BackgroundTypical hospital lighting is rich in blue-wavelength emission, which can create unwanted circadian disruption in patients when exposed at night. Despite a growing body of evidence regarding the effects of poor sleep on health outcomes, physiologically neutral technologies have not been widely implemented in the US healthcare system.ObjectiveThe authors sought to determine if rechargeable, proximity-sensing, blue-depleted lighting pods that provide wireless task lighting can make overnight hospital care more efficient for providers and less disruptive to patients.DesignNon-randomised, controlled interventional trial in an intermediate-acuity unit at a large urban medical centre.MethodsNight-time healthcare providers abstained from turning on overhead patient room lighting in favour of a physiologically neutral lighting device. 33 nurses caring for patients on that unit were surveyed after each shift. 21 patients were evaluated after two nights with standard-of-care light and after two nights with lighting intervention.ResultsProviders reported a satisfaction score of 8 out of 10, with 82% responding that the lighting pods provided adequate lighting for overnight care tasks. Among patients, a median 2-point improvement on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was reported.Conclusion and relevanceThe authors noted improved caregiver satisfaction and decreased patient anxiety by using a blue-depleted automated task-lighting alternative to overhead room lights. Larger studies are needed to determine the impact of these lighting devices on sleep measures and patient health outcomes like delirium. With the shift to patient-centred financial incentives and emphasis on patient experience, this study points to the feasibility of a physiologically targeted solution for overnight task lighting in healthcare environments.
H ip fractures are the most common reason for urgent surgery in the elderly and often lead to long-term institutional care. 1 Despite advances in perioperative management, postoperative mortality rates remain high, up to 10% in the fi rst 30 days and 8% to 36% in the fi rst year after repair. 2 Even 10 years after fracture repair, the mortality rate due to comorbid medical conditions remains higher than in age-matched controls. 3
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in American women. Despite advancements in the management of CVD, the death rates have plateaued over the past decade, particularly in females under the age of 65. 1,2 One third of new-onset cardiovascular events in women occur before the age of 65, which emphasize the need for improved screening strategies in younger women to target preventative therapies. 3 When assessing women for primary prevention of CVD, several risk scores exist with the most recent being the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score, also known as the pooled
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