Language barriers can mean life or death in fight against coronavirus
April 23, 2020
An opinion piece in “The Hill” about how language barriers affect the outcomes of COVID-19 cases, with non-native English speakers with no or limited proficiency in the language disproportionately affected by the pandemic and dying in disproportionate numbers. Read the full article at this link.
Continued bans on nursing home visitors are unhealthy and unethical
July 13, 2020
An opinion piece in the Washington Post calling for long-term care facilities to reconsider visitor bans. The authors argue that while banning visitors was a sensible early containment strategy, many family members are essential caregivers and care monitors for people living with dementia, making their visits vital for the wellbeing of residents. Read the full article at this link.
Advance Care Planning Video Intervention Among Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents
July 6, 2020
This paper reviews a study to test the effect of an Advance Care Planning video program on hospital transfers, burdensome treatments, and hospice enrollment among long-stay nursing home residents with and without advanced illness. Read the full article at this link.
February 22, 2020
This paper provides a tutorial on sample size calculation for cluster randomized designs–with particular emphasis on designs with multiple periods of measurement–and provides a web-based tool to allow researchers to easily conduct these calculations. Read the full article at this link.
Substantial risks associated with few clusters in cluster randomized and stepped wedge designs
March 3, 2016
This paper addresses the implications and risks involved in the use of novel cluster randomized trial designs that aim to maximize the informational value from relatively few clusters, including increased probability of chance imbalances and type I and type II error, limited perceived or actual generalizability, and fewer options for statistical analysis. Read the full article at this link.
November 9, 2018
This report presents the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension for the stepped wedge cluster randomised trial (SW-CRT). The statement was developed to allow for the unique characteristics of this increasingly used study design, and the guideline was developed using a Delphi survey and consensus meeting and is informed by the CONSORT statements for individual and cluster randomised trials. Reporting items along with explanations and examples are provided. Read the full article at this link.
