on from that, the present study demonstrated that this improvement in checklist use was associated with a reduction in surgical specimen labelling errors to less than half the rate occurring prior to the process changes. This is important because errors in the labelling of specimens sent to the laboratory for analysis can result in misguidance of patient care. The Health Quality and Safety Commission is currently advocating the adoption of the Auckland checklist process changes at hospitals throughout New Zealand.

SUMMARY

What s new with the flu? Reflections regarding the management and prevention of influenza from the 2nd New Zealand Influenza Symposium, November 2015

Nadia A Charania, Osman D Mansoor, Diana Murfitt, Nikki M Turner

Seasonal outbreaks of influenza cause substantial morbidity and mortality that burdens healthcare services every year; thus, focused discussions on improving management and prevention efforts is warranted. The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) hosted the 2nd New Zealand Influenza Symposium (NZiS) in November 2015. International and national participants discussed current issues in influenza management and prevention. Experts in the field presented data from recent studies and discussed the ecology of influenza viruses, epidemiology of influenza, methods of prevention and minimisation, and experiences from the 2015 seasonal influenza immunisation campaign. The symposium concluded that although much progress in this field has been made, many areas for future research remain.

SUMMARY

The uses of mental health telephone counselling service for Chinese speaking people in New Zealand: demographics, presenting problems and evaluation of the calls

Christine Yang Dong

This study aimed to investigate the call profiles of a Chinese-speaking mental health counselling helpline service in New Zealand (Chinese Lifeline provided by Lifeline Aotearoa) and to evaluate the calls and explore the possible factors influencing the outcome of the calls. A random sample of 151 answered calls was involved. The results showed that the service receives calls from callers with a wide range of demographics and with a large variety of presenting issues. This study identified several important factors which influenced counsellors' satisfaction of the calls and the length of the calls.

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