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Background Infants with medical complexity are increasingly cared for at home, creating unique challenges for their caregivers. The sickest of these are those with chronic critical illness (CCI). These infants' medical fragility and resource-intensive needs puts them at increased risk for suboptimal transitions from hospital- to home-based care. It is unclear whether, and if so, to what extent clinicians gather and use knowledge of a family's home context during discharge planning. Methods This study is a pilot of a novel program, using Photovoice methodology, which aims to record and reflect the experience of caring for a child with CCI at home from caregivers' perspectives and to provide direct feedback to inpatient discharging clinicians, with the goal of increasing awareness of (a) the importance of home context and (b) current discharge limitations. Results Through photographs, parents described the importance of developing new routines, learning how to be a family, the impact of medical technology on nearly all aspects of everyday life, the critical role played by clinicians during the transition home, and feelings of social stigma and isolation. Clinicians, in turn, learned about gaps in discharge planning and the value of making families part of the decision-making team. They also found meaning in seeing the children they had cared for doing well at home, which subsequently bolstered enthusiasm for their job. Conclusions Findings from this pilot study highlight the importance of understanding the lived experience of families caring for medically complex children at home and suggest that this knowledge can be used to address gaps in the transition home.

ObjectiveTo examine SARS-CoV-2 vaccine confidence, attitudes and intentions in Australian adults as part of the iCARE Study.Design and settingCross-sectional online survey conducted when free COVID-19 vaccinations first became available in Australia in February 2021.ParticipantsTotal of 1166 Australians from general population aged 18–90 years (mean 52, SD of 19).Main outcome measuresPrimary outcome: responses to question ‘If a vaccine for COVID-19 were available today, what is the likelihood that you would get vaccinated?’.Secondary outcome: analyses of putative drivers of uptake, including vaccine confidence, socioeconomic status and sources of trust, derived from multiple survey questions.ResultsSeventy-eight per cent reported being likely to receive a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Higher SARS-CoV-2 vaccine intentions were associated with: increasing age (OR: 2.01 (95% CI 1.77 to 2.77)), being male (1.37 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.72)), residing in least disadvantaged area quintile (2.27 (95% CI 1.53 to 3.37)) and a self-perceived high risk of getting COVID-19 (1.52 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.14)). However, 72% did not believe they were at a high risk of getting COVID-19. Findings regarding vaccines in general were similar except there were no sex differences. For both the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and vaccines in general, there were no differences in intentions to vaccinate as a function of education level, perceived income level and rurality. Knowing that the vaccine is safe and effective and that getting vaccinated will protect others, trusting the company that made it and vaccination recommended by a doctor were reported to influence a large proportion of the study cohort to uptake the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Seventy-eight per cent reported the intent to continue engaging in virus-protecting behaviours (mask wearing, social distancing, etc) postvaccine.ConclusionsMost Australians are likely to receive a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Key influencing factors identified (eg, knowing vaccine is safe and effective, and doctor’s recommendation to get vaccinated) can inform public health messaging to enhance vaccination rates.

Context Children with chronic critical illness (CCI) have repeated and prolonged hospitalizations. Discrete communication challenges characterize their inpatient care. Objectives Develop, implement, and evaluate a communication training for inpatient clinicians managing pediatric CCI. Methods A one-day communication training for interdisciplinary clinicians, incorporating didactic sessions and simulated family and interdisciplinary team meetings. Results Learners had an average of 11 years' clinical experience. About 34% lacked prior communication training relevant to pediatric CCI. Mean baseline competence across communication skills was 2.6 (range 2.4–3.2), corresponding to less than somewhat prepared; after the training, this increased to a mean of 4.0 (range 3.5–4.5), corresponding to well prepared. Skills with greatest improvement included conducting a family meeting, delivering bad news, discussing stopping intensive care, and end-of-life communication. After one month, perceived competence was sustained for seven of 10 skills; for remaining skills, perceived competence scores decreased by 0.1–0.2. About 100% of learners would recommend the training to colleagues; 89% advocated it for all clinicians caring for children with CCI. Conclusion Interdisciplinary communication training regarding long stay patients is feasible and valued by novice and seasoned clinicians. The novel integration of intrateam communication skills alongside team-family skills reflects the reality that the care of children with CCI challenges clinicians to communicate well with each other and families. Teaching interdisciplinary teams to share communication skills has the potential to overcome reported limitations of existing inpatient discussions, which can be dominated by one or two physicians and lack contributions from diverse team members.

Decisions regarding whether or not to pursue experimental therapies or life-sustaining medical treatment of children with life-limiting illness can be a significant source of distress and conflict for both families and health care providers. This article reviews the concepts of parental permission (consent), assent, and emerging capacity and how they relate to decision-making for minors with serious illness. Decision-making capacity for adolescents is discussed generally and in the context of emotionally charged situations pertaining to the end of life. Strategies for minimizing conflict in situations of disagreement between children and families are provided.

As more countries adopt laws and regulations concerning euthanasia, pediatric euthanasia has become an important topic of discussion. Conceptions of what constitutes harm to patients are fluid and highly dependent on a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, health care ethics, family values, and cultural context. Euthanasia could be viewed as iatrogenic insofar as it results in an outcome (death) that some might consider inherently negative. However, this perspective fails to acknowledge that death, the outcome of euthanasia, is not an inadvertent or preventable complication but rather the goal of the medical intervention. Conversely, the refusal to engage in the practice of euthanasia might be conceived as iatrogenic insofar as it might inadvertently prolong patient suffering. This article will explore cultural and social factors informing families', health care professionals', and society's views on pediatric euthanasia in selected countries.

Objectives The number of children with medical complexity and prolonged hospitalizations is rising. Strategies to adapt acute care approaches for this population are falling behind clinical demand. This study aimed to identify how inpatient team communication practices match the needs of teams caring for these patients and families, and to identify priority areas for improvement. Design Cross-sectional mixed methods survey. Setting Academic children's hospital. Subjects Interdisciplinary healthcare professionals: physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, resident and fellow trainees, respiratory therapists, clinical pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, and child life specialists. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Four-hundred eight interdisciplinary healthcare professionals participated (33% response rate). Half (53%) worked in ICUs and 37% had greater than 10 years clinical experience. Three overarching themes emerged regarding communication during care of children with prolonged hospitalizations are as follows: 1) Dysfunctional team collaboration: the many involved healthcare providers for these children have inconsistent team meetings and few platforms for reaching clinical consensus; 2) Continuity gaps: time-limited clinician rotations and no designated longitudinal clinical leaders undermine relationships with families and key elements of shared decision-making; and 3) Inadequate communication skills and tools: healthcare professionals have inadequate training to address complex conversations and big picture concerns, and often default to daily management conversations. Nearly half (40%) perceived intra-team conflict to occur more commonly during care of these children compared with those with short hospitalizations, and many feel unskilled to address these conflicts. Healthcare providers working in ICUs were more likely than other healthcare providers to find care of children with chronic critical illness stressful "most of the time" (ICU 46%; 60/131 vs non-ICU 25%; 21/84; p = 0.02). Conclusions Acute care inpatient communication practices require modification to meet the needs of healthcare professionals who provide longitudinal care to children with repeated and prolonged hospitalizations. Improvement strategies should prioritize building collaboration, continuity, and communication skills among healthcare professionals.

Decisions regarding whether or not to pursue experimental therapies or life-sustaining medical treatment of children with life-limiting illness can be a significant source of distress and conflict for both families and health care providers. This article reviews the concepts of parental permission (consent), assent, and emerging capacity and how they relate to decision-making for minors with serious illness. Decision-making capacity for adolescents is discussed generally and in the context of emotionally charged situations pertaining to the end of life. Strategies for minimizing conflict in situations of disagreement between children and families are provided.

Background The high burden of asthma appears to be related to poor asthma control. Although previous studies have reported associations between depressive disorders (DDs) and anxiety disorders (ADs) and worse asthma control and quality of life, the relative impact of these disorders on asthma control and quality of life has not been explored. This study evaluated the relative impact of having a DD and/or AD on asthma control and quality of life. Method Five hundred four consecutive adults with confirmed, physician-diagnosed asthma underwent a brief, structured psychiatric interview using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders. Asthma control and asthma-related quality of life were assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). All patients underwent standard spirometry. Results Thirty-one percent of patients (n = 157) met the diagnostic criteria for one or more psychiatric disorders (8% had DD only, 12% had AD only, and 11% had both). Analyses revealed independent effects for DDs on total ACQ scores (p Conclusions Results suggest that DDs and ADs are associated with worse asthma-related quality of life, but only DDs are associated with worse asthma control. Interestingly, having both a DD and an AD did not confer additional risk for worse asthma control or quality of life. Physicians may want to consider the differential impact of negative mood states when assessing levels of asthma control and quality of life.

The debate over whether clinical psychologists should be granted the right to prescribe psychoactive medications has received considerable attention over the past 2 decades in North America and, more recently, in the UK. Proponents of granting prescription privileges to clinical psychologists argue that mental healthcare services are in crisis and that the mental health needs of society are not being met. They attribute this crisis primarily to the inappropriate prescribing practices of general practitioners and a persistent shortage of psychiatrists. It is believed that, as they would increase the scope of the practice of psychology, prescription privileges for psychologists would enhance mental health services by increasing public access to qualified professionals who are able to prescribe. The profession of psychology remains divided on the issue, and opponents have been equally outspoken in their arguments. The purpose of the present article is to place the pursuit of prescription privileges for psychologists in context by discussing the historical antecedents and major forces driving the debate. The major arguments put forth for and against prescription privileges for psychologists are presented, followed by a critical analysis of the validity and coherence of those arguments. Through this analysis, the following question is addressed. Is there currently sufficient empirical support for the desirability, feasibility, safety and cost effectiveness of granting prescription privileges to psychologists? Although proponents of granting prescription privileges to psychologists present several compelling arguments in favour of this practice, there remains a consistent lack of empirical evidence for the desirability, feasibility, safety and cost effectiveness of this proposal. More research is needed before we can conclude that prescription privileges for psychologists are a safe and logical solution to the problems facing the mental healthcare system.

There is growing evidence linking psychological stress to atopic disease, particularly asthma. Anxiety sensitivity, which is the fear of anxiety-related symptoms, may be particularly important in the study of anxiety and atopic disease. The present study examined the association between atopy and anxiety sensitivity in adult asthmatics. A total of 217 asthma patients who had undergone standard pulmonary function and allergen skin prick testing were included. Participants completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, Type D Personality Scale-16 and Beck Depression Inventory-II on the day of their asthma clinic visit. Total Anxiety Sensitivity Index score was found to be significantly higher in atopic (M = 17.15, SE = .9) versus non-atopic (M = 12.68, SE = 1.5) asthmatics, independent of age, sex, smoking status, asthma severity, asthma duration, and anxiolytic medication use (F = 6.11, p = .014). There was no evidence for a significant association between any of the other questionnaire scores and atopic status.

The high burden of asthma appears to be related to poor asthma control. Although previous studies have reported associations between depressive disorders (DDs) and anxiety disorders (ADs) and worse asthma control and quality of life, the relative impact of these disorders on asthma control and quality of life has not been explored. This study evaluated the relative impact of having a DD and/or AD on asthma control and quality of life.Five hundred four consecutive adults with confirmed, physician-diagnosed asthma underwent a brief, structured psychiatric interview using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders. Asthma control and asthma-related quality of life were assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). All patients underwent standard spirometry.Thirty-one percent of patients (n = 157) met the diagnostic criteria for one or more psychiatric disorders (8% had DD only, 12% had AD only, and 11% had both). Analyses revealed independent effects for DDs on total ACQ scores (p0.01), and for DDs and ADs on total AQLQ scores and all four AQLQ subscales (p0.05). There were no interaction effects.Results suggest that DDs and ADs are associated with worse asthma-related quality of life, but only DDs are associated with worse asthma control. Interestingly, having both a DD and an AD did not confer additional risk for worse asthma control or quality of life. Physicians may want to consider the differential impact of negative mood states when assessing levels of asthma control and quality of life.

Summary Background Achieving good asthma control has become the major goal of asthma treatment. Studies have reported a high rate of psychiatric disorders among asthma patients, though the impact of these disorders on asthma control and quality of life remains unexplored. This study evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in 406 adult asthma patients, and associations between psychiatric status, levels of asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life. Methods Consecutive asthma patients presenting to the asthma clinic underwent a brief, structured psychiatric interview, completed the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), and reported the frequency of bronchodilator use in the past week. All patients underwent standard pulmonary function testing. Results A total of 34% \( n = 136 \) of patients had one or more psychiatric diagnosis, including major depression (15%), minor depression (5%), dysthymia (4%), panic disorder (12%), generalized anxiety disorder (5%), and social phobia (4%). Though there were no differences in pulmonary function, patients with versus without psychiatric disorders had worse ACQ and AQLQ scores and reported greater bronchodilator use, independent age, sex and asthma severity. Conclusions Results suggest that psychiatric disorders are prevalent among asthmatics and are associated with worse asthma control and quality of life. Physicians should be aware of the potential risk of poorer asthma control and functional impairment in this population.