Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
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Established coronary artery disease (CAD) patients are at increased risk for recurrence of cardiovascular events and mortality due to non-attainment of recommended risk factor control targets. ⋯ These findings emphasize the urgent need for effective management and heightened awareness, particularly for controlling LDL-C in the CAD population. Action to address this issue is crucial for mitigating the CVD burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Indonesia.
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Peter Drucker pointed out an important distinction between 'doing things right' and 'doing the right thing', which recognised that all problems are embedded in a context and thus can only be understood within their unique contextual setting. Contemporary research practices in clinical medicine often regards contextual factors as potential confounders that will bias effect estimates and thus must be avoided. However rigorous, research devoid of context ultimately deprives users of understanding of the support factors that make research transferable to policy decisions or managing care of individual patients-it stands in the way of 'doing the right thing' in 'real life' settings. ⋯ We discuss the need for researchers to a-priori consider the context of their research question as well as the structural relationships of the variables under investigation, which in turn provides the basis for choosing the most appropriate research design. We have a moral imperative to first 'do the right thing'-ask questions that address the contextual needs of our patients, and then to 'do it right'-choose the best research method to answer this contextually framed need. Only then will our research efforts have meaningful and lasting impacts on patient care.
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In contrast to abundant research on the various acute mental effects of COVID-19, the long-term influences of the pandemic are still underexplored in China owing to the paucity of assessment tools. The Pandemic Disengagement Syndrome Scale (PDSS) assesses people's social disengagement as a lasting psychological consequence in Western countries during the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. However, its generalizability across cultures is untested. ⋯ The findings indicated that disengagement syndrome may exist among Chinese people even substantially after the acute phases of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Chinese PDSS demonstrating acceptable psychometric features can be a valid instrument to assess the syndrome. Several possible reasons for the persistence of disengagement in China are discussed.
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To assess and evaluate consumer awareness and common medication use practices towards OTC analgesics, with a focus on the impact of irrational drug use and its implications for public health and safety. This includes identifying gaps in knowledge, evaluating the potential consequences of misuse, and discussing how these findings can inform future educational initiatives and policy development to promote safer medication practices. ⋯ Our study highlights the menace of self-medication practices and irrational use of OTC analgesic by the study participants. Immediate remedial measure need to be taken to discourage self-medication and improve rational use of OTC drugs which can be achieved by focusing on improving the consumers' awareness of self-medication and the rational use of medications.
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To examine the medical students' awareness of laparoscopic surgery as well as assess the perceived importance of laparoscopic simulation training, and its impact on students' confidence, career aspirations, proficiency, spatial skills, and physical tolerance. ⋯ Laparoscopic simulation training effectively improved the understanding, confidence, and surgical skills of medical students, with evident benefits in shaping their career aspirations. While both genders exhibited significant gains, female students faced challenges in terms of physical tolerance and initial spatial awareness. However, their post-training achievements mirrored those of their male peers, highlighting the effectiveness and importance of such simulation training programmes.