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Frontiers in Public Health 2023The COVID-19 global pandemic has necessitated the urgency for innovative mental health interventions. We performed a comprehensive review of the available literature on... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
The COVID-19 global pandemic has necessitated the urgency for innovative mental health interventions. We performed a comprehensive review of the available literature on the utility and efficacy of arts therapies in treating mental health problems, with special emphasis on their deployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to provide some evidence for the application of this therapy.
METHODS
The potential studies were systematically sourced from five authoritative databases: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the CNKI database. The evaluation of these studies was conducted based on stringent criteria, including validity, suitability, therapeutic potential, and consistency. Each piece of included literature was meticulously scored in accordance with these criteria, thus ensuring the inclusion of only the most robust studies in this review. The data from these Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were carefully extracted using the PICO(S) framework, ensuring a comprehensive and systemic approach to data collection. In order to emphasize the variability in the effects of differing arts therapies on COVID-19-induced psychiatric disturbances, the sourced literature was systematically categorized and scrutinized based on distinct modalities.
RESULTS
Out of the 7,250 sourced articles, 16 satisfied the inclusion conditions. The therapies were predominantly meditation ( = 7), supplemented by individual studies on color therapy ( = 3), music therapy ( = 2), and single studies on horticultural therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness and music therapy, and yoga and music therapy ( = 4 collectively). These various forms of arts therapies had a positive short to medium-term impact on the mental health of COVID-19 patients. Besides improving patients' physical and mental health, these therapies can also be employed to mitigate mental health issues among healthcare professionals.
CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic has profound and long-lasting implications for public mental health. Diverse forms of arts therapies are potentially effective in addressing related psychiatric symptoms. The integration of artificial intelligence might further enhance the efficacy and scalability of arts therapies in future implementations.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Health Personnel
PubMed: 38111478
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1289545 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023During the pandemic, many creative aging programs stopped being delivered in person, and practitioners turned to various virtual platforms to deliver content for older...
INTRODUCTION
During the pandemic, many creative aging programs stopped being delivered in person, and practitioners turned to various virtual platforms to deliver content for older adults to maintain their cognitive, physical, and psychosocial well-being. Collaborators from a university-based music therapy program and a global music museum developed asynchronous virtual programs, one for wellness populations and another for memory care settings. Content was developed and delivered by the paper's principal investigators in collaboration with the museum's curatorial team and an upper division music therapy class composed of juniors and first-year graduate equivalency students ( = 21). The asynchronous program included museum gallery content and music therapy interventions of singing, movement, and/or instrument playing based on highlighted geographic regions. The purpose of the study was to explore older adults' experiences when participating in the program.
METHODS
Fifty-six older adults from three post-acute care facilities (two skilled nursing facilities and one assisted living center) served as participants. Older adult participants were categorized as cognitively healthy ( = 27) or those diagnosed with dementia ( = 29) and attended five music sessions over 8 weeks, ranging from 30 to 60 min in length. A within-subject repeated measures design was used to investigate the impact of the creative aging program on older adults' psychosocial well-being and engagement behaviors. Psychosocial well-being for cognitively healthy older adults were measured with the Multicultural Quality of Life Index, Engagement in Meaningful Activity Survey, and the PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form-4a. Psychosocial well-being for older adults with memory loss was measured with the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia tool.
RESULTS
Cognitively healthy older adults showed an increase in psychological/emotional wellness after participating in the program, while older adults with memory loss appeared less irritable and physically uncomfortable and seemed to enjoy interacting with others more. Surprisingly, the cognitively healthy older adults also showed an increase in social isolation between the start and end of the program, which may not be related to the intervention, but to the fact that all three sites had COVID outbreaks during the study and had to pause their group activities programming and residents were required to stay in their rooms. Additionally, the music interventions fostered engagement behaviors of interest (facial expression, posture), and response (body movement, eye contact, and musical interaction with the leaders in the videos) for both groups of older adults. Instrument interventions were most engaging for cognitively healthy older adults. Singing interventions were most engaging for older adults with dementia, whereas movement interventions were less engaging for older adults with dementia.
DISCUSSION
Findings suggest that creative aging virtual programs can be delivered in asynchronous settings to enhance older adults' well-being and foster engagement. Additionally, virtual programming may be used to augment ongoing programming or used to reach older adults when distance is a factor to enhance older adults' well-being.
PubMed: 38098846
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1273000 -
The American Journal of Case Reports Dec 2023BACKGROUND Non-ketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea-hemiballism (HCHB) is a rare complication of diabetes, which is mainly described in case reports. This condition occurs...
BACKGROUND Non-ketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea-hemiballism (HCHB) is a rare complication of diabetes, which is mainly described in case reports. This condition occurs more commonly in older women and is known to be associated with T1 hyperintensity basal ganglia lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The pathophysiology of non-ketotic hyperglycemic HCHB is not well defined, although a combination of regional metabolic failure and ischemia due to hyperglycemia is suspected to occur. Treatment entails tight blood glucose control, although antipsychotic medications such as risperidone may be helpful in refractory cases. CASE REPORT We describe a case of a middle-aged man with long-standing type 2 diabetes who experienced 3 weeks of progressive unilateral arm, leg, and face choreiform movements. Laboratory testing performed just prior to symptom onset was notable for a hemoglobin A1C of >15% and a serum blood glucose of 566 mg/dl. MRI revealed diffuse T1 hyperintensity in the left lentiform nucleus. Our patient's insulin regimen was adjusted, resulting in improvement in average serum glucose (A1C of 9.4%). However, his symptoms did not improve significantly. A trial of benzodiazepine was attempted, without success. When risperidone was started, the patient experienced resolution of symptoms. Recurrence of non-ketotic hyperglycemic HCHB while off risperidone has not occurred to date. CONCLUSIONS Non-ketotic hyperglycemic HCHB is a rare but important diagnosis to consider in patients with hyperglycemia and new-onset choreiform movements. Patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes may be affected, especially when glycemic control worsens. When tight blood glucose control does not resolve symptoms, a short course of antipsychotic agents may provide relief.
Topics: Male; Middle Aged; Humans; Female; Aged; Chorea; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Risperidone; Glycated Hemoglobin; Dyskinesias; Hyperglycemia
PubMed: 38064410
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.941443 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2023Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for around one-third of all HCC cases. Prolonged inflammation in chronic hepatitis... (Review)
Review
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for around one-third of all HCC cases. Prolonged inflammation in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), maintained through a variety of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, is one of the aspects of carcinogenesis, followed by mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Immune response dysfunction including the innate and adaptive immunity also plays a role in the development, as well as in the recurrence of HCC after treatment. Some of the tumor suppressor genes inhibited by the HCV proteins are p53, p73, and retinoblastoma 1. Mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and the oncogene catenin beta 1 are two more important carcinogenic signaling pathways in HCC associated with HCV. Furthermore, in HCV-related HCC, numerous tumor suppressor and seven oncogenic genes are dysregulated by epigenetic changes. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is considered as a lasting "epigenetic memory", suggesting that HCV-induced changes persist and are associated with liver carcinogenesis even after cure. Epigenetic changes and immune response dysfunction are recognized targets for potential therapy of HCC.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Hepacivirus; Liver Neoplasms; Epigenesis, Genetic; Hepatitis C; Carcinogenesis
PubMed: 38003240
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216048 -
BMJ Open Nov 2023Psychosocial interventions have been shown to improve mood, relieve stress and improve quality of life for people living with dementia (PwD). To date, most evaluations...
INTRODUCTION
Psychosocial interventions have been shown to improve mood, relieve stress and improve quality of life for people living with dementia (PwD). To date, most evaluations of singing interventions have focused on the benefits for PwD and not their carers. This research aims to evaluate the benefits of dementia singing groups for both PwD and their carers.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
This 2-year project will observe the impact of two different singing intervention services, one combining singing alongside dance and another that includes a sociable lunch. This project will aim to recruit a total of n=150 PwD and n=150 carers across the two singing interventions. Using a mixed-methods approach, the influence of both services will be analysed via the following outcome measures: quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptoms, social isolation, loneliness, cognition, carer burden and depressive symptoms in PwD and their carers using a prestudy/poststudy design. Regression models will be used to analyse the data with time (pre/post) as the exposure variable. Semistructured interviews will be conducted with a subset of people (n=40) to further investigate the impact of singing services with a specific focus on the acceptability of the interventions, barriers to access and prolonged engagement and potential for remote delivery. Interview data will be analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis, and public advisers will assist with coding the transcripts. A social return on investment analysis will be conducted to determine the social impact of the services.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
This project has received ethical approval from the University of Liverpool's Ethics Committee (App ref: 12374) and Lancaster University's Ethics Committee (App ref: 3442). All participants will provide informed consent to participate. Results will be presented at national and international conferences, published in scientific journals and publicly disseminated to key stakeholders.
Topics: Humans; Caregivers; Quality of Life; Dementia; Singing; Caregiver Burden
PubMed: 37996231
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076168 -
Journal of Applied Gerontology : the... Jun 2024One in six people in Australia are aged over 65, with many older adults currently living in residential aged care communities (RACC). Fostering meaningful human...
One in six people in Australia are aged over 65, with many older adults currently living in residential aged care communities (RACC). Fostering meaningful human connection through social activities, such as dance, is imperative to maintain or improve the quality of life in these settings. Drawing from an embodied cognition framework, this mixed-methods study explored synchrony during a seated dance program with 15 older adults living in a RACC. Qualitative video content analysis was used to code movement, language and music cooccurrences, resulting in five group synchrony labels. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) was then employed to distil ten higher-order forms of embodied group synchrony. Using existing neurocognitive evidence, we detail the therapeutic and interpersonal implications of the most prominent forms of embodied group synchrony. These findings can be used to choreograph therapeutic forms of embodied group synchrony in dance programs with older adults.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Dancing; Australia; Homes for the Aged; Quality of Life; Dance Therapy; Cluster Analysis; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37991872
DOI: 10.1177/07334648231214946 -
Journal of Applied Gerontology : the... Mar 2024With the population aging, more people are living with neurodegenerative conditions, leading to an influx of informal family caregivers, who often experience negative... (Review)
Review
With the population aging, more people are living with neurodegenerative conditions, leading to an influx of informal family caregivers, who often experience negative health outcomes. Few caregiver interventions have successfully adopted a holistic, strengths-based approach to fostering resilience. This article examines existing literature on caregiver resilience factors, which include self-efficacy, flexibility, cultivating positive emotions, and drawing on spiritual and social supports. Despite how dance/movement therapy (DMT) has been shown to foster psychological and physiological benefits, it remains underexplored for caregivers. Therapeutic mechanisms of DMT are expounded for their innate correspondence to resilience factors, and a new comprehensive model of DMT for caregiver resilience is presented, with implications for future intervention design and measurement.
Topics: Humans; Adaptation, Psychological; Aging; Caregivers; Dance Therapy; Resilience, Psychological; Self Efficacy
PubMed: 37991282
DOI: 10.1177/07334648231210679 -
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and... Dec 2023Bed rest during hospitalization can negatively impact functional independence and clinical status of older individuals. Strategies focused on maintaining and improving... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Bed rest during hospitalization can negatively impact functional independence and clinical status of older individuals. Strategies focused on maintaining and improving muscle function may help reverse these losses. This study investigated the effects of a short-term multicomponent exercise intervention on maximal strength and muscle power in hospitalized older patients.
METHODS
This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial was conducted in an acute care unit in a tertiary public hospital. Ninety (39 women) older patients (mean age 87.7 ± 4.8 years) undergoing acute-care hospitalization [median (IQR) duration 8 (1.75) and 8 (3) days for intervention and control groups, respectively]) were randomly assigned to an exercise intervention group (n = 44) or a control group (n = 46). The control group received standard care hospital including physical rehabilitation as needed. The multicomponent exercise intervention was performed for 3 consecutive days during the hospitalization, consisting of individualized power training, balance, and walking exercises. Outcomes assessed at baseline and discharge were maximal strength through 1 repetition maximum test (1RM) in the leg press and bench press exercises, and muscle power output at different loads (≤30% of 1RM and between 45% and 55% of 1RM) in the leg press exercise. Mean peak power during 10 repetitions was assessed at loads between 45% and 55% of 1RM.
RESULTS
At discharge, intervention group increased 19.2 kg (Mean Δ% = 40.4%) in leg press 1RM [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.1, 26.2 kg; P < 0.001] and 2.9 kg (Mean Δ% = 19.7%) in bench press 1RM (95% CI: 0.6, 5.2 kg; P < 0.001). The intervention group also increased peak power by 18.8 W (Mean Δ% = 69.2%) (95% CI: 8.4, 29.1 W; P < 0.001) and mean propulsive power by 9.3 (Mean Δ% = 26.8%) W (95% CI: 2.5, 16.1 W; P = 0.002) at loads ≤30% of 1RM. The intervention group also increased peak power by 39.1 W (Mean Δ% = 60.0%) (95% CI: 19.2, 59.0 W; P < 0.001) and mean propulsive power by 22.9 W (Mean Δ% = 64.1%) (95% CI: 11.7, 34.1 W; P < 0.001) at loads between 45% and 55% of 1RM. Mean peak power during the 10 repetitions improved by 20.8 W (Mean Δ% = 36.4%) (95% CI: 3.0, 38.6 W; P = 0.011). No significant changes were observed in the control group for any endpoint.
CONCLUSIONS
An individualized multicomponent exercise program including progressive power training performed over 3 days markedly improved muscle strength and power in acutely hospitalized older patients.
Topics: Humans; Female; Aged, 80 and over; Exercise Therapy; Exercise; Bed Rest; Hospitalization; Muscles
PubMed: 37989600
DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13375 -
Pediatric Dentistry Sep 2023To determine: (1) which nonpharmacological behavior guidance techniques recommended in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's (AAPD) best practice statement are...
To determine: (1) which nonpharmacological behavior guidance techniques recommended in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's (AAPD) best practice statement are currently routinely used by pediatric dentists; and (2) their perception of parent/ caregiver acceptance of the techniques. All active AAPD dentist members were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Participants (n equals 518) completed an online questionnaire that queried the use of each nonpharmacological behavior guidance technique outlined in the AAPD best practice statement, the frequency with which parent / caregiver hesitancy/refusal is encountered for each, and practice characteristics and demo- graphics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and tests of group differences. Nearly all participants endorsed routine use of the foundational techniques tell-show-do (98.6 percent), counseling skills to build rapport (97.7 percent), and positive reinforcement (95.6 percent). Fewer endorsed using more complex techniques like desensitization (75.3 percent), memory restructuring (22.6 percent), and cognitive behavioral therapy (4.4 percent). There were significant differences in mean years of clinical experience between those who used and did not use some of the more complex techniques. Of the 26 techniques queried, parent / caregiver hesitancy/refusal was encountered most frequently for parental absence, physical restraints, and voice control, and never to rarely for the others. This first-ever study of all nonpharmacological behavior gui- dance techniques outlined in the AAPD's best practice statement suggests that pediatric dentists routinely use foundational techniques but less frequently use more resource-intensive or complex techniques. With few exceptions, these techniques are well accepted by parents / caregivers.
Topics: Humans; Child; Caregivers; Pediatric Dentistry; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Parents; Attitude of Health Personnel; Practice Patterns, Dentists'
PubMed: 37904263
DOI: No ID Found -
BMC Public Health Oct 2023Sarcopenia is a syndrome associated with aging that causes progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and muscle function. In this pilot study, we compared the... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Sarcopenia is a syndrome associated with aging that causes progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and muscle function. In this pilot study, we compared the effectiveness of elastic band training regarding group-based dance on fat mass, fat-free mass, handgrip strength (HGS; dominant and non-dominant hand), leg strength, timed up-and-go (TUG) and walking speed in older women with sarcopenia.
METHODS
This is a randomized controlled trial, single-blind, repeated measures of parallel groups (elastic band group: EBG, n = 21; group-based dance: GBD, n = 19), and a quantitative methodology. Three 60-minute sessions per week for 12 weeks were dedicated to the interventions with pre- and post-assessments. A two-factor mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) model with repeated measures was performed to measure the group×time effect.
RESULTS
A significant interaction revealed for fat-free mass (F= 18.91; p < 0.001; EBG + 10.9% vs. GBD - 1.97%), HGS dominant hand (F= 7.44; p = 0.014; EBG + 10.9% vs. GBD + 0.59%), HGS non-dominant hand (F= 6.41; p = 0.022; EBG + 10.21% vs. GBD + 3.80%), leg strength (F= 17.98; p < 0.001; EBG + 9.1% vs. GBD + 3.83%), TUG (F= 7.52; p = 0.014; EBG - 14.7% vs. GBD - 1.0%) and walking speed (F = 6.40; p = 0.019; EBG - 7.6% vs. GBD - 4.35%) in favor of EBG.
CONCLUSION
Elastic band training produces significantly greater responses on physical-functional performance regarding group-based dance in older women with sarcopenia. On the other hand, the EBG revealed a significant improvement in fat-free mass and upper and lower limb muscle strength, as well as a significant decrease time in TUG, and walking speed. Elastic band exercise is a safe, easy, affordable, and effective physical activity strategy, according to the findings.
Topics: Humans; Female; Aged; Sarcopenia; Muscle Strength; Hand Strength; Pilot Projects; Single-Blind Method; Physical Functional Performance; Resistance Training; Muscle, Skeletal
PubMed: 37891589
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17014-7