Evidence check
A rapid review outlining the available evidence on a discrete topic or question. Evidence includes grey and peer review literature. View all Evidence Checks by date of publication.
Digital mental health interventions for young people
Added: 27 Mar 2024
For young people aged 12-25 years with severe and complex mental illness, which supported online mental health treatments (delivered in partnership with, or alongside specialist community mental health care): have been shown to be most effective in delivering positive mental health outcomes? have been shown to be most cost-effective?
For young people aged 12-25 years with severe and complex mental illness, which online social therapies (delivered in partnership with, or alongside specialist community mental health care) have been shown to be most effective (or promising) in delivering positive social and mental health?
For young people aged 12-25 years with severe and complex mental illness, which online social therapies (delivered in partnership with, or alongside specialist community mental health care) have been shown to be most effective (or promising) in delivering positive social and mental health?
- Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for young people are an emerging area. Studies generally comprise small sample sizes, include participants with a mix of mental health severity and use self-reported symptoms or clinician-rated and diagnosed conditions.
- For less severe mental health conditions or self-reported elevated symptoms, there is evidence to support the effectiveness of DMHIs in improving symptoms. Especially internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapies (iCBT) when delivered in-person or via virtual coaching including follow-up.
- For online social therapies, the findings suggest effectiveness in improving vocational or educational attainment, reducing emergency visits and overall cost-savings when used alongside treatment as usual. However, the intervention did not demonstrate a significant benefit in improving social functioning.
Post-tonsillectomy bleeding and pain
Added: 5 Feb 2024
Are there any patterns or risk stratification for post-tonsillectomy bleeding and pain?
Do the following factors influence the likelihood of post-tonsillectomy bleeding and pain?
What are the main reasons for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) following tonsillectomy surgery?
When (how many days after) do patients usually present to an ED after the surgery?
How long do patients need to stay close to where they had the tonsillectomy surgery, especially in rural or regional areas?
Do the following factors influence the likelihood of post-tonsillectomy bleeding and pain?
- Surgery technique.
- Patient and clinical characteristics.
What are the main reasons for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) following tonsillectomy surgery?
When (how many days after) do patients usually present to an ED after the surgery?
How long do patients need to stay close to where they had the tonsillectomy surgery, especially in rural or regional areas?
- The method and techniques of tonsillectomy can be associated with different risk profiles for post-operative haemorrhage and pain in both paediatrics and adults. Overall, the intracapsular coblation method appears to be associated with lower risks of bleeding and pain compared to other methods. Several patient and clinical characteristics, such as male gender, older age (15 years or over), multiple indications for surgery, comorbidity and coagulopathy, and the severity of illness at admission, are associated with an increased risk of post-tonsillectomy bleeding.
- The main reasons for presenting to an ED following tonsillectomy surgery include bleeding, dehydration, infection, nausea and pain in paediatrics. For adults, the most common reasons include pain and bleeding. The median days to presentation post-operation ranged from 5-7 for paediatrics and a similar range for adults.
- The evidence evaluating the safe geographical proximity or travel distance for patients to stay close to where they had the operation is scant.
Post-tonsillectomy bleeding in children
Added: 3 Nov 2023
What are the risks of bleeding after tonsillectomy surgery in children? What are the management options?
- In Australia, between 2000 and 2020, the overall rate of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage for all ages remained relatively constant at around 1.6%.1 The rate for the paediatric age group was around 1% for the study period.
- In patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with secondary post-tonsillectomy bleed, an Australian study found that the average post-operative day of presentation was 7. The risk of rebleeding was 2.9% and the median time to rebleed was 4.4 hours.
Surgery post COVID-19
Added: 11 Feb 2022
Updated: 31 Aug 2023
What is the evidence for timing of surgery, and outcomes following surgery, for people who have COVID-19?
- The evidence for the association between a recent COVID-19 infection history and the risk of surgical complications and mortality is mixed. Study findings vary depending on factors such as the severity of the infection, surgical types, patient health status, SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccination history.
- COVID-19 vaccinations reduce the risk of postoperative adverse outcomes among patients with a recent history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Professional societies in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have updated their recommendations this year (2023) to advise to proceed with surgery two to three weeks post COVID-19 infection. This advice may differ for high-risk patients or in certain circumstance
SARS-CoV-2 variants - retired living evidence
Added: 4 Apr 2023
What is the evidence on SARS-CoV-2 variants that are under monitoring by the World Health Organization?
- This table includes information on Omicron subvariants that are currently causing concern in the scientific community and are under monitoring by the World Health Organization.
- It focuses on information related to transmissibility, virulence and severity, impact on immunity and treatments.
COVID-19 vaccines - retired living evidence
Added: 4 Apr 2023
What is the evidence on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and safety?
- This evidence table includes information on vaccines that have published phase 3 trial data in the peer reviewed literature and are provisionally approved by the Australian Government Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- It focuses on information related to efficacy and safety.
Archive Current and emerging patient safety issues during COVID-19
Added: 17 Jun 2022
Updated: 14 Dec 2022
What is the evidence on the current and emerging patient safety issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic?
- There are wide-ranging reports on the indirect impacts of COVID-19 and associated mitigation strategies such as lockdowns and service shutdowns.
- The literature not only discusses conventional patient safety issues, but also issues around delayed access to healthcare and equity issues.
Archive Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines
Added: 16 Nov 2022
What is the available regulatory and research evidence for bivalent COVID-19 vaccines?
- The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines have components that target both the original virus strain and the Omicron variant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- The Spikevax bivalent booster vaccine (Moderna, BA.1-adapted, data from an ongoing phase 2–3 trial) is found to induce stronger neutralising antibody activities against the Omicron variant (including BA.4/BA.5 subvariants) than the original booster version. It has a similar safety and reactogenicity profile to the original version.
- The Comirnaty bivalent booster vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, BA.1-adapted, data from regulatory submission) is found to induce stronger neutralising antibody activities against the Omicron BA.1 subvariant than the original booster version.
Rapid evidence checks are based on a simplified review method and may not be entirely exhaustive, but aim to provide a balanced assessment of what is already known about a specific problem or issue. This brief has not been peer-reviewed and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement, nor is it an endorsed position of NSW Health. Evidence checks are archived a year after the date of publication.