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Objective: To formally evaluate the written discharge advice for people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Methods: Eleven publications met the inclusion criteria: (1) intended for adults; (2) ≤two A4 pages; (3) published in English; (4) freely accessible; and (5) currently used (or suitable for use) in Australian hospital emergency departments or similar settings. Two independent raters evaluated the content and style of each publication against established standards. The readability of the publication, the diagnostic term(s) contained in it and a modified Patient Literature Usefulness Index (mPLUI) were also evaluated. Results: The mean content score was 19.18 ± 8.53 (maximum = 31) and the mean style score was 6.8 ± 1.34 (maximum = 8). The mean Flesch-Kincaid reading ease score was 66.42 ± 4.3. The mean mPLUI score was 65.86 ± 14.97 (maximum = 100). Higher scores on these metrics indicate more desirable properties. Over 80% of the publications used mixed diagnostic terminology. One publication scored optimally on two of the four metrics and highly on the others. Discussion: The content, style, readability and usefulness of written mTBI discharge advice was highly variable. The provision of written information to patients with mTBI is advised, but this variability in materials highlights the need for evaluation before distribution. Areas are identified to guide the improvement of written mTBI discharge advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: UK medical schools typically have over 300 students per year, making it impossible for students to know all the others well. Aims: This longitudinal cohort study measured the formation of medical student social networks and their relationship to grades. Method: In November 2009, 215/317 (68%) Year 2 UCL medical students reported their friendships with others in their year, by questionnaire. Multiple regression assessed the relationship between friendships, exam results and background variables (obtained from student records), with permutation testing to assess statistical significance. Results: Students of the same sex, the same ethnic group, and in the same tutor and small groups (to which they were randomly assigned at the start of medical school) were socially closer. Taking into account absolute difference in Year 1 grades, Year 2 pairs who were socially closer in November 2009 had more similar May 2010 grades. Individual student variables did not predict similarity in 2010 grades after taking friendships into account. Conclusions: The results suggest that medical students chose friends of the same sex and ethnic group as themselves; but random allocation of students to tutor groups also influenced friendships. Most importantly, friendships related to subsequent exam performance, suggesting friendship may influence learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]