Caregivers who received the intervention had higher QOL ratings for specific QOL domains but not for overall QOL. Although a comprehensive intervention was helpful, more specific, targeted interventions tailored for individual needs are recommended. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a follicular occlusion disorder occurring in apocrine-rich regions of the skin. Estimates of the prevalence of this disorder have not been population-based. Objective: We sought to provide population-based information on the prevalence of HS in Olmsted County, Minnesota, as of January 1, 2009. Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project, a unique infrastructure that combines and makes accessible all medical records in Olmsted County since the 1960s, was used to collect population-based data on the prevalence of HS. Results: We identified 178 confirmed cases of HS that included 135 females and 43 males, and estimated the total sex- and age-adjusted prevalence in Olmsted County to be 127.8 per 100,000 or 0.13%. The total prevalence was significantly higher among women than men. Conclusion: This study represents the first population-based investigation on the prevalence of HS. In this population-based cohort, HS was less prevalent than suggested by previous reports.

Background There are significant burdens associated with providing care for loved ones with cancer. However, caregiver quality of life (QOL) is often overlooked. With the increasing number of older adults with cancer, it is important to determine whether a patient’s age and QOL have any association with the caregiver’s QOL. Objective The objective of our study was to describe caregiver QOL and explore whether patient age and other psychosocial factors impact caregiver QOL. Design Baseline information from patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation and their caregivers, who were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a structured, multidisciplinary QOL intervention, was analyzed for this study. Measurement Caregivers completed the Caregiver Quality of Life Index—Cancer Scale (CQOLC). Both patients and caregivers completed the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA) to measure QOL, and Profile of Mood States (POMS) to measure mood states. Results Overall, 131 patient-caregiver pairs participated in the study. At baseline, caregivers of older adults (≥65 years) had higher mental (P=0.01), emotional (P=0.003), spiritual (P<0.01), and social support (P=0.03) LASA QOL scores. Caregivers of older adults also had higher baseline QOL (CQOLC, P=0.003) and mood (POMS, P=0.04) than caregivers of younger adults. Caregivers of patients with higher LASA QOL scores had higher overall (P=0.02), mental (P=0.006), physical (P=0.02), emotional (P=0.002), and spiritual LASA QOL scores (P=0.047). Conclusions Caregivers of older adults with advanced cancer demonstrated better QOL and fewer mood disturbances compared to caregivers of younger patients. When patients have good QOL, caregivers also had good QOL.

Aim: This case series looks at outcomes in 39 patients implanted using the Bioness Stimrouter system on various isolated mononeuropathies. Patients & methods: A case series of 39 patients with a total of 42 implants were enrolled starting August 2017 at various pain management centers. Results: Of 39 patients studied, 78% of the participants noticed an improvement in their pain. There was a 71% reduction in pain scores with the average preprocedure score of 8 improving to 2 post-implant. Participants noted on average a 72% improvement in activity with the greatest observed in the brachial plexus (80%) and suprascapular nerve (80%) and smallest in the intercostal nerve (40%). Approximately 89% of those implanted with a peripheral nerve stimulator experienced a greater than 50% reduction in opioid consumption. Conclusion: Peripheral nerve stimulators are a new, minimally invasive neuromodulation modality that shows promising early results in our 39-patient case series.

This article explores the assessment of professionalism within a cohort of medical students during a sequential 13-week medical school histology and anatomy course. Across seven data points, students were asked to identify a professionalism role model from amongst their peers and to score Likert-structured rationales for their decision. Based on density scores, an initial social network analysis identified six peer-nomination "stars." However, analysis of these stars revealed considerable variability and random-like "noise" in both the nomination and explanation data sets. Subsequent analyses of both data sets explored the possibility of underlying patterns in this noise using tests of reliability, principal components factor analysis, and fixed-effects regression analysis. These explorations revealed the presence of two dimensions (professional vs. supportive) in how students sought to explain their nomination decisions. Although data variability remained quite high, significantly less variability was present in the professional than in the supportive dimension, suggesting that academic helpfulness rationales are both empirically distinct and more mutable than rationales grounded in professionalism-related factors. In addition, data showed that the greater the stability in one's choice of a professionalism role model nomination over the T1-T7 data periods, the more stable one's reasons for that nomination-both for professionalism and supportive dimensions. Results indicate that while peer assessment of professionalism by first-year medical students may not be very reliable, students can differentiate between more personal and professional factors, even at this early stage in their professional development. Formal instruction within the pre-clinical curriculum should recognize and address this distinction. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.