Cochrane

Review aim The aim of this Cochrane review was to learn of ways to improve how physicians working in hospital settings prescribe antibiotics. We collected and analysed all relevant studies to answer this question and found 221 studies. Key messages The use of an antibiotic policy leads to improved prescribing practices and decreases in the duration ...

Background Automated telephone communication systems (ATCS) send voice messages and collect health information from people using their telephone's touch-tone keypad or voice recognition software. This could replace or supplement telephone contact between health professionals and patients. There are several types of ATCS: one-way voice messages to ...

What is the aim of this review? The aim of this Cochrane review was to evaluate the effect of government regulation, training, or co-ordination of private for-profit health care in low- and middle-income countries. We collected and analysed all relevant studies to answer this question and included six studies in the review. Why do governments regulate, ...

What is the aim of this review? The aim of this Cochrane review is to assess the effects of programs that use the World Health Organization integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) strategy. Cochrane researchers searched for all potentially relevant studies and found four studies that met review criteria. Key messages This review shows ...

Background The World Health Organization defines chronic conditions as "health problems that require ongoing management over a period of years or decades". Many people with a chronic health problem or condition, have more than one chronic health condition, which is referred to as multimorbidity. This generally means that people could have any possible ...

Background Older people living in care homes (also called nursing homes, residential homes, skilled-nursing facilities, assisted-living facilities or aged-care facilities) have many complex physical and mental health problems. Care home residents are prescribed many medicines compared to people who live in their own homes, with an average of eight ...

Background Healthcare workers suffer from work-related or occupational stress. Often this is because healthcare workers face high expectations and they may not have enough time, skills and social support at work. This can lead to severe distress, burnout or physical illness. In the end, healthcare workers may be unable to provide high quality healthcare ...

Researchers in the Cochrane Collaboration conducted a review of the effect of different strategies to increase people’s ownership and use of insecticide-treated bednets to prevent malaria. In February 2013 they identified 10 relevant studies. Their findings are summarized below. What is malaria and how can insecticide-treated bednets prevent it? Malaria ...

Researchers in The Cochrane Collaboration conducted a review of the effect of strategies to increase the number of people from vulnerable populations that are enrolled into health insurance programmes. They searched for all relevant studies and found two studies. Their findings are summarised below. What is a health insurance programme? Governments ...

Taking medicine to treat symptoms of chronic illness and to prevent worsening of disease is common in older people. However, taking too many medicines can cause harm. This review examines studies in which healthcare professionals have taken action to make sure that older people are receiving the most effective and safest medication for their illness. ...