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This comment aims to contribute to agenda-setting for the study of interpersonal violence over the years to come. Interpersonal violence is a high-profile topic not only in the domain of criminology, but also in public health, medicine, and epidemiology, and across the social sciences (sociology; psychology; economics; and political science). However, interdisciplinary integration between the different perspectives is lacking. This comment takes up the question of how scholars and practitioners in the field of violence can work towards greater integration with other perspectives. It outlines five key priorities for the field going forward, which are intended to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of interpersonal violence. Importantly, the view outlined here arose from a collaboration of researchers from a wide range of academic fields, and as such represents interdisciplinary consensus on the steps required to ensure that the study of interpersonal violence remains an effective and productive research field.

BackgroundSystematic monitoring of work atmosphere and patient safety incidents is a necessary part of a quality assurance system, particularly an accredited system like the Joint Commission International (JCI). How the implementation of quality assurance systems affects well-being at work and patient safety is unclear. Evidence shows that accreditation improves workplace atmosphere and well-being. Thus, the assumption that an increase in employees’ well-being at work improves patient safety is reasonable. ObjectiveThis study aims to describe the protocol for monitoring the effects of implementing the quality assurance system of JCI at Orton Orthopedic Hospital on employees’ well-being (primary outcome) and patient safety (secondary outcome). MethodsQuantitative (questionnaires and register data) and qualitative (semistructured interviews) methods will be used. In addition, quantitative data will be collected from register data. Both quantitative and register data will be analyzed. Register data analysis will be performed using generalized linear models with an appropriate distribution and link function. The study timeline covers the time before, during, and after the start of the accreditation process. The collected data will be used to compare job satisfaction, as a part of the well-being questionnaire, and the development of patient safety during the accreditation process. ResultsThe results of the quality assurance system implementation illuminate its possible effects on the patient’s safety and job satisfaction. The repeatability and internal consistency reliability of the well-being questionnaire will be reported. Data collection will begin in May, 2024. It will be followed by data analysis and the results are expected to be published by 2025. ConclusionsThe planned study will contribute to the evaluation of the effects of JCI accreditation in terms of well-being at work and patient safety. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/45200

Abstract Background The choice of what patient outcomes are included in clinical quality registries is crucial for comparable and relevant data collection. Ideally, a uniform outcome framework could be used to classify the outcomes included in registries, steer the development of outcome measurement, and ultimately enable better patient care through benchmarking and registry research. The aim of this study was to compare clinical quality registry outcomes against the COMET taxonomy to assess its suitability in the registry context. Methods We conducted an organizational case study that included outcomes from 63 somatic clinical quality registries in use at HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. Outcomes were extracted and classified according to the COMET taxonomy and the suitability of the taxonomy was assessed. Results HUS clinical quality registries showed great variation in outcome domains and in number of measures. Physiological outcomes were present in 98%, resource use in all, and functioning domains in 62% of the registries. Patient-reported outcome measures were found in 48% of the registries. Conclusions The COMET taxonomy was found to be mostly suitable for classifying the choice of outcomes in clinical quality registries, but improvements are suggested. HUS Helsinki University Hospital clinical quality registries exist at different maturity levels, showing room for improvement in life impact outcomes and in outcome prioritization. This article offers an example of classifying the choice of outcomes included in clinical quality registries and a comparison point for other registry evaluators.

Objectives: Most patients with pancreatic cancer who have undergone surgical resection eventually develop disease recurrence. ‍This study aimed to investigate whether there is evidence to support routine surveillance after pancreatic cancer surgery, with a secondary aim of analyzing the implementation of surveillance strategies in the Nordic countries. Materials and Methods: A scoping review was conducted to identify clinical practice guidelines globally and research studies relating to surveillance after pancreatic cancer resection. This was followed by a survey among 20 pancreatic units from four Nordic countries to assess their current practice of follow-up for operated patients. Results: Altogether 16 clinical practice guidelines and 17 research studies were included. The guidelines provided inconsistent recommendations regarding postoperative surveillance of pancreatic cancer. The clinical research data were mainly based on retrospective cohort studies with low level of evidence and lead-time bias was not addressed. Active surveillance was recommended in Sweden and Denmark, but not in Norway beyond the post-operative/adjuvant period. Finland had no national recommendations for surveillance. The Nordic survey revealed a wide variation in reported practice among the different units. About 75% (15 of 20 units) performed routine postoperative surveillance. Routine CA 19-9 testing was used by 80% and routine CT by 67% as part of surveillance. About 73% of centers continued follow-up until 5 years postoperatively. Conclusion: Evidence for routine long-term (i.e. 5 years) surveillance after pancreatic cancer surgery remains limited. Most pancreatic units in the Nordic countries conduct regular follow-up, but protocols vary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hate crime victimization targeting the victim's religious identity poses a serious problem for individuals, communities, and societies. This systematic review describes countermeasures to such victimization, aiming for broad descriptive inclusion by canvassing personal adaptations, collective programs, and institutional-governmental policies. Targeting peer-reviewed articles published between 2002 and 2022, we found 44 articles describing measures related to religion-based victimization prevention. We classified the studied measures into 12 main types. The most salient personal adaptations included camouflage-type blending in to avoid victimization, using religion as a source of resilience, and changing routines to deflect risk. At the collective level, mobilizing community resilience, stereotype reduction, and place-based solutions were often researched. The relatively few institutional-level studies addressed measures to enhance the connection between victims and authorities by various means. The experimental studies heavily concentrated on experiments supporting the efficacy of changing people's perceptions as a means of prevention. The review concludes with a discussion about research and policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homicide as the most serious form of lethal violence has always represented an important research focus in criminology. Much of the existing research, however, is based on aggregated homicide data and is limited to macrolevel analyses. The European Homicide Monitor (EHM) is an initiative promoting standardized international data collection, with the aim of collecting disaggregated and detailed data on homicide. Originally developed by researchers from the Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland, the EHM coding scheme is currently applied in several European countries. In this article, we take stock of the use of the EHM approach by describing its key principles and aims. We also review research conducted within the EHM framework and identify the most significant developments in its use, such as expanding to the Global South, to the historical past, and to more accurate measurement of drug-related incidents. We conclude this investigation by discussing the challenges facing future research in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homicide remains a major cause of death globally. The global risk differentials are a persistent public health challenge. Africa's homicide rate of 13 victims per 100,000 people is markedly higher than the European average (2.2 per 100,000 people). To understand the causes of such large differences, homicide research needs to move from country-level rates to disaggregated analyses in which homicide is broken down by victim, offender, and incident characteristics. We conducted a pilot study in which the European Homicide Monitor (EHM) coding manual is applied to a South African research location and compared to an extreme point in the Global North, Finnish urban areas. We find differential patterns in the two locations. The high-rate context of South Africa manifests a younger offender and victim age structure, a higher share of criminal and revenge motives and the use of firearms, and incidents in public places. In contrast, the comparatively low-rate Finnish context shows a higher relative share of intimate partner violence and familial incidents taking place in private places. The role of alcohol and drugs appears more salient in Finnish urban homicide, a finding calling for replication. We conclude by discussing the methodological challenges revealed by the pilot comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed-loop electronic medication management systems (EMMS) have been seen as a potential technology to prevent medication errors (MEs), although the research on them is still limited. The aim of this paper was to describe the changes in reported MEs in Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) during and after implementing an EPIC-based electronic health record system (APOTTI), with the first features of a closed-loop EMMS. MEs reported from January 2018 to May 2021 were analysed to identify changes in ME trends with quantitative analysis. Severe MEs were also analysed via qualitative content analysis. A total of 30% (n = 23,492/79,272) of all reported patient safety incidents were MEs. Implementation phases momentarily increased the ME reporting, which soon decreased back to the earlier level. Administration and dispensing errors decreased, but medication reconciliation, ordering, and prescribing errors increased. The ranking of the TOP 10 medications related to MEs remained relatively stable. There were 92 severe MEs related to APOTTI (43% of all severe MEs). The majority of these (55%, n = 53) were related to use and user skills, 24% (n = 23) were technical failures and flaws, and 21% (n = 21) were related to both. Using EMMS required major changes in the medication process and new technical systems and technology. Our medication-use process is approaching a closed-loop system, which seems to provide safer dispensing and administration of medications. However, medication reconciliation, ordering, and prescribing still need to be improved.