Description: Objectives To explore cross-sectional patterns of use of fatigue management strategies in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had attended a group-based fatigue management programme, F atigue: A pplying C ognitive behavioural and E nergy effectiveness T echniques to life S tyle (‘FACETS’). In a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) the FACETS programme was shown to reduce fatigue severity and improve self-efficacy and quality of life. Design A questionnaire substudy within a RCT involving the self-completed Fatigue Management Strategies Questionnaire (FMSQ). The FMSQ includes: (1) closed questions about the use and helpfulness of fatigue management strategies taught in FACETS and (2) open items about changes to lifestyle, attitudes or expectations, barriers or difficulties encountered and helpful strategies not covered in FACETS. Participants All had a clinical diagnosis of MS, significant fatigue, were ambulatory and had attended at least 4 of 6 scheduled FACETS sessions. Methods Participants (n=72) were posted the FMSQ with a prepaid return envelope 4 months after the end of the FACETS programme. Results 82% (59/72) of participants returned the FMSQ. The fatigue management strategies most frequently used since attending FACETS were prioritisation (80%), pacing (78%), saying no to others (78%), grading tasks (75%) and challenging unhelpful thoughts (71%). Adding in those participants who were already using the respective strategies prior to FACETS, the three most used strategies at 4 months were prioritisation (55/59), grading (54/59) and pacing (53/58). Free-text comments illustrated the complex interplay between attitudes/expectations, behaviours, emotions and the environment. Issues related to expectations featured strongly in participants’ comments. Expectations (from self and others) were both facilitators and barriers to effective fatigue management. Conclusions Individuals’ comments highlighted the complex, multifaceted nature of fatigue management. Revising expectations and a greater acceptance of fatigue were important shifts following the programme. Findings support the relevance of a cognitive behavioural approach for fatigue management. Booster sessions might be a useful addition to the FACETS programme. Trial registration number Current controlled trials ISRCTN76517470; Results.

Description: Objective Prediabetes is a high-risk state for developing diabetes and associated complications. The purpose of this paper was to report trends in prevalence of prediabetes for individuals aged 16 and older in England without previously diagnosed diabetes. Setting Data collected by the Health Survey for England (HSE) in England in the years 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2011. Participants Individuals aged 16 and older who participated in the HSE and provided a blood sample. Primary outcome variable Individuals were classified as having prediabetes if glycated haemoglobin was between 5.7% and 6.4% and were not previously diagnosed with diabetes. Results The prevalence rate of prediabetes increased from 11.6% to 35.3% from 2003 to 2011. By 2011, 50.6% of the population who were overweight (body mass index (BMI)〉25) and ≥40 years of age had prediabetes. In bivariate relationships, individuals with greater socioeconomic deprivation were more likely to have prediabetes in 2003 (p=0.0008) and 2006 (p=0.0246), but the relationship was not significant in 2009 (p=0.213) and 2011 (p=0.3153). In logistic regressions controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI and high blood pressure, the second most socioeconomically deprived had a significantly elevated risk of having prediabetes (2011, OR=1.45; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.88). Conclusions There has been a marked increase in the proportion of adults in England with prediabetes. The socioeconomically deprived are at substantial risk. In the absence of concerted and effective efforts to reduce risk, the number of people with diabetes is likely to increase steeply in coming years.

Description: Objectives To determine to what extent underlying data published as part of Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) can be used to estimate smoking prevalence within practice populations and local areas and to explore the usefulness of these estimates. Design Cross-sectional, observational study of QOF smoking data. Smoking prevalence in general practice populations and among patients with chronic conditions was estimated by simple manipulation of QOF indicator data. Agreement between estimates from the integrated household survey (IHS) and aggregated QOF-based estimates was calculated. The impact of including smoking estimates in negative binomial regression models of counts of premature coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths was assessed. Setting Primary care in the East Midlands. Participants All general practices in the area of study were eligible for inclusion (230). 14 practices were excluded due to incomplete QOF data for the period of study (2006/2007–2012/2013). One practice was excluded as it served a restricted practice list. Measurements Estimates of smoking prevalence in general practice populations and among patients with chronic conditions. Results Median smoking prevalence in the practice populations for 2012/2013 was 19.2% (range 5.8–43.0%). There was good agreement (mean difference: 0.39%; 95% limits of agreement (–3.77, 4.55)) between IHS estimates for local authority districts and aggregated QOF register estimates. Smoking prevalence estimates in those with chronic conditions were lower than for the general population (mean difference –3.05%), but strongly correlated (R p =0.74, p〈0.0001). An important positive association between premature CHD mortality and smoking prevalence was shown when smoking prevalence was added to other population and service characteristics. Conclusions Published QOF data allow useful estimation of smoking prevalence within practice populations and in those with chronic conditions; the latter estimates may sometimes be useful in place of the former. It may also provide useful estimates of smoking prevalence in local areas by aggregating practice based data.

Description: Objectives Data have indicated low to non-existent increased mortality risk for individuals with prediabetes, but it is unclear if the risk is increased when the patient has elevated iron markers. Our purpose was to examine the mortality risk among adults with prediabetes in the context of coexisting elevated transferrin saturation (TS) or serum ferritin. Setting Data collected by the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988–1994 (NHANES III) in the USA and by the National Center for Health Statistics for the National Death Index from 1988 to 2006. Participants Individuals age 40 and older who participated in the NHANES and provided a blood sample. Primary outcome variable Mortality was measured as all-cause mortality. Results Adjusted analyses show that prediabetes has a small increased mortality risk (HR=1.04; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.08). Persons who had prediabetes and elevated serum ferritin had an increased HR for death (HR=1.14; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.24) compared with those who had normal ferritin and normal glucose. Among persons with prediabetes who had elevated TS, they had an increased mortality risk (HR=1.88; 95% CI 1.06 to 3.30) compared with those with normal TS levels and normal glucose. Conclusions The mortality risk of prediabetes is low. However, among individuals who have coexisting elevated iron markers, particularly TS, the risk rises substantially.

Description: Objectives Health systems with strong primary care tend to have better population outcomes, but in many countries demand for care is growing. We sought to identify mechanisms of primary care that influence premature mortality. Design We developed a conceptual model of the mechanisms by which primary care influences premature mortality, and undertook a cross-sectional study in which population and primary care variables reflecting the model were used to explain variations in mortality of those aged under 75 years. The premature standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for each practice, available from the Department of Health, had been calculated from numbers of deaths in the 5 years from 2006 to 2010. A regression model was undertaken with explanatory variables for the year 2009/2010, and repeated to check stability using data for 2008/2009 and 2010/2011. Setting All general practices in England were eligible for inclusion and, of the total of 8290, complete data were available for 7858. Results Population variables, particularly deprivation, were the most powerful predictors of premature mortality, but the mechanisms of primary care depicted in our model also affected mortality. The number of GPs/1000 population and detection of hypertension were negatively associated with mortality. In less deprived practices, continuity of care was also negatively associated with mortality. Conclusions Greater supply of primary care is associated with lower premature mortality even in a health system that has strong primary care (England). Health systems need to sustain the capacity of primary care to deliver effective care, and should assist primary care providers in identifying and meeting the needs of socioeconomically deprived groups.

Description: Objectives In England, many hypertensives are not detected by primary medical care. Higher detection is associated with lower premature mortality. We aimed to summarise recent evidence on detection and interventions to improve detection in order to inform policies to improve care. Design Data sources: systematic review of articles published since 2000. Searches of Medline and Embase were undertaken. Eligibility criteria: published in English, any study design, the setting was general practice and studies included patients aged 18 or over. Exclusion criteria: screening schemes, studies in primary care settings other than general practice, discussion or comment pieces. Participants: adult patients of primary medical care services. Synthesis: study heterogeneity precluded a statistical synthesis, and papers were described in summary tables. Results Seventeen quantitative and one qualitative studies were included. Detection rates varied by gender and ethnic group, but longitudinal studies indicated an improvement in detection over time. Patient socioeconomic factors did not influence detection, but living alone was associated with lower detection. Few health system factors were associated with detection, but in two studies higher numbers of general practitioners per 1000 population were associated with higher detection. Three studies investigated interventions to improve detection, but none showed evidence of effectiveness. Limitations The search was limited to studies published from 2000, in English. There were few studies of interventions to improve detection, and a meta-analysis was not possible. Conclusions and implications Levels of detection of hypertension by general practices may be improving, but large numbers of people with hypertension remain undetected. Improvement in detection is therefore required, but guidance for primary medical care is not provided by the few studies of interventions included in this review. Primary care teams should continue to use low-cost, practical approaches to detecting hypertension until evidence from new studies of interventions to improve detection is available.