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Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Jun 2024This study evaluated a specialized rehabilitation program's impact on senior cancer patients' quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated a specialized rehabilitation program's impact on senior cancer patients' quality of life.
METHODS
one hundred and thirty patients aged ≥65 years with various cancer types undergoing/recovering from treatment were enrolled in oncology clinics in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The intervention arm (n=65) participated in a tailored geriatric cancer rehabilitation program. The control group (n=65) received standard oncology care. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) tool assessed the quality of life across physical, social, emotional, and functional domains. T-tests and multivariate regression analyses compared outcomes.
RESULT
Total FACT-G scores showed a significantly higher quality of life for the geriatric cancer rehabilitation group versus standard care. Rehabilitation patients also demonstrated meaningful improvements across physical, social, and functional subscales. Rehabilitation involvement was the most predictive factor for optimized outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Specialized geriatric cancer rehabilitation meaningfully improved several quality of life domains in older patients over standard care. Despite persistent barriers, rehabilitation programming optimized older cancer patients' physical and psychosocial health. Oncology and geriatrics must collaborate to ensure evidence-based rehabilitation access meets older cohorts' unique needs.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Neoplasms; Male; Female; Quality of Life; Geriatric Assessment; Aged, 80 and over; Saudi Arabia; Prognosis; Follow-Up Studies; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 38918665
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2024.25.6.2033 -
PloS One 2024Access to brushes allows for natural scratching behaviors in cattle, especially in confined indoor settings. Cattle are motivated to use brushes, but brush use varies...
Access to brushes allows for natural scratching behaviors in cattle, especially in confined indoor settings. Cattle are motivated to use brushes, but brush use varies with multiple factors including social hierarchy and health. Brush use might serve an indicator of cow health or welfare, but practical application of these measures requires accurate and automated monitoring tools. This study describes a machine learning approach to monitor brush use by dairy cattle. We aimed to capture the daily brush use by integrating data on the rotation of a mechanical brush with data on cow identify derived from either 1) low-frequency radio frequency identification or 2) a computer vision system using fiducial markers. We found that the computer vision system outperformed the RFID system in accuracy, and that the machine learning algorithms enhanced the precision of the brush use estimates. This study presents the first description of a fiducial marker-based computer vision system for monitoring individual cattle behavior in a group setting; this approach could be applied to develop automated measures of other behaviors with the potential to better assess welfare and improve the care for farm animals.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Behavior, Animal; Machine Learning; Dairying; Radio Frequency Identification Device; Female; Algorithms; Animal Welfare
PubMed: 38917231
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305671 -
PloS One 2024Previous research has indicated the suitability of behavioural activation (BA) as an intervention for reducing depression in older adults. However, little research has...
Previous research has indicated the suitability of behavioural activation (BA) as an intervention for reducing depression in older adults. However, little research has investigated the potential of BA to increase active engagement and well-being in older adults. The current pilot study sought to investigate the usefulness and acceptability of BA to promote well-being in a group of non-clinical older adults. Participants (N = 18) aged between 65 and 86 (M = 77.82, SD = 5.59) who were retired and living independently in the community were provided a 6-week BA program predominantly delivered online. Treatment retention, self-ratings, and participants' compliance to treatment principles indicate preliminary feasibility for the use of BA as an approach for increasing active engagement in older adult populations. Participants also provided feedback on their experiences with the program post-intervention via individual structured interviews. Thematic analysis of these data revealed that participants found the program to be beneficial in terms of increased self-awareness and social engagement, and provided several recommendations for improving acceptability of the program and workbook. The unexpected events relating to the first wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) led to necessary adaptations to delivery modalities, and provided the researchers with an opportunity to investigate the use of a structured well-being program on a high-risk population during a pandemic. Our findings support the proposition that BA is a suitable intervention for increasing engagement and well-being in older adults, provide insight into adapting programs for older adults, and suggest next steps for testing intervention efficacy.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Pilot Projects; Male; Female; Aged, 80 and over; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Depression; Behavior Therapy
PubMed: 38917213
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305908 -
PloS One 2024The commitment of pharmacy graduates to patient care and research is crucial to advancing pharmaceutical science and practice. Consequently, the value of involving...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
The commitment of pharmacy graduates to patient care and research is crucial to advancing pharmaceutical science and practice. Consequently, the value of involving undergraduate pharmacy students in research has been increasingly recognized. Given that the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University offers two undergraduate pharmacy research courses, it is relevant to explore the perception of faculty members of the delivery, impact, facilitators, barriers, and suggested improvements in these courses. This exploration will help to improve the existing curriculum and to highlight the prospective impact of student involvement in undergraduate pharmacy research courses on the personal and professional growth of students, as well as on the progressive evolution of the pharmacy profession.
METHODS
A qualitative exploratory case study was performed in which five virtual focus groups were conducted. All eligible faculty members from the clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical science departments with experience supervising students who had taken one or two undergraduate pharmacy research courses were invited to participate. The focus group questions were based on the Theoretical domain framework of behavioral determinants. Verbatim transcription was performed, and the collected data were thematically analyzed using the computer-assisted coding software NVivo®.
RESULTS
Of the 26 eligible faculty members, 21 participated in this study. Five deductive themes were identified: social professional role and influences, beliefs about capabilities, skills, beliefs about consequences and goals, and environmental resources and behavioral regulations. Overall, faculty members identified themselves as assessors and mentors. Participants expected students to possess independence, responsibility, and motivation. They believed that students generally required more practical research skills. Several benefits of incorporating students into undergraduate research have been highlighted, including increased publication productivity and quality. However, several hurdles to undergraduate research in pharmacy have been identified, including limited resources, limited timeframes, and sometimes delayed ethical approval.
CONCLUSION
Faculty members expressed optimism regarding the undergraduate research courses. However, some logistical concerns, including the lengthy ethical approval process and resource availability, must be addressed to optimize the effectiveness of these courses.
Topics: Humans; Curriculum; Education, Pharmacy; Male; Qualitative Research; Female; Students, Pharmacy; Focus Groups; Adult; Qatar; Faculty; Faculty, Pharmacy; Pharmacy Research; Perception
PubMed: 38917131
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305946 -
BJPsych Bulletin Jun 2024Chemsex occurs primarily among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and there is evidence of a subgroup of users who carry out chemsex-related... (Review)
Review
Chemsex occurs primarily among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and there is evidence of a subgroup of users who carry out chemsex-related criminal offences and experience harm. Challenges with chemsex can present to various settings; there are concerns that harm is increasing, including at interfaces between health, social care and criminal justice systems. The UK response to date has lacked a coordinated approach. An expert reference group was convened to share chemsex knowledge, articulate priorities for research and pathway development, and foster collaborative working between agencies. It made three key recommendations: develop and increase training and awareness across all services; implement a coordinated research programme with the development of a common data-set and assessment tool to fully characterise population-level needs; develop a professional network to share information, provide professional support and act as a knowledge hub. There was support for a unified multi-agency strategy incorporating the priorities identified as overarching principles.
PubMed: 38916191
DOI: 10.1192/bjb.2024.46 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024The care of people with schizophrenia (PWS) is usually provided in an outpatient setting by community mental health teams. However, PWS frequently require inpatient...
INTRODUCTION
The care of people with schizophrenia (PWS) is usually provided in an outpatient setting by community mental health teams. However, PWS frequently require inpatient treatment because of a wide array of clinical, personal and/or social situations. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, there are no guidelines available to help psychiatrists in the decision-making process on hospital discharge for PWS. The aim of this project was to develop an expert consensus on discharge criteria for PWS after their stay in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit.
METHODS
Using a modified Delphi method a group of 42 psychiatrists throughout Spain evaluated four areas of interest regarding this issue: clinical symptomatology, treatment-related factors, follow-up health care units after discharge, and physical health and monitoring.
RESULTS
After two rounds, among the 64 statements, a consensus was reached for 59 (92.2%) statements. In three (17.7%) of the 17 statements on 'clinical symptomatology' and 2 (13.3%) of the 15 statements on 'follow-up health care units after discharge', a consensus was not reached; in contrast, a consensus was reached for all statements concerning 'treatment-related factors' and those concerning 'physical health and monitoring'. The consensus results highlight the importance for discharge of the control of symptoms rather than their suppression during admission and of tolerability in the selection of anantipsychotic.
DISCUSSION
Although there is a lack of relevant data for guiding the discharge of PWS after hospitalization in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit, we expect that this consensus based on expert opinion may help clinicians to take appropriate decisions.
PubMed: 38915849
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1412637 -
Health Psychology Research 2024The present study investigated the effectiveness of a Dragon Boat training program in women with breast cancer body image and traumatic distress processing.
OBJECTIVE
The present study investigated the effectiveness of a Dragon Boat training program in women with breast cancer body image and traumatic distress processing.
METHODS
29 breast cancer patients (M(SD) age= 51 (7.41)) voluntarily participated in a physical activity program. Seventeen (Intervention Group) enrolled in a Dragon Boat racing program, while 12 (the Control Group) individually performed alternative physical activities. Before and after the intervention, patients completed the Body Image Scale (BIS) and the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R).
RESULTS
The Intervention Group reported a decrease in Body Image negative perception ( = .352, (1,27) = 14.111, = .001; = .951) and in traumatic symptoms ( = .283, (1,27) = 10.682, = .003; = .883).
CONCLUSIONS
Authors discuss the role of Dragon Boat racing in improving positive body image after the experience of breast cancer.
PubMed: 38915786
DOI: 10.52965/001c.120055 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024Higher education students experience significant levels of exhaustion in their studies, yet there are limited evidence-based support programs available. Therefore, this...
INTRODUCTION
Higher education students experience significant levels of exhaustion in their studies, yet there are limited evidence-based support programs available. Therefore, this study evaluated a novel intervention approach by testing the effectiveness of two online interventions based on the study demands-resources framework. These interventions aimed to balance demands and resources. Derived from the theoretical assumptions of the framework, we hypothesized that the interventions would increase study and personal resources, engagement, and study crafting, and decrease study demands, exhaustion, and self-undermining. Additionally, we hypothesized that demands and resources would mediate the effects of the intervention on engagement, exhaustion, study crafting, and self-undermining.
METHODS
Conducted as a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group ( = 71), the study involved participants in two intervention groups who engaged with the interventions for 2 weeks. Intervention group 1 ( = 64) focused on adapting demands, while intervention group 2 ( = 70) focused on increasing resources. The design allowed for a comparison of the effectiveness of these different approaches. Participants completed questionnaires before and after the intervention, and at a 5-week follow-up.
RESULTS
Results of the analyses of variance with repeated measures revealed that the interventions had significant positive effects on the personal resource mindfulness, two study crafting strategies, self-undermining, and exhaustion. Notably, intervention group 2 exhibited more positive outcomes. The hypothesized mediation effects through mindfulness were partially supported.
DISCUSSION
The study demonstrates the considerable potential of interventions based on the study demands-resources framework for higher education institutions in supporting student well-being.
PubMed: 38915428
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1368267 -
EJC Paediatric Oncology Jun 2024Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) require specialized follow-up throughout their lifespan to prevent or manage late effects of cancer treatment. Knowing the size and... (Review)
Review
Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) require specialized follow-up throughout their lifespan to prevent or manage late effects of cancer treatment. Knowing the size and structure of the population of CCS is crucial to plan interventions. In this scoping review we reviewed studies that reported prevalence of CCS in Europe. We searched Medline, Web of Science, and Embase using permutations of terms referring to childhood, cancer, survivors, prevalence, registries, and Europe. We followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines to select studies and The Joanna Briggs Institute Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool to evaluate their quality. From 979 unique studies published between 1989 and 2022, 12 were included. Limited-duration prevalence (LDP) for all childhood cancers, assessed in three studies using counting method, varied between 450 and 1240 persons per million. Complete prevalence (CP) of survivors of any childhood cancer except skin carcinomas, reported in three studies using observed data complemented with modelled data for the unobserved period, varied between 730 and 1110 persons per million. CP of survivors of an embryonal tumour was estimated by completeness index method in six studies. In four of them CP ranged from 48 to 95 persons per million for all embryonal tumours, while CP for those occurring in central nervous system was 43 per million in one study and CP for rhabdomyosarcoma was 17 per million in another. Information on prevalence of CCS in Europe is fragmented and inconsistent. The large variations in LDP and CP estimates were linked to differences in data availability, the selection of populations, prevalence measure, statistical method, incidence period, index date, age at diagnosis and prevalence, cancer types, sex, and, for LDP, also the length of follow-up. Standardisation of methodology and reporting are needed to systematically monitor and compare CCS prevalence in Europe and provide data to help address survivors' needs.
PubMed: 38915419
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcped.2024.100155 -
PeerJ 2024In Japan, the number of older adults requiring long-term care insurance (LTCI) is increasing and the cost is becoming a social problem. In these fields, the role of...
BACKGROUND
In Japan, the number of older adults requiring long-term care insurance (LTCI) is increasing and the cost is becoming a social problem. In these fields, the role of geriatric rehabilitation includes maintaining the physical function and LTCI certification levels. The prevalence of sarcopenia is high among older adults requiring LTCI certification, and there are many opportunities to assess the handgrip strength, walking speed, and muscle mass. This study aimed to identify sarcopenia-related assessments sensitive to transitions in LTCI certification levels and determine cut-off values to predict them.
METHODS
This prospective cohort study analyzed 98 daycare users (mean age ± standard error: 78.5 ± 0.8 years) between March 2019 and 2023. The participants received LTCI certification before the study, and their levels were renewed between baseline and follow-up (six months later). The measurements included handgrip strength, usual walking speed, body composition, and SARC-F score. Participants were classified into maintenance, deterioration, and improvement groups according to the changes in their LTCI certification levels. We identified factors contributing to the deterioration of LTCI certification levels using baseline and before and after comparisons, multivariate analyses, and receiver operating characteristic analyses.
RESULTS
No significant differences were observed in the baseline data among the groups. Only the deterioration group showed significant changes in the usual walking speed (baseline: 0.64 ± 0.25 m/s, follow-up: 0.53 ± 0.21 m/s, = 0.008) and body fat percentage (baseline: 29.2 ± 9.9%, follow-up: 27.7 ± 10.3%, = 0.047). Binomial logistic regression showed that changes in usual walking speed ( = 0.042) and body fat percentage ( = 0.011) were significantly associated with the deterioration of LTCI certification levels, even after adjustment. The cutoff values of change to discriminate the deterioration of LTCI certification levels were -0.14 m/s at the usual walking speed ( = 0.047) and -1.0% for body fat percentage ( = 0.029).
CONCLUSIONS
Decreases in usual walking speed and body fat percentage may predict worse certification levels in older adults requiring LTCI.
Topics: Humans; Walking Speed; Male; Female; Aged; Insurance, Long-Term Care; Prospective Studies; Hand Strength; Japan; Sarcopenia; Body Composition; Certification; Adipose Tissue; Geriatric Assessment
PubMed: 38915385
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17529