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This study aimed to assess the association between social resources and dependency, and explored the effect of social support in modifying important risk factors for dependency among the elderly.

This was a population-based cross-sectional study. A total of 950 participants aged ≥60 years were selected using a complex multistage sampling design from 22 locations in China. All data were collected using questionnaires by face-to-face interviews. Dependency was assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-II, and social resource status with the Chinese version of the Older American Resources and Services (OARS) questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between dependency and social resources. Analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate the effect of social support on modifications of important risk factors for dependency.

A total of 913 participants were included in the analysis, and 10.3% of the males and 14.4% of the females were identified as in dependency. The results of logistic regression analysis showed a significant negative association between the levels of social resources and dependency. The odds ratio was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.73-0.84) after adjusting for important confounding factors. The results of analysis of covariance showed differences in the mean dependency scores between different groups defined by chronic disease status and social support level.

Levels of social resources were negatively associated with dependency. Our results suggest that social support has both a direct effect on dependency and an indirect effect through modifying chronic disease status and individual income.

Levels of social resources were negatively associated with dependency. Our results suggest that social support has both a direct effect on dependency and an indirect effect through modifying chronic disease status and individual income.

Health illiteracy is an important contributor to the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs); in particular in settings where health illiteracy is part of a perpetuating system of risk factors. Interventions that promote health literacy may provide an important tool in the primary and secondary prevention of NCDs. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of health literacy interventions on health literacy in the management of patients with selected NCDs living in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC).

Seven electronic databases were searched (October 29, 2020) for RCTs aimed at improving health literacy in adults with NCDs in LMICs. Eligible NCDs included those pertaining to cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic respiratory disease (CRD) or Diabetes. Studies were included that explicitly focussed on improving health literacy, and reported comprehensive measures of health literacy, or components thereof (ie, knowledge, attitude or behaviour). Random-effect meta-achronic conditions that drive the burden of NCDs.

The accreditation of healthcare organizations has been applied as a quality assurance mechanism of healthcare services. Kuwait health authorities implemented a national healthcare accreditation program at the governmental healthcare system. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) about healthcare accreditation, perceived challenges to implementing accreditation, and views on how to overcome these challenges.

A phenomenological qualitative framework was adopted to conduct focus group interviews to explore perceptions of HCPs about accreditation in governmental healthcare system. Data were collected from 30 HCPs using seven focus group interviews. The verbatim transcripts of the interviews were analysed using the framework approach.

The HCPs indicated that accreditation enhanced patient safety culture at their organizations through staff adherence to good practices, improved documentation and patient handover practices, and incident reporting. The facilitators to theudes towards accreditation while also recognizing the challenges that may hinder its implementation. The collaboration between different stakeholders in this process is essential to overcome these challenges and support HCPs to meet accreditation standards and improve quality of healthcare services.

HCPs in Kuwait expressed positive attitudes towards accreditation while also recognizing the challenges that may hinder its implementation. The collaboration between different stakeholders in this process is essential to overcome these challenges and support HCPs to meet accreditation standards and improve quality of healthcare services.Current efforts to engineer a clinically relevant tissue graft from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have relied on the addition or utilization of external scaffolding material. However, any imbalance in the interactions between embedded cells and their surroundings may hinder the success of the resulting tissue graft. Therefore, the goal of our study was to create scaffold-free, 3D-printed cardiac tissue grafts from hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs), and to evaluate whether or not mechanical stimulation would result in improved graft maturation. RKI-1447 datasheet To explore this, we used a 3D bioprinter to produce scaffold-free cardiac tissue grafts from hiPSC-derived CM cell spheroids. Static mechanical stretching of these grafts significantly increased sarcomere length compared to unstimulated free-floating tissues, as determined by immunofluorescent image analysis. Stretched tissue was found to have decreased elastic modulus, increased maximal contractile force, and increased alignment of formed extracellular matrix, as expected in a functionally maturing tissue graft. Additionally, stretched tissues had upregulated expression of cardiac-specific gene transcripts, consistent with increased cardiac-like cellular identity. Finally, analysis of extracellular matrix organization in stretched grafts suggests improved remodeling by embedded cardiac fibroblasts. Taken together, our results suggest that mechanical stretching stimulates hiPSC-derived CMs in a 3D-printed, scaffold-free tissue graft to develop mature cardiac material structuring and cellular fates. Our work highlights the critical role of mechanical conditioning as an important engineering strategy toward developing clinically applicable, scaffold-free human cardiac tissue grafts.