What is Known About Critical Congenital Heart Disease Diagnosis and Management Experiences from the Perspectives of Family and Healthcare Providers? A Systematic Integrative Literature Review

The experience of diagnosis, decision-making and management in critical congenital heart disease is layered with complexity for both families and clinicians. We synthesise the current evidence regarding the family and healthcare provider experience of critical congenital heart disease diagnosis and management. A systematic integrative literature review was conducted by keyword search of online databases, MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO, Cochrane, cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL Plus) and two journals, the Journal of Indigenous Research and Midwifery Journal from 1990. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to search results with citation mining of final included papers to ensure completeness. Two researchers assessed study quality combining three tools. A third researcher reviewed papers where no consensus was reached. Data was coded and analysed in four phases resulting in final refined themes to summarise the findings. Of 1817 unique papers, 22 met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the included studies was generally good, apart from three of fair quality. There is little information on the experience of the healthcare provider. Thematic analysis identified three themes relating to the family experience: (1) The diagnosis and treatment of a critical congenital heart disease child significantly impacts parental health and wellbeing. (2) The way that healthcare and information is provided influences parental response and adaptation, and (3) parental responses and adaptation can be influenced by how and when support occurs. The experience of diagnosis and management of a critical congenital heart disease child is stressful and life-changing for families. Further research is needed into the experience of minority and socially deprived families, and of the healthcare provider, to inform potential interventions at the healthcare provider and institutional levels to improve family experience and support.

National estimates from the Youth '19 Rangatahi smart survey: A survey calibration approach

BACKGROUND

Significant progress has been made addressing adolescent health needs in New Zealand, but some areas, such as mental health issues remain, particularly for rangatahi Māori (indigenous Māori young people). Little is known about how contemporary Māori whānau (families) and communities influence health outcomes, health literacy and access to services. Previous nationally representative secondary school surveys were conducted in New Zealand in 2001, 2007 and 2012, as part of the Youth2000 survey series. This paper focuses on a fourth survey conducted in 2019 (https://www.youth19.ac.nz/). In 2019, the survey also included kura kaupapa Māori schools (Māori language immersion schools), and questions exploring the role of family connections in health and wellbeing. This paper presents the overall study methodology, and a weighting and calibration framework in order to provide estimates that reflect the national student population, and enable comparisons with the previous surveys to monitor trends.

METHODS

Youth19 was a cross sectional, self-administered health and wellbeing survey of New Zealand high school students. The target population was the adolescent population of New Zealand (school years 9-13). The study population was drawn from three education regions: Auckland, Tai Tokerau (Northland) and Waikato. These are the most ethnically diverse regions in New Zealand. The sampling design was two-stage clustered stratified, where schools were the clusters, and strata were defined by kura schools and educational regions. There were four strata, formed as follows: kura schools (Tai Tokerau, Auckland and Waikato regions combined), mainstream-Auckland, mainstream-Tai Tokerau and mainstream-Waikato. From each stratum, 50% of the schools were randomly sampled and then 30% of students from the selected schools were invited to participate. All students in the kura kaupapa schools were invited to participate. In order to make more precise estimates and adjust for differential non-response, as well as to make nationally relevant estimates and allow comparisons with the previous national surveys, we calibrated the sampling weights to reflect the national secondary school student population.

RESULTS

There were 45 mainstream and 4 kura schools included in the final sample, and 7,374 mainstream and 347 kura students participated in the survey. There were differences between the sampled population and the national secondary school student population, particularly in terms of sex and ethnicity, with a higher proportion of females and Asian students in the study sample than in the national student population. We calculated estimates of the totals and proportions for key variables that describe risk and protective factors or health and wellbeing factors. Rates of risk-taking behaviours were lower in the sampled population than what would be expected nationally, based on the demographic profile of the national student population. For the regional estimates, calibrated weights yield standard errors lower than those obtained with the unadjusted sampling weights. This leads to significantly narrower confidence intervals for all the variables in the analysis. The calibrated estimates of national quantities provide similar results. Additionally, the national estimates for 2019 serve as a tool to compare to previous surveys, where the sampling population was national.

CONCLUSIONS

One of the main goals of this paper is to improve the estimates at the regional level using calibrated weights to adjust for oversampling of some groups, or non-response bias. Additionally, we also recommend the use of calibrated estimators as they provide nationally adjusted estimates, which allow inferences about the whole adolescent population of New Zealand. They also yield confidence intervals that are significantly narrower than those obtained using the original sampling weights.

Cascade of care of people diagnosed with HIV in New Zealand between 2006 and 2017

OBJECTIVES

We estimated the proportion of people reported with HIV in New Zealand between 2006 and 2017, and alive in 2017-2019, who were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and had a suppressed viral load (VL), and explored their associated characteristics.

METHODS

Data were anonymously linked to information on ART and VL within the data collection period (January 2017 to August 2019) using the National Health Index (NHI), Ministry of Health and laboratory datasets, as well as information from clinical specialists. Logistic regression was used to test for associations. Sensitivity analyses were undertaken to estimate the range for the key proportions.

RESULTS

Overall, 2355 people were reported with HIV, of whom 116 (5%) had died, 337 (14%) were overseas, and 1701 (72%) were alive in New Zealand; for the remaining 201 (9%) the outcome was unknown. Clinical data were available for 1490 people (87.6%): 1408 (94.5%) were on ART, 11 (< 1%) were not on ART, and for 71 (4.8%) this was unknown. Of those on ART, 1156 (82.1%) had a suppressed VL (< 200 copies/mL), 34 (2.4%) were unsuppressed, and for 218 (15.5%) this was unknown. The estimate of the proportion on ART ranged from 99% to 78%, and those with a suppressed VL ranged from 98% to 78%.

CONCLUSIONS

Among people with HIV in New Zealand who are under care, a high proportion were on ART and had suppressed VL. Increasing collection of NHIs and better linkage with laboratory information will reduce the number with unknown information and provide more complete VL results in the future.

Self-reported oral health, dental self-care and dental service use among New Zealand secondary school students: findings from the Youth 07 study

AIM

The primary aim was to describe New Zealand secondary school students' use of dental services and determine the nature and extent of any inequities by deprivation status and ethnicity. A secondary aim was to to describe their toothbrushing practices and self-reported dental pain experience, past restorative treatment and tooth loss.

METHOD

Secondary analysis of data from the cross-sectional Youth 07: National Survey of the Health and Wellbeing of New Zealand Secondary School Students. A representative sample of 9,098 secondary school students aged 13-17 years from 96 secondary schools across New Zealand took part, with a response rate of 73%. Self-report information about oral health care behaviour, past dental experiences and dental visiting pattern was collected. Data analysis took the complex survey design into account, and multivariate analysis was undertaken to examine the associations of dental service-use.

RESULTS

A dental visit in the previous 12 months was reported by 72% of participants. The odds of having done so were higher among females, those who brushed at least twice daily, and those who had been kept awake at night by dental pain. Lower odds were seen among students identifying with Māori, Pacific or Asian people (and those in the 'Other' ethnic category) than among European students, and among those residing in medium- or high-deprivation areas than those in lo-deprivation areas. One in seven participants reported having lost a tooth due to oral disease. Having had a tooth filled was reported by almost three-quarters of the sample, and having been kept awake by dental pain at night was reported by just over one in five. Almost two-thirds reported brushing their teeth twice or more in the previous 24 hours, and a small minority had not brushed at all.

CONCLUSION

Ethnic and socio-economic inequities in the use of dental services are apparent among New Zealand adolescents.

Phase II meningococcal B vesicle vaccine trial in New Zealand infants

BACKGROUND

A tailor-made serogroup B outer membrane vesicle vaccine was evaluated in the context of a serogroup B meningococcal epidemic dominated by Neisseria meningitidis strain B:4:P1.7b,4.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity in infants aged 6-8 months of a meningococcal B vaccine developed against the New Zealand epidemic strain.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Observer-blind, randomised, controlled trial conducted in 296 healthy infants in Auckland, New Zealand.

INTERVENTION

Infants were randomised 4:1 to receive three doses of New Zealand candidate vaccine (epidemic strain NZ98/254, B:4:P1.7b,4) or meningococcal C conjugate vaccine at 6-weekly intervals.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Immune response was determined by human complement mediated serum bactericidal assay. Sero-response was a fourfold or greater rise in titre compared to baseline, with baseline titres <4 required to increase to >or=8. Blood samples were taken before vaccination, 6 weeks after dose two, and 4 weeks after dose three. Local and systemic reactions were recorded for 7 days following vaccination.

RESULTS

Sero-response to the candidate vaccine strain, NZ98/254, was demonstrated in 74% of vaccinees (95% CI: 68% to 80% intention-to-treat; 67% to 79% per protocol) after three doses of New Zealand candidate vaccine. No meningococcal C conjugate vaccine recipients were sero-responders to NZ98/254 after three doses. Both vaccines were well tolerated with no vaccine related serious adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that the New Zealand candidate vaccine administered in three doses to this group of 6-8-month-old infants was safe and immunogenic against the candidate vaccine strain NZ98/254 (Neisseria meningitidis B:4:P1.7b,4).

Pathways to diagnosis of cervical cancer: screening history, delay in follow up, and smear reading

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the most important ways to reduce incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer by a nationally co-ordinated screening programme.

DESIGN

Descriptive study.

SETTING

The New Zealand National Cervical Screening Programme: a nationally organised and co-ordinated programme.

SAMPLE

Women aged younger than 80 years with histologically proven primary invasive cervical cancer, including microinvasive disease, diagnosed between 1 January 2000 and 30 September 2002. Consent for access to medical records was gained for 371 of 445 eligible women (83%). A total of 359 (81%) of eligible women or their next of kin consented to interview.

METHODS

Data on events prior to diagnosis were obtained from routine sources, interview, medical record review and slide reread.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Frequency of screening in the 7 years prior to diagnosis, time from abnormal smear or symptoms to appropriate diagnostic confirmation, proportion of negative smears upgraded to high grade on reread.

RESULTS

Half of the 371 participants (83% of 445 eligible women) had not had a screening smear in the 3 years prior to diagnosis, and 80% were defined as inadequately screened. A maximum of 17% of women overall or within any defined subgroup experienced delays in follow up of abnormal smears or bleeding. Only 11% of women overall had had a high-grade smear, which was originally read as negative.

CONCLUSIONS

The most important factor in women's pathways to a diagnosis of cervical cancer was inadequate screening. While delays in diagnosis could be reduced and laboratory performance improved, priority must be given to improving uptake and frequency of screening.

The development of Māori primary care services

This paper provides a broad overview of the development of Māori primary care services over the last decade and an outline of the current scope of Māori primary care services. The paper also récognizes the number of challenges and opportunities that face Māori providers and will briefly discuss three that are relevant to all providers: frameworks, information and effectiveness. Developing frameworks for contract specification and performance criteria that reflect Māori models of health and well-being, intersectoral approaches and the use of kaupapa and tikanga Māori in service development and delivery is a major challenge. Current approaches, while acknowledging these areas, for example in contracts, are based within the frameworks of a Western medical model. We have yet to clearly identify how we can meaningfully incorporate these philosophical and practical approaches to providing services into contractual arrangements. Providers have identified a need for information. The providers pass significant amounts of information to the funding agency, however many feel that very little information is returned from the funding agencies to the provider organizations. These providers could well use information feedback from the funding agency when they are reviewing and developing their services. There are also other types of information, for example having access to detailed local epidemiological and demographic information, that would be very useful to providers who are reviewing existing programs and developing new services. The third 'universal' challenge is the need to begin to collect information about how effective current Māori health strategies are, and how effectively services are caring for Māori clients. Developing information on effectiveness could utilize a multi-faceted approach, with information being collected at the provider level as well as at population level. Other questions relate to the effectiveness of our health promoting, disease preventing or disease management interventions. These points are relevant to all providers, but information on the effectiveness of mainstream health services is just as limited. The disparity between Māori and non-Maori health status however, suggests that these services (both public and personal health services) have not been as effective as they could have been.