Articles: health.
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Evaluations of clinical outcomes in service members with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in combat have largely focused on neurobehavioral and somatic symptoms, neurocognitive functioning, and psychological/psychiatric health. Questions remain regarding other domains, such as gross or fine motor abilities, that could be impacted and are mission-critical to functional warfighters. ⋯ Assessment of gross motor function reflected a consistent pattern of significantly slower performances for blast and nonblast TBI groups compared to controls, over all follow-up intervals. Fine motor function performance reflected a similar significant difference pattern at 1- and 5-year follow-up intervals, with a reduced difference from control groups at the 10-year follow-up. Maintenance of high-level motor functions, including overall motor speed, coordination, and reaction time, is a primary component for active warfighters, and any motor-related deficits could create an increased risk for the service member or unit. While the service members in this longitudinal study did not meet criteria for any specific clinical motor-related diagnoses or movement disorders, the finding of motor slowing may reflect a subclinical but significant change that could be a focus for intervention to return to preinjury levels.
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Social prescribing connects patients to resources or activities to meet their non-medical needs. In the UK, it is often implemented in primary care. In the social prescribing pathway, patients are directed to link workers to identify suitable solutions for their needs such as art workshops or welfare benefit guidance. Social prescribing marks a notable transition from traditional medical treatments to more comprehensive strategies focusing on holistic health and wellbeing strategies. Insights from patient experiences can improve the development of social prescribing to better meet their needs. This understanding can aid in improving the delivery and outcomes of social prescribing. ⋯ Patients might experience lasting advantages from social prescribing if it aligns with their needs and expectations. Results highlighted the importance of matching social prescribing referral with patients' readiness to engage. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare professionals evaluate patient suitability prior to beginning a social prescribing referral.
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The health of children and adolescents, particularly children of military families, is instrumental for military departments; yet, there has not been an examination on the overall physical health status, or access to health care, among children of military families compared to children of civilian families. ⋯ This is the first study, to our knowledge, to do a national examination of overall physical and mental health, as well as specific health conditions and access to health care, among children of military families compared to their civilian counterparts. The findings from this study may be instructive for policymakers and stakeholders in evaluating special needs and mental health resources for military families and improve continuity of health care access through insurance coverage to improve the health of all U.S. children and adolescents.
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Numerous studies show that early palliative care improves quality of life and other key outcomes in patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, although most lack access to this evidence-based model of care. ⋯ The delivery of early palliative care virtually vs in person demonstrated equivalent effects on quality of life in patients with advanced NSCLC, underscoring the considerable potential for improving access to this evidence-based care model through telehealth delivery.