Comprehensive cognitive remediation improves cognitive and functional outcomes in people with serious mental illness, but the specific components required for effective programs are uncertain. The most common methods to improve cognition are facilitated computerized cognitive training with coaching and teaching cognitive self-management strategies. We compared these methods by dismantling the Thinking Skills for Work program, a comprehensive, validated cognitive remediation program that incorporates both strategies.

In a randomized controlled trial we assigned 203 unemployed people with serious mental illness in supported employment programs at two mental health agencies to receive either the full Thinking Skills for Work (TSW) program, which included computerized cognitive training (based on Cogpack software), or the program with cognitive self-management (CSM) but no computer training. Outcomes included employment, cognition, and mental health over 2 years. To benchmark outcomes, we also examined competitive work outcomes in a similar prior trial comparing the TSW program with supported employment only.

The TSW and CSM groups improved significantly on all outcomes, but there were no differences between the groups. Competitive work outcomes for both groups resembled those of the TSW program in a prior trial and were better than the supported employment-only group in that study, suggesting that participants in both groups benefited from cognitive remediation.

Providing facilitated computerized cognitive training improved neither employment nor cognitive outcomes beyond teaching cognitive self-management strategies in people receiving supported employment. Computerized cognitive training may not be necessary for cognitive remediation programs to improve cognitive and functional outcomes.

Individuals with schizophrenia experience significantly higher rates of chronic physical health conditions, driving a 20-year reduction in life expectancy. Poor diet quality is a key modifiable risk factor; however, owing to side-effects of antipsychotic medication, cognitive challenges and food insecurity, standard dietary counselling may not be sufficient for this population group.

To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of two dietary interventions – pre-prepared meals and meal kits – for individuals with schizophrenia.

The Schizophrenia, Nutrition and Choices in Kilojoules (SNaCK) study is a 12-week, three-arm, cross-over, randomised controlled trial. Eighteen participants aged 18–64 years diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder will be recruited from community mental health services in Australia. Participants will be randomised to receive pre-prepared meals, meal kits or a supermarket voucher as a control, crossing-over at the end of weeks 4 and 8, so that all participants experience all three study arms. Primary outcomes include feasibility (recruitment rate and retention, number of days participants use pre-prepared meals or meal kits, adherence to meals as prescribed, difficulty in meal preparation and meal wastage) and acceptability (meal provision preference ranking and implementation) of the nutrition interventions. Secondary outcomes include the effects of the intervention on metabolic syndrome components, dietary intake, quality of life and food security measures.

Feasible, acceptable and effective dietary interventions for people with schizophrenia are urgently needed. Findings from this trial will inform future larger randomised controlled trials that have the potential to influence policy and improve health outcomes for this vulnerable population.

To evaluate performance of registered nurse assessments of the PEN-FAST penicillin allergy clinical decision rule compared to antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists.

Prospective, blinded, non-interventional, quality assurance study.

This study took place across 4 inpatient hospitals within a large health system in Houston, Texas.

We implemented PEN-FAST rule questions into the electronic health record (EHR) for registered nurses to perform. Patients were randomly selected in a prospective fashion, with nurse documented scores hidden, for re-assessment by antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists to compare risk stratification and scores.

Overall agreement of high risk and low risk results was 84.3%. Registered nurse evaluations with the PEN-FAST clinical decision rule for detecting a high-risk patient demonstrated a sensitivity of 67%, specificity of 89.8%, positive predictive value of 67.9%, and negative predictive value of 89.5%. Additionally, 34.4% of patients with a documented penicillin allergy admitted to tolerating amoxicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanate since their last recalled reaction to penicillin.

Registered nurse assessment of the PEN-FAST clinical decision rule demonstrated good performance and can effectively be used to screen for low-risk penicillin allergy patients. Incorporation of the PEN-FAST rule into EHR can be scaled into large health systems to help appropriately stratify patients with low- and high-risk penicillin allergies and improve documentation.

This paper describes challenges and opportunities for data collection during a disaster, focusing on how young adults in the United States navigated the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic--a disaster which introduced significant uncertainty and precarity both for individuals and the research process.

This paper draws on lessons from a small exploratory study which used journaling techniques as a data collection tool.

Journaling addressed 3 key challenges to collecting data during a public health crisis: 1) accessing respondents when preparation time and resources are limited; 2) ensuring protection for both participants and researchers in a context when human interaction is severely constrained; and 3) needing both rapid response and flexibility in research design and data collection.

Journaling techniques are a feasible, efficient and effective tool that can be adapted and utilized in various disaster contexts, including other pandemics and extreme climate events.