Johannes C. F. Ket

Hearing loss (HL) and cognitive decline often co-occur in older adults. Many cognitive tests are administered using spoken instructions or stimuli, potentially biasing test results. The current scoping review aimed to provide an overview of studies using simulated HL in cognitively healthy participants to investigate its isolated impact on cognitive test performance, uncover gaps in current research, and provide directions for future research. A literature search (in OVID/Medline, Embase.com, Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science Core Collection, and EBSCO/APA PsycINFO) was performed for publications prior to February 19, 2026. All studies examining the effects of simulated HL on cognitive tests in cognitively healthy, normal hearing participants were included. In total, 1,322 studies were identified, and 10 studies were eligible for inclusion. The studies included the Mini-Mental State Examination; the Forward, Backward, and Sequencing Digit Span; and the Arithmetic Task of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV, the Listening Span, the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, and the Wide-Range Assessment of Memory and Learning-II. The studies comprised different HL simulation approaches, mimicking loss of audibility and/or distortion or cochlear implant processing. Simulated HL is associated with decreased cognitive test performance. Further research is needed because knowledge about quantifying the effect of HL on specific cognitive tasks is lacking. Awareness of the effect of HL on test scores may facilitate more reliable interpretation of cognitive test results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

The worldwide spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, constituted a global pandemic as declared by the WHO [1]. COVID-19 enormously affec...

The global aging population presents significant challenges for healthcare systems, with projections indicating that by 2050, individuals aged 65 and above

Eighty-one percent of adolescents aged 11–17 do not meet current international guidelines for achieving 60 min of moderate to vigorous physi

Background: Most older adults prefer to age at home rather than in residential care, regardless of their health status. Yet this policy‐supported wish increases demand for home care services at a time when many Western countries already face substantial workforce shortages. To balance the supply and demand of care, governments are encouraging self‐management in both care tasks and daily activities. This policy presents issues for care professionals, including balancing client demands, professional standards and organisational boundaries. The aim of this scoping review is to identify factors that promote and impede the implementation of responsible self‐management in home care, both from the perspective of older adults and health professionals. Method: We conducted a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines to guide the search, selection and structure of the review. We included studies that examined older adults receiving home care, addressed self‐management in daily activities and explored interactions between health professionals and clients. A literature search (in PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus) was performed from inception up to 10, February 2025, in collaboration with an information specialist. The search yielded 9910 unique titles. After two authors screened titles, abstracts and full texts, a total of 14 articles were included. Included studies spanned eight countries and employed qualitative and mixed‐methods designs. Results: The extracted data showed three themes: (1) A dynamic shift in roles and expectations: professionals move towards coaching and activation, while older adults must articulate their needs more clearly, increasing client ownership and reducing professional control. (2) Partnership between professionals and older adults as central to self‐management, calling on professionals to focus on potential and to trust and treat older adults as equal partners. (3) Balancing individual care needs with limited time and resources. When professionals are stretched thin, delivering flexible care becomes significantly harder. Conclusion: The willingness to engage in self‐management hinges on the individual’s capacity and their perceptions of home care, shaped by how well care needs can be balanced with limited time and resources. Both sides of the dyad rely on a flexible care system, making a balanced, collaborative approach essential to strengthen self‐management and overall care quality for older adults.

Newborn screening (NBS) is evolving as novel technologies offer the opportunities to include a broader range of treatable disorders in its programs. Multiplexable, high-throughput DNA-based technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) are being explored to improve and expand disease detection, although several issues have been raised with its use. This scoping review aimed to identify multiplexable, high-throughput, DNA-based technologies that were used for screening or confirmatory testing of newborn disorders in published studies. Available evidence on the appropriateness of technologies in the NBS context was extracted. A literature search (Medline, Embase, and Web of Science) was performed from inception up to April 2024 in collaboration with a medical information specialist. After selection, 26 journal articles were included that used these technologies for either screening (n = 12) or confirmatory testing (n = 14). Five technologies were identified: whole-genome sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, targeted gene sequencing (TGS), quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and MassARRAY. The majority used TGS (n = 19, 73.08%). The data extracted concern mainly technical aspects, and these suggest that a combined approach, i.e., testing via NGS plus a biochemical test, in parallel or reflex, emerges as the optimal option. Ethical and economic evidence is limited and rarely reported in the reviewed articles.

The involvement of stakeholders in the development of computational models to support public health policy decisions has gained popularity, as it can enhance the quality of these models. This scoping review aims to synthesise the current body of literature on how stakeholders have been involved in the development of computational models in public health. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo and Scopus, from inception to October 2023. In addition, supplementary articles were identified through snowballing and a Google Scholar search. We searched for studies that developed computational models, involved stakeholders in the model development process, and focused on public health domains. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full-text articles. A total of 3438 titles and abstracts were screened, 40 articles underwent full-text review, and 17 articles were included in this review, presenting information on 11 unique computational modelling studies. The studies spanned a diverse range of nine public health domains, including areas such as alcohol use and suicide prevention, with most studies developing system dynamics models. A key rationale for adopting a participatory approach was to ensure that the model accurately reflected the context-specific characteristics of the setting being modelled. Various stakeholder groups were involved, predominantly policy-makers, researchers and community representatives. During the development phases of problem mapping, model conceptualisation, and model validation, stakeholders were mostly engaged through participatory workshops. Studies reported that a major strength of the participatory approach was to facilitate transparent consensus-building processes during model development, while the management of stakeholder engagement timelines was experienced a major challenge. Involving stakeholders in the development of computational models can improve the accurate representation of the model’s context, thereby enhancing the quality and applicability of these models to support decision-making processes. However, there are limited computational modelling studies available in the literature that provide detailed elaboration on their methods of stakeholder engagement. There is a need for improved reporting and evaluation of the impact of participatory modelling processes, as well as more guidance on effective stakeholder involvement, to fully realise the potential of participatory modelling in public health.

Measuring scar quality is important for monitoring scar development and evaluating treatment outcomes. Given the substantial representation of children within the burn population and their susceptibility to lifelong scarring, evaluating scar quality is particularly important in this group. This study provides an overview of outcome measurement instruments used to assess scar quality in pediatric burn patients. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science covering studies published up to March 25, 2024. We included original research studies in English that measured at least one scar quality characteristic in pediatric burn patients. We included 328 studies and identified 585 outcome measurement instruments: clinician-reported outcome measures (CROMs) (53%), measurement devices (25%), and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) (22%). The most frequently used instruments were the (modified) Vancouver Scar Scale, ultrasound, and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale Patient scale, respectively. Thickness and itch were the most frequently assessed scar characteristics. The use of PROMs has increased over the past decade, particularly after 2016, highlighting their growing attention. Among the studies using PROMs, 42% reported age-related conditions, with thresholds for independent completion ranging from 5 to 16 years. However, CROMs are the most frequently used instruments. While PROMs, CROMs and measurement devices are valuable, they are often not specifically designed for or validated in pediatric burn patients, and therefore they could benefit from further development or validation to better address the specific needs of pediatric burn patients.

Maintaining high-quality care in nursing homes is challenging. An ageing population and labour market shortages have created an imbalance in the supply and demand of care, and the focus of care has transitioned from quality of care to quality of life. This study explores how the ‘learning organization’ (LO) concept could contribute to a new quality paradigm in nursing homes, by 1) examining its efficacy and operationalization for and 2) identifying the elements most relevant to the nursing home setting. We use Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping framework to answer the research questions and address gaps in the literature, guided by theories on the learning organization from Senge (The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization, 1990) and Watkins and Marsick (Sculpting the learning organization: Lessons in the art and science of systemic change, 1993). Literature searches (in Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, Business Source Elite, and ERIC) were performed from inception through 19 August 2024, in collaboration with a medical information specialist. Eligibility was limited to studies on learning organizations or organizational learning (OL) in nursing homes. Study aims, definitions, descriptions, key terms, theories, and operationalizations were mapped descriptively. From 2,292 abstracts, 14 articles were included. Ten studies reference Senge (The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization, 1990) and/or Watkins and Marsick (Sculpting the learning organization: Lessons in the art and science of systemic change, 1993) in defining and describing a learning organization and organizational learning. Together, the studies reveal six elements of learning organizations in nursing homes: individual and collective learning, individual and interpersonal abilities, an adaptive and responsive culture, transformational leadership, organizational knowledge development, and systems thinking. All studies highlight organizational performance improvement as the primary aim of a learning organization, with only a few operationalizations (n = 3) examining the concept’s full scope; most examine only single aspects. To help nursing homes effectively adapt, the learning organization could offer a promising concept. However, current research is limited. The included studies provide insight into key elements of learning organizations and their benefits for organizational performance and job satisfaction. Future research should develop a consistent method of operationalization based on the six key elements most relevant for nursing homes transitioning to learning organizations. This approach should consider the interconnected nature of these elements, with systems thinking as the foundation.

The ageing process of adults with a disability may differ from the typical ageing process, yet few studies have addressed ageing of adults who are blind. However, a broad scope of literature exists on ageing with a visual impairment that includes adults who are blind. People who are blind may age differently than people with a visual impairment. Furthermore, it cannot be inferred from studies on the ageing of visually impaired adults that changes are due to the ageing process alone, since vision may decline further as well. This article presents a scoping review of studies on the ageing of adults who are blind, examining the areas of decline due to ageing, differences compared to non‐blind adults, additional contributing factors and support. A systematic literature search was performed from inception up to July–October 2023 in Scopus, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo and Web of Science. Thirteen articles met the eligibility criteria. Analysis led to four broad areas: physical, sensory, cognitive and psychological. In several of these areas, the decline due to ageing was similar for people who were blind or non‐blind. Declines specific to people who were blind were in spatial memory and engagement to the outer world. Two abilities were identified where blind people outperformed sighted people: attention and working memory and active tactile acuity. Overall, ageing blind adults were shown to have additional risks and hence need extra support. Interventions may focus on physical and cognitive exercise, braille training, risk screening, education and social activities. More research is needed to replicate studies and disambiguate results, to include areas that have not been investigated specifically for this group, to differentiate between different types of blindness and to investigate systematically the needs and support of blind adults who are ageing.