scholarly journals Improving Self-Care of Informal Caregivers of Adults With Frontotemporal Degeneration

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 376-376
Author(s):  
Michelle Sharkey ◽  
Lauren Fisher ◽  
Lauren Massimo
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Management ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Functional Impairments ◽  
Frontotemporal Degeneration ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Young Caregivers ◽  
Young Onset Dementia ◽  
Reducing Stress

Abstract Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is a common cause of young-onset dementia that results in progressive deterioration in executive functioning and social comportment. A tremendous burden is placed on young caregivers, typically spouses, who often sacrifice their own self-care needs in order to manage the cognitive decline and subsequent functional impairments of their loved one, contributing to extraordinarily high levels of stress and depression in caregivers of individuals with FTD. Very few interventions have been tested specifically in FTD caregivers, and those that exist have generally focused on education around patient behavior management. In this session, we will discuss how we adapted the iCare4Me study, originally designed for heart failure caregivers, for caregivers of persons with FTD and we will share initial findings from iCare4Me for FTD, a randomized controlled trial which evaluates the efficacy of a virtual health coach intervention aimed at increasing self-care behaviors and reducing stress in FTD caregivers.

Evaluation of a collaborative protocolized approach by community pharmacies and general medical practitioners for an Australian minor ailments scheme: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dineen-Griffin ◽  
Victoria Garcia Cardenas ◽  
Kylie Williams ◽  
Shalom Isaac Benrimoj
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Minor Ailments ◽  
Cluster Randomized

BACKGROUND Internationally, governments have been investing in supporting pharmacists to take on an expanded role to support self-care for health system efficiency. There is consistent evidence that minor ailment schemes (MAS) promote efficiencies within the healthcare system. The cost savings and health outcomes demonstrated in the UK and Canada opens up new opportunities for pharmacists to effect sustainable changes through MAS delivery in Australia. OBJECTIVE This trial is evaluating the clinical, economic and humanistic impact of an Australian minor ailments service (AMAS), compared with usual pharmacy care in a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Western Sydney, Australia. METHODS The cluster-randomized controlled trial design has an intervention and a control group, comparing individuals receiving a structured intervention with those receiving usual care for specific common ailments. Participants will be community pharmacies, general practices and patients located in Western Sydney Primary Health Network region. 30 community pharmacies will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. Each will recruit 24 patients seeking, aged 18 years or older, presenting to the pharmacy in person with a symptom-based or product-based request for one of the following ailments (reflux, cough, common cold, headache (tension or migraine), primary dysmenorrhoea and low back pain). Intervention pharmacists will deliver protocolized care to patients using clinical treatment pathways with agreed referral points and collaborative systems boosting clinician-pharmacist communication. Patients recruited in control pharmacies will receive usual care. The co-primary outcomes are rates of appropriate use of nonprescription medicines and rates of appropriate medical referral. Secondary outcomes include self-reported symptom resolution, time to resolution of symptoms, health services resource utilization and EQ VAS. Differences in the primary outcomes between groups will be analyzed at the individual patient level accounting for correlation within clusters with generalized estimating equations. The economic impact of the model will be evaluated by cost analysis compared with usual care. RESULTS The study began in July 2018. At the time of submission, 30 community pharmacies have been recruited. Pharmacists from the 15 intervention pharmacies have been trained. 27 general practices have consented. Pharmacy patient recruitment began in August 2018 and is ongoing and monthly targets are being met. Recruitment will be completed March 31st, 2019. CONCLUSIONS This study may demonstrate the utilization and efficacy of a protocolized intervention to manage minor ailments in the community, and will assess the clinical, economic and humanistic impact of this intervention in Australian pharmacy practice. Pharmacists supporting patient self-care and self-medication may contribute greater efficiency of healthcare resources and integration of self-care in the health system. The proposed model and developed educational content may form the basis of a MAS national service, with protocolized care for common ailments using a robust framework for management and referral. CLINICALTRIAL Registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) and allocated the ACTRN: ACTRN12618000286246. Registered on 23 February 2018.

A patient-centered mobile intervention to promote self-management and improve patient outcomes in chronic heart failure: The ManageHF4Life trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Dorsch ◽  
Karen B. Farris ◽  
Brigid E. Rowell ◽  
Scott L. Hummel ◽  
Todd M. Koelling
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Heart Failure Questionnaire

BACKGROUND Successful management of heart failure (HF) involves guideline based medical therapy as well as self-care behavior. As a result, the management of HF is moving toward a proactive real-time technological model of assisting patients with monitoring and self-management. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application intervention that enhances self-monitoring on health-related quality of life, self-management, and reduces HF readmissions. METHODS A single-center randomized controlled trial was performed. Patients greater than 45 years of age and admitted for acute decompensated HF or recently discharged in the past 4 weeks were included. The intervention group used a mobile application (App). The intervention prompted daily self-monitoring and promoted self-management. The control group (No App) received usual care. The primary outcome was the change in Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) from baseline to 6 and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were the Self-Care Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) questionnaire and recurrent HF admissions. RESULTS Eighty-three patients were enrolled and completed all baseline assessments. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups with the exception of HF etiology. The App group had a reduced MLHFQ at 6 weeks (37.5 ± 3.5 vs. 48.2 ± 3.7, P=0.039) but not at 12 weeks (44.2 ± 4 vs. 45.9 ± 4, P=0.778) compared to No App. There was no effect of the App on the SCHFI at 6 or 12 weeks. The time to first HF admission was not statistically different between the App versus No App groups (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.39-2.02, P=0.781) over 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS The mobile application intervention improved MLHFQ at 6 weeks, but did not sustain its effects at 12 weeks. No effect was seen on HF self-care. Further research is needed to enhance engagement in the application for a longer period of time and to determine if the application can reduce HF admissions in a larger study. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03149510

scholarly journals PEP-CoV protocol: a PEP flute-self-care randomised controlled trial to prevent respiratory deterioration and hospitalisation in early COVID-19

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e050582
Author(s):  
Annette Mollerup ◽  
Sofus Christian Larsen ◽  
Anita Selmer Bennetzen ◽  
Marius Henriksen ◽  
Mette Kildevaeld Simonsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
At Home

IntroductionInfection with SARS-CoV-2 may progress to severe pulmonary disease, COVID-19. Currently, patients admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 have better prognosis than during the first period of the pandemic due to improved treatment. However, the overall societal susceptibility of being infected makes it pivotal to prevent severe courses of disease to avoid high mortality rates and collapse of the healthcare systems. Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) self-care is used in chronic pulmonary disease and has been shown to prevent pneumonia in a high-risk cohort of patients with leukaemia. PEP flute self-care to prevent respiratory deterioration and hospitalisation in early COVID-19: a randomised trial (The PEP-CoV trial) examines the effectiveness on respiratory symptoms and need of hospital admission by regular PEP flute use among non-hospitalised individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptoms.Methods and analysisIn this randomised controlled trial, we hypothesise that daily PEP flute usage as add-on to usual care is superior to usual care as regards symptom severity measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) at 30-day follow-up (primary outcome) and hospital admission through register data (secondary outcome). We expect to recruit 400 individuals for the trial. Participants in the intervention group receive a kit of 2 PEP flutes and adequate resistances and access to instruction videos. A telephone hotline offers possible contact to a nurse. The eight-item CAT score measures cough, phlegm, chest tightness, dyspnoea, activities of daily living at home, feeling safe at home despite symptoms, sleep quality and vigour. The CAT score is measured daily in both intervention and control arms by surveys prompted through text messages.Ethics and disseminationThe study was registered prospectively at www.clinicaltrials.gov on 27 August 2020 (NCT04530435). Ethical approval was granted by the local health research ethics committee (Journal number: H-20035929) on 23 July 2020. Enrolment of participants began on 6 October 2020. Results will be published in scientific journals.Trial registration numberNCT04530435; Pre-results.

scholarly journals Does Symptom Recognition Improve Self-Care in Patients with Heart Failure? A Pilot Study Randomised Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-429
Author(s):  
Joana Pereira Sousa ◽  
Hugo Neves ◽  
Miguel Pais-Vieira
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Heart Failure ◽  
Care Management ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Fluid Restriction ◽  
Symptom Recognition ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Patients with heart failure have difficulty in self-care management, as daily monitoring and recognition of symptoms do not readily trigger an action to avoid hospital admissions. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of a nurse-led complex intervention on symptom recognition and fluid restriction. A latent growth model was designed to estimate the longitudinal effect of a nursing-led complex intervention on self-care management and quality-of-life changes in patients with heart failure and assessed by a pilot study performed on sixty-three patients (33 control, 30 intervention). Patients in the control group had a higher risk of hospitalisation (IRR 11.36; p < 0.001) and emergency admission (IRR 4.24; p < 0.001) at three-months follow-up. Analysis of the time scores demonstrated that the intervention group had a clear improvement in self-care behaviours (βSlope. Assignment_group = −0.881; p < 0.001) and in the quality of life (βSlope. Assignment_group = 1.739; p < 0.001). This study supports that a nurse-led programme on symptom recognition and fluid restriction can positively impact self-care behaviours and quality of life in patients with heart failure. This randomised controlled trial was retrospectively registered (NCT04892004).

scholarly journals Randomised controlled trial of CD–ROM-based cognitive–behavioural self-care for bulimia nervosa

2008 ◽  
Vol 193 (6) ◽  
pp. 493-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Schmidt ◽  
M. Andiappan ◽  
M. Grover ◽  
S. Robinson ◽  
S. Perkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Bulimia Nervosa ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Cd Rom ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural

BackgroundCognitive–behavioural self-care is advocated as a first step in the treatment of bulimia nervosa.AimsTo examine the effectiveness of a CD–ROM-based cognitive–behavioural intervention in bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) (bulimic type) in a routine setting.MethodNinety-seven people with bulimia nervosa or eating disorder NOS were randomised to either CD–ROM without support for 3 months followed by a flexible number of therapist sessions or to a 3-month waiting list followed by 15 sessions of therapist cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) (ISRCTN51564819). Clinical symptoms were assessed at pre-treatment 3 months and 7 months.ResultsOnly two-thirds of participants started treatment. Although there were significant group × time interactions for bingeing and vomiting, favouring the CD–ROM group at 3 months and the waiting-list group at 7 months, post hoc group comparisons at 3 and 7 months found no significant differences for bingeing or vomiting. CD–ROM-based delivery of this intervention, without support from a clinician, may not be the best way of exploiting its benefits.

Effects of a physical self-care support program for patients with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Suélem B. de Lorena ◽  
Angela L.B.P. Duarte ◽  
Markus Bredemeier ◽  
Vanessa M. Fernandes ◽  
Eduardo A.S. Pimentel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stretching Exercises ◽  
Care Support

BACKGROUND: The effects of stretching exercises in fibromyalgia (FM) deserves further study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a Physical Self-Care Support Program (PSCSP), with emphasis on stretching exercises, in the treatment of FM. METHODS: Forty-five women with FM were randomized to the PSCSP (n= 23) or to a control group (n= 22). The PSCSP consisted of weekly 90-minute learning sessions over 10 weeks, providing instructions on wellness, postural techniques, and active stretching exercises to be done at home. The control group was monitored through 3 medical appointments over 10 weeks and included in a waiting list. The primary outcomes were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, and the Sit and Reach Test (SRT) at the end of the study. RESULTS: Nineteen and 21 patients completed the trial in PSCSP and control groups, respectively. After 10 weeks, the PSCSP group showed significantly better FIQ (difference between adjusted means, -13.64, 95% CI, -21.78 to -5.49, P= 0.002) and SRT scores (7.24 cm, 3.12 to 11.37, P= 0.001) than the CONTROL group, but no significant difference in pain VAS (-1.41, -3.04 to 0.22, P= 0.088). Analysis using multiple imputation (MI) and delta-adjusted MI for missing outcomes rendered similar results. CONCLUSIONS: A PSCSP emphasizing stretching exercises significantly improved FIQ and SRT scores, and may be a helpful therapy for FM.

Challenges of Telemonitoring Programs for Complex Chronic Conditions: A Randomized Controlled Trial with an Embedded Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Ware ◽  
Amika Shah ◽  
Heather Joan Ross ◽  
Alexander Gordon Logan ◽  
Phillip Segal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Complex Patients ◽  
Secondary Outcomes

BACKGROUND Despite the growing prevalence of people with complex conditions and evidence of the positive impact of telemonitoring for single conditions, little research exists on the use of telemonitoring in this population, particularly those with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). OBJECTIVE This randomized controlled trial (RCT) and embedded qualitative study aimed to evaluate the impact and experiences of patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) using a telemonitoring system with decision support to manage complex patients, including those with MCCs, compared to the standard of care. METHODS A pragmatic 6-month RCT sought to recruit 146 patients with a diagnosis of heart failure (HF), uncontrolled hypertension (HT), and/or insulin requiring diabetes (DM) from outpatient specialty settings in Toronto, Canada. Participants were randomized into the control and telemonitoring groups with the latter being instructed to take readings relevant to their condition(s). The telemonitoring system contained an algorithm that generated decision support in the form of actionable self-care directives to patients and alerts to HCPs. The primary outcome was health status as measured by the SF-36. Secondary outcomes included anxiety and depression, self-efficacy in chronic disease management, and self-reported healthcare utilization. HF-related quality of life and self-care measures were also collected from patients followed for HF. Within- and between-group change scores were analyzed for statistical significance (P<.05). A convenience sample of HCPs and patients in the intervention group were interviewed about their experiences RESULTS A total of 96 patients were recruited and randomized. Recruitment was terminated early due to implementation challenges and the onset of COVID-19. No significant within- and between-group differences were found for the main primary and secondary outcomes. However, a within-group analysis of HF patients found improvements in self-care maintenance (P=.036) and physical quality of life (P= .046). Opinions expressed by the 5 HCPs and 13 patients interviewed differed based on the condition(s) monitored. Although HF patients reported benefitting from actionable self-care guidance and meaningful interactions with their HCPs, patient and HCP users of the DM and HT modules did not think telemonitoring improved the clinical management of those conditions to the same degree. These differing experiences were largely attributed to the siloed nature of specialty care, and the design of the decision support whereby it was indicated that fluctuations in HT and DM patient status typically required less urgent intervention compared to HF. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous studies, we recommend that future research conceive telemonitoring as a program and that self-management and clinical decision support are necessary, but not sufficient components of such programs for complex patients with lower acuity. We conclude that a multidisciplinary model of care that includes care coordination must accompany telemonitoring systems which may best be operationalized through novel models of care, such as nurse-led models. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03127852, ISRCTN (41238563) INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/resprot.8367

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