The Forward with Dementia (FWD) project is a dementia awareness campaign that was implemented across five countries. The campaign included components such as websites (in four languages – www.forwardwithdementia.org), webinars, newsletters, and social media posts. This campaign is the fourth phase of a three-year longitudinal mixed methods study with five phases in five countries: Canada (New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec), Australia, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Poland. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the implementation and perceived impact of the FWD websites and campaign in the five participating countries.

The RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) was used to guide the campaign evaluation. The evaluation was drawn from Google Analytics, surveys, individual interviews, and report cards. Data collection occurred between September 2021 and May 2022.

There were approximately 124,945 page views across all FWD websites during the campaign. Participants of the surveys and interviews reported engaging in a range of campaign activities. They read information about receiving a diagnosis, stories from persons with lived experience in dementia, news, and attended webinars (or watched recording). Most participants rated the information that they read on the website moderately, very, or extremely helpful. In addition, the majority of respondents said that they plan to visit the website again. During the interviews, participants shared that the website was easy to navigate, practical, and that it maintains a positive tone related to dementia. The co-design aspect of the campaign was considered a strength.

The findings indicate that the FWD campaign can provide support for people who have recently received a dementia diagnosis and their family or friends. In addition, the campaign may provide health and social care providers with a new source of information and tools to use and share with their clients. These results informed the development of a playbook to guide regions and countries beyond those involved in this project to implement similar initiatives.

The use of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) on the breast has several dosimetric advantages but its impact on skin dose should be evaluated and compared to well-established treatment techniques using tangential fields. The aim of this work is to contrast the skin dose for VMAT and field-in-field (FIF) and to estimate the magnitude of the skin dose involved.

The skin dose was measured, without build-up, using thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) in breast radiotherapy by an in-house anthropomorphic phantom. Two different treatment techniques were used: FIF and VMAT, based on the planning strategy proposed by Nicolini et al. The dose levels were 4300 cGy, 4600 cGy and 5600 cGy in 20 fractions. In vivo dosimetry with TLD for VMAT was performed for different breast sizes in the same locations as phantom measurements.

The ipsilateral phantom breast skin dose using both treatment techniques was equivalent. TLD measured doses by the VMAT technique were up to 5% higher than OSLD, although they agree if we consider the geometry uncertainty of the TLD. In accordance with in vivo dosimetry, the mean dose of the ipsilateral breast skin was 62 ± 6% (51%, 75%) relative to the prescribed dose, regardless of the breast size for the volumes considered with this small population (n = 9) as shown by Mann–Whitney U-test (Z = 1·9, 95% confidence). The uncertainty expected in this region due to geometry (volume) changes is up to 9% higher for volumes from 225·9 cc to 968·8 cc. According to the treatment techniques and in vivo dosimetry, the contralateral breast skin dose was 1·0% in FIF and 2·5% in VMAT concerning the prescribed dose.

There is no difference in skin dosimetry between VMAT and FIF techniques on the ipsilateral breast. It provides useful support for the use of VMAT as a planning technique for breast irradiation. The work describes the importance of quantifying potential differences in skin dosimetry.

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) compared with supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis.

A decision tree analysis was used to estimate the costs and health outcomes of two periodontal therapies in a hypothetical cohort of type II diabetics with periodontitis. The analysis was developed from the perspective of a third-party payer at 1 year and 5 years. Probabilities were derived from two systematic reviews. The costs and resource use were validated by a Delphi expert panel. All costs were expressed in USD, using the 25 May 2021 Colombian pesos market exchange rate (USD 1 = COP 3,350).

NSPT was a dominant alternative compared with subsidized supragingival therapy in type II diabetics with periodontitis, generating savings of USD 87 and 400, during the first year or up to 5 years, respectively, and improving dental survival from 32 to 69 percent.

NSPT can generate savings by reducing the complications derived from uncontrolled periodontitis and tooth loss.

To compare the nutritional composition of bovine milk and several plant-based drinks with a focus on protein and essential amino acid content and to determine the ratio of essential amino acids to greenhouse gas emission.

Nutritional information on the label was extracted for semi-skimmed milk, soy, oat, almond, coconut and rice drink from the Innova database between January 2017 and March 2020 for the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden. Protein and amino acids were measured and carbon footprint was calculated for a selection of Dutch products. Protein quality was determined by calculating the contribution to the WHO essential amino acids requirements.

The bovine milk and plant-based drinks market in Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and Sweden.

Semi-skimmed bovine milk and soy, oat, almond, coconut and rice drink.

Nutritional label information was collected for 399 products. Milk naturally contains many micronutrients, e.g. vitamin B2, B12 and Ca. Approximately 50 % of the regular plant-based drinks was fortified with Ca, whereas the organic plant-based drinks were mostly unfortified. Protein quantity and quality were highest in milk. Soy drink had the best protein quality to carbon footprint ratio and milk came second.

The nutrition – climate change balance presented in this study, is in line with previous literature, which shows that semi-skimmed bovine milk and fortified soy drink deserve a place in a sustainable diet.

The present study aimed to determine the store types from which people in low-income neighbourhoods purchase most sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and to identify associations between purchasing location and demographic characteristics.

Street-intercept surveys of passers-by near high foot-traffic intersections in 2016. Participants completed a beverage frequency questionnaire and identified the type of store (e.g. corner store, chain grocery) from which they purchased most SSB.

Eight low-income neighbourhoods in four Bay Area cities, California, USA.

Sample of 1132 individuals who reported consuming SSB, aged 18–88 years, who identified as African-American (41 %), Latino (29 %), White (17 %) and Asian (6 %).

Based on surveys in low-income neighbourhoods, corner stores were the primary source from which most SSB were purchased (28 %), followed by discount stores (18 %) and chain groceries (16 %). In fully adjusted models, those with lower education were more likely to purchase from corner stores or discount groceries than all other store types. Compared with White participants, African-Americans purchased more frequently from corner stores, discount groceries and chain groceries while Latinos purchased more frequently from discount groceries.

The wide range of store types from which SSB were purchased and demographic differences in purchasing patterns suggest that broader methodological approaches are needed to adequately capture the impact of SSB taxes and other interventions aimed at reducing SSB consumption, particularly in low-income neighbourhoods.

The proportion of the global population aged 60 and over is increasing, more so in Latin America than any other region. Depression is common among elderly people and an important cause of disability worldwide.

To estimate the prevalence and correlates of late-life depression, associated disability and access to treatment in five locations in Latin America.

A one-phase cross-sectional survey of 5886 people aged 65 and over from urban and rural locations in Peru and Mexico and an urban site in Venezuela. Depression was identified according to DSM–IV and ICD–10 criteria, Geriatric Mental State–Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy (GMS–AGECAT) algorithm and EURO–D cut-off point. Poisson regression was used to estimate the independent associations of sociodemographic characteristics, economic circumstances and health status with ICD–10 depression.

For DSM–IV major depression overall prevalence varied between 1.3% and 2.8% by site, for ICD–10 depressive episode between 4.5% and 5.1%, for GMS–AGECAT depression between 30.0% and 35.9% and for EURO–D depression between 26.1% and 31.2%; therefore, there was a considerable prevalence of clinically significant depression beyond that identified by ICD–10 and DSM–IV diagnostic criteria. Most older people with depression had never received treatment. Limiting physical impairments and a past history of depression were the two most consistent correlates of the ICD–10 depressive episode.

The treatment gap poses a significant challenge for Latin American health systems, with their relatively weak primary care services and reliance on private specialists; local treatment trials could establish the cost-effectiveness of mental health investment in the government sector.

To perform active targeted prospective surveillance to measure device-associated infection (DAI) rates, attributable mortality due to DAI, and the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting pathogens at 10 intensive care units (ICUs) in 9 hospitals in Colombia, all of which are members of the International Infection Control Consortium.

We conducted prospective surveillance of healthcare-associated infection in 9 hospitals by using the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Surveillance System (NNIS). DAI rates were calculated as the number of infections per 100 ICU patients and per 1,000 device-days.

During the 3-year study, 2,172 patients hospitalized in an ICU for an aggregate duration of 14,603 days acquired 266 DAIs, for an overall DAI rate of 12.2%, or 18.2 DAIs per 1,000 patient-days. Central venous catheter (CVC)–related bloodstream infection (BSI) (47.4% of DAIs; 11.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days) was the most common DAI, followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (32.3% of DAIs; 10.0 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) (20.3% of DAIs; 4.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days). Overall, 65.4% of all Staphylococcus aureus infections were caused by methicillin-resistant strains; 40.0% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone and 28.3% were resistant to ceftazidime; and 40.0% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones, 50.0% were resistant to ceftazidime, 33.3% were resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam, and 19.0% were resistant to imipenem. The crude unadjusted attributable mortality was 16.9% among patients with VAP (relative risk [RR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-3.00; P = .002); 18.5 among those with CVC-associated BSI (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.42-2.87; P<.001); and 10.5% among those with CAUTI (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.78-3.18; P = .19).

The rates of DAI in the Colombian ICUs were lower than those published in some reports from other Latin American countries and were higher than those reported in US ICUs by the NNIS. These data show the need for more-effective infection control interventions in Colombia.