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The NHS Long Term Plan for cancer aims to increase early-stage diagnoses from 50% to 75% and to have 55,000 more people each year survive their cancer for at least 5 years following diagnosis. The targets measures are flawed and could be met without improving outcomes that really matter to patients. The proportion of early-stage diagnoses could increase, while the number of patients presenting at a late-stage remains the same. More patients could survive their cancer for longer, but lead time and overdiagnosis bias make it impossible to know whether anyone had their life prolonged. The target measures should switch from biased case-based measures to unbiased population-based measures that reflect the key objectives in cancer care: reducing late-stage incidence and mortality.

This review of recent research was undertaken to answer questions about the predictive performance of the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk. The data are varied across settings, conditions, and populations. Although the predictive values of an at-risk classification are consistently modest, they may be understated because of the confounding influence of effective care administered to patients during the studies. In contrast, the predictive values of a not-at-risk classification are consistently quite high. The reviewer concludes that the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk is a useful risk prediction tool that should be used in conjunction with clinical nursing judgment and as part of a comprehensive pressure ulcer prevention program.

Nursing specialty organizations can make a substantial contribution to research-- based health care. Large associations such as the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) have undertaken many projects to assist their members in using research findings in clinical practice. For instance, they have funded the conduct of systematic reviews of research and the production of research-based clinical care guidelines on topics related to their specialty areas.

Brown compares the findings from the two studies by Berarducci and Ziccardi et al that both measured senior nursing students' knowledge about osteoporosis using two different questionnaires, the former used Osteoporosis Knowledge Questionnaire, while the latter used the Osteoporosis Knowledge Test. She comments that the two studies have interesting findings beyond the issue of overall osteoporosis knowledge level of seniors, and concludes that when two studies examining the same topic use different research measures of the same outcome, establishing commonalities and differences between the two sets of findings is difficult.

To test the effects of an osteoporosis prevention program given to high school students Randomized, multi-site field study. The final sample for analysis was composed of 693 teens from 18 schools. The average knowledge difference score of the OPTIONS group was 8.4 percentage points higher than that of the control group. Some of the analysis suggested that girls gained more from the intervention than did boys. Students from all types of schools, responded equivalently to the intervention. Health beliefs about barriers to preventive action were not influenced by the intervention. This intervention increased students' knowledge about how to build healthy bones; however, the real challenge lies in building on that knowledge gain to influence behaviors. The modest gain in knowledge also suggests that educational interventions of this type should be tested with younger children, who might be more receptive.

This article summarizes the results of a systematic review of randomized controlled trials testing the effectiveness of special beds, mattresses, and cushions in preventing and treating pressure sores. The review's citation is Cullum, N., Deeks, J., Sheldon, T.A., Song, F., & Fletcher, A.W. (2000). Beds, mattresses and cushions for pressure sore prevention and treatment (Cochrane Review). The Cochrane Library, 4. An integrative research review. 37 studies were included in the analysis. A broad search of databases and unpublished studies was conducted. Data were extracted from those that met the inclusion criteria. Studies were grouped in various ways but mainly by type of product evaluated. Many special products designed to prevent or treat pressure sores are more effective than standard hospital foam mattresses in preventing and treating pressure sores. Special pressure-relieving surfaces should be used for patients at risk for skin breakdown. Individual practitioners and agencies should have a systematic protocol for assessing patients' risk of skin breakdown and for taking action when patients are determined to be at risk. The findings of this review provide some guidance for choosing particular products, albeit not definitive evidence for matching risk levels to products.