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This article lays out an argument for relocating worldview analysis from the margins of conflict analysis to its center. While we may understand worldviews as an integral part of most escalated conflicts-which may seem to be about something else as well (e.g., energy, borders, economic grievances)-worldviews conflict can also be described as a particular form of conflict. This duality is important to recognize for the further development of the field of conflict analysis. The article also lays out the relevance of worldview analysis to conflict analysis, and how it can enhance our understanding of escalatory conflict dynamics., (© 2022 The Author. Negotiation Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of President and Fellows of Harvard College.)

Background: Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020, health technologies have been rapidly scaled up to ensure access to care. A significant innovation has been telehealth in general practice. Now widespread, it remains unknown how this shift to virtual care has impacted on quality-of-care indicators such as pathology testing and diagnosis., Aim: To undertake a comparison of telehealth and face-to-face general practice consultations to: identify if there were differences in the proportion of pathology test referrals from 2019-2020; and quantify any change in pathology test collection and follow-up patterns., Design & Setting: Retrospective observational study of routinely collected electronic patient data from 807 general practices across New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, Australia., Method: Multivariate generalised estimating equation models were used to estimate the proportion of pathology test referrals for overall, face-to-face, and telehealth consultations. Pathology test follow-up was described through median (and interquartile range [IQR]) time., Results: Pathology test referrals declined during periods of high COVID-19 cases, falling from 10.8% in February 2020 to a low of 4.5% during the first peak in April. Overall, pathology test referrals were lower for telehealth than face-to-face consultations. Median time between referral and test collection was 3 days (IQR 1-14) for telehealth and 1 day (IQR 0-7) for face to face., Conclusion: For telehealth to become part of routine care, it is crucial that gaps in functionality, including difficulty in test referral processes, be addressed. Quality improvements supporting care practices will ensure clinicians' workflows are supported and patients receive diagnostic testing., (Copyright © 2022, The Authors.)

Background: There has been a precipitous rise in telehealth use in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding differences between face-to-face and telehealth consulting is an important component for planning the future use of telehealth services beyond the pandemic. However, there is limited evidence on whether telehealth consulting impacts medication prescribing under pandemic circumstances., Aim: To compare medication prescribing in face-to-face consultations with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australian general practice., Design & Setting: A multisite, retrospective observational study. De-identified routinely collected electronic health data were used, which were extracted from 806 general practices in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between April and December 2020., Method: The primary outcome measure was whether at least one medication was prescribed following a telehealth or face-to-face consultation. Data were reported by medication and for each of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system level 1 groups. The secondary outcome measure was first-time prescribing. Telehealth included both telephone and video consultations., Results: A total of 13 608 216 consultations satisfied the inclusion criteria (61.0% face to face and 39.0% telehealth). Most telehealth consultations were conducted via telephone (97.8%). Overall, 39.3% of face-to-face and 33.0% of telehealth consultations prescribed at least one medication, which is a statistically significant difference (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.379 to 1.381). The prescribing rate was greater for face-to-face versus telehealth consultations for all drug groups except ATC level 1N (nervous system)., Conclusion: Under COVID-19 restrictions in the states of Victoria and NSW, Australia, medication prescribing was higher in face-to-face consultations when compared with telehealth consultations in the study population., (Copyright © 2022, The Authors.)

Background: Health systems around the world have been forced to make choices about how to prioritize care, manage infection control and maintain reserve capacity for future disease outbreaks. Primary healthcare has moved into the front line as COVID-19 testing transitions from hospitals to multiple providers, where tracking testing behaviours can be fragmented and delayed. Pooled general practice data are a valuable resource which can be used to inform population and individual care decision-making. This project aims to examine the feasibility of using near real-time electronic general practice data to promote effective care and best-practice policy., Methods: The project will utilize a design thinking approach involving all collaborators (primary health networks [PHNs], general practices, consumer groups, researchers, and digital health developers, pathology professionals) to enhance the development of meaningful and translational project outcomes. The project will be based on a series of observational studies utilizing near real-time electronic general practice data from a secure and comprehensive digital health platform [POpulation Level Analysis and Reporting (POLAR) general practice data warehouse]. The study will be carried out over 1.5 years (July 2020-December 2021) using data from over 450 general practices within three Victorian PHNs and Gippsland PHN, Eastern Melbourne PHN and South Eastern Melbourne PHN, supplemented by data from consenting general practices from two PHNs in New South Wales, Central and Eastern Sydney PHN and South Western Sydney PHN., Discussion: The project will be developed using a design thinking approach, leading to the building of a meaningful near real-time COVID-19 geospatial reporting framework and dashboard for decision-makers at community, state and nationwide levels, to identify and monitor emerging trends and the impact of interventions/policy decisions. This will integrate timely evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic related to its diagnosis and treatment, and its impact across clinical, population and general practice levels., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

This study assessed the economic value of health impacts of transboundary smoke haze pollution in Kuala Lumpur and adjacent areas in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Daily inpatient data from 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009 for 14 haze-related illnesses were collected from four hospitals. On average, there were 19 hazy days each year during which the air pollution levels were within the Lower Moderate to Hazardous categories. No seasonal variation in inpatient cases was observed. A smoke haze occurrence was associated with an increase in inpatient cases by 2.4 per 10,000 populations each year, representing an increase of 31 percent from normal days. The average annual economic loss due to the inpatient health impact of haze was valued at MYR273,000 ($91,000 USD)., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to find out the association between blood group B and Myocardial Infarction (MI) in sample population in Malaysia., Study Design: A case-control study., Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Hospital Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia, from 2006 to 2007., Methodology: The study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee, School of Medical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia. The study included 170 patients with confirmed MI as cases and 170 subjects without MI were taken as controls. After ethical approval, patients were recruited for the study from Hospital Kepala Batas after informed consent. Blood sample around 2 ml was collected from each patient and control. Each blood sample was tested by ABO gel card test for the blood group. Sample size was calculated using a power and sample size software, whereby power of study was 80%, Confidence Interval (CI) was 95%, odds ratio was 2 and ratio of control to case was 1. Odds ratio and the CI were used to describe the association between MI and group B., Results: A total of 170 MI patients and 170 controls were tested for ABO blood groups. Statistical analysis showed that among 170 MI subjects, 54 (31.8%) were blood group B and among 170 controls, 51 (30%) were blood group B. Simple logistic regression analysis showed no association of MI with blood group B (p=0.824, crude OR 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.62-1.47). Multiple logistic regression analysis also did not show association of blood group B with MI (p=0.222, adjusted OR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.37-1.26)., Conclusion: This study failed to demonstrate any association of blood group B with MI in sample population in Malaysia compared to few studies reporting positive association, however, we suggest further studies to elaborate on this finding in Malaysian population.

The influence of age on various histological types of breast cancer at both age <50 years and >50 years to simulate menopause was studied retrospective from 2002 to 2004 in Malaysia. One hundred and fifty five cases were reviewed. Ninety two cases recorded at age <50 years, 60 (65.2%, 95%CI: 54.6 - 74.8%) were infiltrating ductal carcinoma in 11(12.0%, 95% CI: 6.1-20.4%), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 9 (9.8%, 95% CI: 4.6-17.8%), medullary carcinoma in 6 (6.5%, 85%CI: 2.4-13.6%), invasive lobular carcinoma in 4 (4.3%, 95%CI: 1.2-10.8%), mucinous carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma in 2 cases (2.2%, 95%CI: 0.3-7.6%). At >50 years of age, 63 cases were recorded. Forty seven (74.6%, 95%CI: 62.0- 84.7%) cases were of infiltrating ductal carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ in 9 (14.3%, 95%CI: 6.7-25.4%), mucinous carcinoma in 5 (7.9%, 95%CI: 2.6-17.6%), medullary carcinoma (8.5%) and papillary carcinoma in 1 case each (1.6%, 95%CI: 0.0-8.5%). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the commonest histology at both age <50 years and >50 years.

The first aim of cancer treatment is to acheive a cure, and when cure is not possible, a good palliation (life prolongation and relief of sufferings) is warranted. This article highlights the aim of cancer treatment and also attempts to assess the issues of quality of life experienced as a result of the disease and its treatment. Palliative therapy should be less intensive than radical treatment and should cause less morbidity than disease itself. It must be effective, completed in a short time and should be tolerable. It is also essential for a physician to give a clear explanation of illness to the patient and realistic advice regarding the likely outcome of therapy and the long and short term morbidities which may occur. The patient may opt for a palliative treatment with a reduced chance of cure but a better quality of life than accepting a radical treatment with a potentially higher degree of morbidity. Quality of life in oncology practice should be seen as a process and as a part of this process it seems sensible to pursue several different lines of questionnaire development rather than constructing one 'perfect" quality of life instrument.