Here are 12 articles on medical research study findings from the week of Aug. 10.
1. A randomized trial of more than 16,000 households in the U.K. revealed a link between a web-based hand hygiene program and lower rates of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, a lower demand for physician consultations and fewer antibiotic prescriptions. Read more.
2. A web-based, patient-centered toolkit used in the hospital setting helped engage patients in understanding and developing their care plans and may improve communication with providers overall, according to a recent study. Read more.
3. Few studies on healthcare facility cleaning strategies measure patient outcomes, focus on newer technologies or compare cleaning tactics against one another, according to a systematic overview published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Read more.
4. Simple practices, like proactive rounds by nurses and hospital leaders alike, are some of the best things hospitals can do to have a positive effect on their patient satisfaction survey scores, according to research out of Johns Hopkins. Read more.
5. Vaccinating children against chickenpox could temporarily nearly double the incidence of shingles in adults, but in younger adults than previously thought, according to recent research, Read more.
6. Research out of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, suggests corticosteroid therapy could be highly beneficial for patients with pneumonia. Read more.
7. A prevention program that uses a real-time bundle adherence dashboard was associated with significant sustained decreases in ventilator-associated pneumonia rates and an increase in bundle compliance among adult intensive care unit patients in a recent study. Read more.
8. Researchers from Ohio State University in Columbus have identified a method of creating a preventive response to the flu that would spring to action before the infection is present without a vaccine. Read more.
9. Of the high-risk therapeutic devices that received initial marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2010 and 2011, many had only undergone three or fewer studies according to a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more.
10. A deep dive into existing data on how music affects patients after surgery has affirmed that playing tunes after an operation can indeed help patients reduce pain and anxiety. Read more.
11. A platform developed by European researchers may be able to detect the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections faster, which could significantly reduce the time it takes to diagnose the infection. Read more.
12. Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center researchers are examining the potential benefits of allowing patients access to the notes their clinicians write after a visit. Read more.