Hypoglycemia was common among hospitalized patients receiving insulin and, while a direct causal relationship cannot be assumed, was associated with an increased risk of inpatient mortality and increased length of hospital stay. Hypoglycemia is an undesirable event and efforts to minimize in-hospital hypoglycemic events are warranted across the spectrum of hospitalized patients.
Background
Peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIC) is commonly performed in cancer treatment and causes pain and anxiety to children with cancer.
Objective
The aim of this study was to determine whether virtual reality distraction intervention can alleviate pain and anxiety and reduce length of procedure among pediatric cancer patients undergoing PIC.
Methods
One hundred eight pediatric cancer patients aged 6 to 17 years were recruited from a regional public hospital in Hong Kong to participate in this randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received virtual reality distraction intervention, and the control group received standard care. The primary outcome was child-reported pain. Secondary outcomes included child-reported anxiety, pulse rate, and length of procedure. Outcome measurements were conducted at 5 minutes before, during, and immediately after the procedure.
Results
Pediatric cancer patients in the intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in pain (estimated mean difference = −1.69, P = .007) and anxiety levels (estimated mean difference = −3.50, P < .001) compared with the control group. The mean duration (in minutes) for the PIC procedure was significantly shorter among participants receiving virtual reality intervention compared with the control counterparts (estimated mean difference = −0.75, P = .017). However, no significant difference was observed in pulse rate during and after the procedure between groups.
Conclusions
Findings indicate that virtual reality is safe and effective to alleviate pain and anxiety among pediatric cancer patients undergoing PIC procedure.
Implications for Practice
Virtual reality can be considered as an adjunctive treatment to manage pain and anxiety in pediatric cancer patients before and during PIC procedure.
This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among South Asians in Hong Kong and examined the factors that affect KAP towards COVID-19 in this population. This cross-sectional descriptive study recruited participants with assistance from South Asian community centres and organisations. A total of 352 participants completed questionnaires to assess their level of KAP towards COVID-19. The mean knowledge score was 5.38/10, indicating a relatively low knowledge level. The participants expressed certain misconceptions regarding the prevention of COVID-19 infection. They perceived a mild risk related to the disease, had positive attitudes regarding its prevention and often implemented recommended disease-preventive measures, such as maintaining social distance (88.1%) and wearing masks in public (94.3%). Participants who were male, had a secondary school education or lower and who perceived a lower risk of being infected and lower self-efficacy were less likely to implement preventive measures. Culturally and linguistically appropriate health education could be developed to increase the knowledge of South Asians, especially those with lower education levels, about COVID-19 and to encourage them to implement the necessary preventive measures.
This work adds to our knowledge of the epidemiology characteristics of these seven common respiratory viruses among patients with RTI in southern China. The detection of the specific viral causes of infection provides a useful starting point for an understanding of illness attributable to respiratory infection, and might also provide data relevant to the development of prevention strategies.
BackgroundAn increasing number of extremely preterm (EP) infants have survived worldwide. However, few data have been reported from China. This study was designed to investigate the short-term outcomes of EP infants at discharge in Guangdong province.MethodsA total of 2051 EP infants discharged from 26 neonatal intensive care units during 2008–2017 were enrolled. The data from 2008 to 2012 were collected retrospectively, and from 2013 to 2017 were collected prospectively. Their hospitalization records were reviewed.ResultsDuring 2008–2017, the mean gestational age (GA) was 26.68 ± 1.00 weeks and the mean birth weight (BW) was 935 ± 179 g. The overall survival rate at discharge was 52.5%. There were 321 infants (15.7%) died despite active treatment, and 654 infants (31.9%) died after medical care withdrawal. The survival rates increased with advancing GA and BW (p < 0.001). The annual survival rate improved from 36.2% in 2008 to 59.3% in 2017 (p < 0.001). EP infants discharged from hospitals in Guangzhou and Shenzhen cities had a higher survival rate than in others (p < 0.001). The survival rate of EP infants discharged from general hospitals was lower than in specialist hospitals (p < 0.001). The major complications were neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, 88.0% (1804 of 2051), bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 32.3% (374 of 1158), retinopathy of prematurity (any grade), 45.1% (504 of 1117), necrotizing enterocolitis (any stage), 10.1% (160 of 1588), intraventricular hemorrhages (any grade), 37.4% (535 of 1431), and blood culture-positive nosocomial sepsis, 15.7% (250 of 1588). The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that improved survival of EP infants was associated with discharged from specialist hospitals, hospitals located in high-level economic development region, increasing gestational age, increasing birth weight, antenatal steroids use and a history of premature rupture of membranes. However, twins or multiple births, Apgar ≤7 at 5 min, cervical incompetence, and decision to withdraw care were associated with decreased survival.ConclusionsOur study revealed the short-term outcomes of EP infants at discharge in China. The overall survival rate was lower than the developed countries, and medical care withdrawal was a serious problem. Nonetheless, improvements in care and outcomes have been made annually.
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