In our top 10 most read blog, we highlight the articles that have been most highly accessed by our readers each month.
We had several new entries to the list in February that span a broad range of topics; keep reading to find out more about some of these articles.
Improving wellbeing in healthcare workers
Cohen et al. carried out a systematic literature review to assess the impact of interventions designed to improve wellbeing and reduce burnout in nurses, physicians and allied healthcare professionals. The results indicated that interventions were of benefit to healthcare workers, with studies often using individually-focused relaxation techniques. However, authors highlighted that conclusions are impacted by limitations with the design of the included studies.
Patient data and the virtual care industry
In a qualitative study, Spithoff et al. carried out interviews with individuals associated with the virtual care industry in Canada that offers remote clinical services directly to patients. They aimed to assess how the industry collects, uses and values patient data. The authors found that companies highly value patient data and also seem to see these data as a source of revenue.
Quality of data in technology appraisals
In a retrospective study, Osipenko et al. assessed the quality of data submitted by manufacturers of health technologies to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body that advises the health service in England and Wales on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of health technologies. They found that the quality of evidence was often poor and that the quality of submitted evidence does not seem to have improved over the past 20 years.
Long COVID and mental health
Zhang et al. explored whether long COVID is associated with increased risk of mental health disorders in a retrospective cohort study. Using a large US database of electronic health records, they found that long COVID was associated with mental health disorders, in particular, major depression and generalised anxiety disorder.
SARS-CoV-2 in body fluids associated with sexual activity
In a systematic review and meta-analysis, Calvet et al. searched the WHO COVID-19 database to determine whether RNA severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is detected in body fluids associated with sexual activity. They found that SARS-CoV-2 RNA had been detected in all body fluids associated with sexual activity and persisted up to 210 days, although detection in vaginal and semen secretions was very low.
The top ten most-read papers in BMJ Open during February 2024 are shown below: