The Effect of Cyberspace-based Education on the Well-Being of Caregivers of Elderly People with Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yadollah Abolfathi Momtaz ◽  
Parisa Mollaei ◽  
Parisa Taheri-Tanjani
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: One of the consequences of aging is the prevalence of chronic and age-related diseases, such as dementia. Caring for patients with dementia has a negative impact on the caregiver's well-being. This study aimed to examine the impact of cyberspace-based education on the well-being of caregivers of demented elderly people. Methods: This experimental study was done on a sample of 86 caregivers of elderly with dementia in 2018. The study sample was selected from memory clinic of Taleghani Hospital and randomly assigned into groups (intervention n = 43, control n = 43 groups). The well-being was measured using the World Health Organization - Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), before and two months after the intervention. Cyberspace-based educational intervention was conducted for one month. The SPSS software version 23 was employed in data analysis. Results: The mean age of the caregivers in the intervention and control groups were (M = 51.95, SD = 10.90) and (M = 51.36, SD = 15.12) respectively. No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of age, gender and level of education. The results of analysis showed that while the well-being of the intervention group was significantly increased (t (38) = -11.38, P<0.001) the well-being in the control group was significantly reduced ( t(36) =4.71 , P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings showed that cyberspace-based education can improve the well-being of caregivers of the elderly with dementia.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of the European resilience curriculum in preschool, early and late primary school children

2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Prosocial Behaviours ◽  
The Impact

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on the Health and Well-being of Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Rapid Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142110201
Author(s):  
M. Courtney Hughes ◽  
Yujun Liu ◽  
Abby Baumbach
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Psychosocial Resilience ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background: In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or COVID-19, raised worldwide concern. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively influenced health and wellness across the globe and caused nearly three million deaths. This study focuses on informal caregivers of people with dementia, a disease that affects about 50 million older adults worldwide and requires much caregiving support. Objective: Examine the current literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of informal caregivers for people with dementia. Method: This rapid review was conducted across five electronic databases for quantitative and qualitative articles published through March 15, 2021. Results: The 10 studies included in this review reported quantitative descriptive data from across the globe; however, no studies existed from the U.S. or East Asia countries. All of the studies examined the psychological rather than physical impact of COVID-19 and highlighted risk and protective factors in the areas of psychosocial (resilience, neuropsychiatric, and social isolation), sociodemographic (gender and education), and environmental (home confinement, living arrangement, and dementia stage). Conclusion: COVID-19 has had a considerable negative impact on the psychological well-being of informal caregivers of people with dementia, namely causing more depression and anxiety than pre-pandemic.

Studying Subjective Well-Being during a Quarantine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Browning ◽  
E. Scott Geller
Keyword(s):  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Mood States ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Psychology Class ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

To investigate the impact of writing a gratitude letter on particular mood states, we asked students in two university classes (a research class and a positive psychology class) to complete a 15-item mood assessment survey (MAS) twice a day (once in the morning and once at night). The research students who signed up for one or two pass/fail field-study credits in a research class also completed the MAS twice a day, but they did not write the weekly gratitude letter that was expected from the students in the positive psychology class. Each mood state was averaged per each day for the participants in each group and compared between the Gratitude Group and the Control Group. No group difference occurred for some mood states like “incompetent,” but for the “unmotivated” mood state, a significant difference was found. To investigate the potential effect of weekday, we compared the average mood rating between groups for each day of the week. For the mood state of “unmotivated”, a remarkable dip occurred on Wednesday for the Gratitude group, but not for the Control group. These results indicated that writing a gratitude letter increased the benefactor’s motivation, especially on the day when it was accomplished.

Efficacy of ‘Foundations’, a Digital Mental Health App to Improve Mental Well-Being, during COVID-19: A Proof-of-Principle Randomised Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvina Catuara-Solarz ◽  
Bartlomiej Skorulski ◽  
Inaki Estella ◽  
Claudia Avella-Garcia ◽  
Sarah Shepherd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
World Health ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Proof Of Principle

BACKGROUND Against a long-term trend of increasing demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global rise in common mental disorders. Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for scalable, evidence-based interventions to support mental well-being. OBJECTIVE The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile-based app in adults with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and stress in a randomised control trial that took place during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS Adults with mild to severe anxiety and moderate to high levels of perceived stress were randomised to either the intervention or control arm. Participants in the intervention arm were given access to the app, Foundations, for the duration of the 4-week study. All participants were required to self-report a range of validated measures of mental well-being (10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience scale [CD-RISC-10]; 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]; Office of National Statistics Four Subjective Well-being Questions [ONS-4]; World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]) and sleep (Minimal Insomnia Scale [MISS]) at baseline and weeks 2 and 4; and, in addition, on perceived stress weekly (10-item Perceived Stress Score [PSS]). RESULTS 136 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The intervention group (n=62) showed significant improvements compared to the control group (n=74) on measures of anxiety (GAD-7 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.35 [SD 4.43]; control group: -0.23 [SD 3.24]; t134= 1.71 , P=.04), resilience (CD-RISC score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.79 [± SD 4.08]; control group: -0.31 [± SD 3.16]; t134 -3.37, P<.001), sleep (MISS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.16 [± SD 2.67]; control group: -0.26 [± SD 2.29]; t134= 2.13, P=.01), and mental well-being (WHO-5 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.53 [5.30]; control group: -0.23 [± SD 4.20]; t134= -2.16, P=.02) within 2 weeks of using Foundations, with further improvements emerging at week 4. Perceived stress was also reduced within the intervention group, although the results did not reach statistical significance relative to the control group (PSS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -2.94 [± SD 6.84]; control group: -2.05 [± SD 5.34]; t134= 0.84, P=.20). CONCLUSIONS This study provides proof-of-principle that the digital mental health app, Foundations, can improve measures of mental well-being, anxiety, resilience, and sleep within 2 weeks of use, with greater effects after 4 weeks. It therefore offers potential as a scalable, cost-effective, and accessible solution to enhance mental well-being, even during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Effect of rehabilitation training on an elderly population with mild to moderate hearing loss: study protocol for a randomised clinical trial

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 582
Author(s):  
Parisa Rasouli Fard ◽  
Farnoush Jarollahi ◽  
Seyyed Jalal Sameni ◽  
Mohammad Kamali
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Randomised Clinical Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Rehabilitation Training ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

Background: Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is a form of hearing loss in over 60-year-olds and has a negative impact on quality of life. The pathophysiology of presbycusis is multifactorial and is predominately characterised with a loss of speech perception in noise. In the cochlea, auditory filters decompose broadband sound into a series of narrowband output signals, which contains two kinds of temporal information: slow changes in overall amplitude envelope (ENV) and faster variations in temporal fine structure (TFS). TFS is important for recognition of target speech in noise. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of TFS rehabilitation training in participants over the age of 60 years with mild to moderate hearing loss. Methods: A randomised clinical trial  conduct on 30 participants with mild (loss of 20-39dB) to moderate (40-69dB) hearing loss, aged between 60 and 75 years old. Participants with conductive hearing loss, abnormal middle ear pathology and central nerve system disease were excluded. Participants were randomly selected to an intervention and control group with a 1:1 ratio. Rehabilitation for the intervention Group are 30-minute sessions three times a week for a total five weeks of vowel consonant vowel words that are used to eliminate ENV and keep only TFS. Word in noise test, binaural TFS test, and Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale scores are performed at the beginning and end of study to evaluate the effect of rehabilitation training. Conclusion:  Life expectancy in the elderly has improved, leading to an increased prevalence of age-related diseases including presbycusis. A literature review highlighted that TFS damage is permanent; however, in this study we will attempt to prove that TFS training may lead to speech in noise perception restored. Trial registration: Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2019625044006N1 (7th August 2019).

A Proposal of an innovative program for informal caregivers of patients with mood disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S603-S603
Author(s):  
J. Cabral ◽  
C. Barreto Carvalho ◽  
P. Castilho Freitas ◽  
C. Pato
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Compassion Focused Therapy ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionIntervention with informal caregivers (IC) of psychiatric patients is internationally recognized as relevant and a priority. However, the existing responses in this area are still insufficient, especially regarding caregivers of individuals with mood disorders (MD). Mindfulness and compassion focused therapy have proven to be an effective approach in stress reduction and in improving emotional and social well-being of caregivers of patients with other conditions. However, no studies testing these new approaches in IC of patients with MD have been carried out. The objective of this work is to present a research project that aims to develop, implement and empirically test the effectiveness of an innovative group program to help informal caregivers of individuals with mood disorders to cope with the negative impact of the disease and reduce caregiver burdens.MethodsThe design of this experimental study to test the program's efficacy is a non-randomised controlled trial (nrct) with 12 months follow-up, with a mixed assessment methodology (quantitative and qualitative analysis). A sample of 60 informal caregivers of individuals with chronic MD will be constituted (n = 30 Control group; n= 30 Experimental group).ResultsWe expect the program to promote significant changes in participants in terms of several emotional variables (eg: burden, stress, resilience, compassion and quality of life).ConclusionsFurther efforts to continue studying the impact of interventions in caregivers should be carried out, as a way to improve the quality of life of caregivers and their ability to provide informal care to MD patients.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Supporting Children Who Experience Domestic Violence: Evaluating the Child Witness to Domestic Violence Program

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110358
Author(s):  
Erin C. Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Child Witness ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Child Gender ◽  
The Impact

Impacting 1 in 4 children in the United States, childhood exposure to domestic violence predicts myriad negative sequelae. Intervening post exposure is critical to help children and their protective parent heal and avoid long-term negative consequences. Children aged 2-17 and their mothers who were victims of domestic violence participated in a 12-week group program delivered by domestic violence agency staff that provides psychoeducation on the impact of trauma and domestic violence and aims to improve parent and child well-being. The impact of the Child Witness to Domestic Violence (CWDV) program was tested in an intervention group ( n = 69 children, 33 mothers) who participated in CWDV and control group ( n = 80 children, 39 mothers) consisting of children whose mothers received adult-focused domestic violence services but were not enrolled in CWDV or other child-focused services. Multiple regression analyses controlling for child gender, child age, mother’s age, and the outcome of interest at time 1 found that participation in CWDV program significantly predicted better child functioning as indicated by less hyperactivity ( B = –.85, p = .06), fewer negative emotional symptoms ( B = –1.14, p = .01), and fewer total behavioral difficulties ( B = –2.48, p = .02) as well as higher maternal hope ( B = .57, p = .03). These data provide promising evidence of the impact of a brief, replicable group intervention that promotes healing and well-being among children and parents exposed to domestic violence. Limitations include a quasi-experimental design and reliance on maternal report.

scholarly journals Impact of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery with Preoperative Whey Protein-Infused Carbohydrate Loading and Postoperative Early Oral Feeding among Surgical Gynecologic Cancer Patients: An Open-Labelled Randomized Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ho Chiou Yi ◽  
Zuriati Ibrahim ◽  
Zalina Abu Zaid ◽  
Zulfitri ‘Azuan Mat Daud ◽  
Nor Baizura Md. Yusop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whey Protein ◽  
Enhanced Recovery ◽  
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ◽  
Gynecologic Cancer ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Early Oral Feeding ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) with sole carbohydrate (CHO) loading and postoperative early oral feeding (POEOF) shortened the length of postoperative (PO) hospital stays (LPOHS) without increasing complications. This study aimed to examine the impact of ERAS with preoperative whey protein-infused CHO loading and POEOF among surgical gynecologic cancer (GC) patients. There were 62 subjects in the intervention group (CHO-P), which received preoperative whey protein-infused CHO loading and POEOF; and 56 subjects formed the control group (CO), which was given usual care. The mean age was 49.5 ± 12.2 years (CHO-P) and 51.2 ± 11.9 years (CO). The trial found significant positive results which included shorter LPOHS (78.13 ± 33.05 vs. 99.49 ± 22.54 h); a lower readmission rate within one month PO (6% vs. 16%); lower weight loss (−0.3 ± 2.3 kg vs. −2.1 ± 2.3 kg); a lower C-reactive protein–albumin ratio (0.3 ± 1.2 vs. 1.1 ± 2.6); preserved muscle mass (0.4 ± 1.7 kg vs. −0.7 ± 2.6 kg); and better handgrip strength (0.6 ± 4.3 kg vs. −1.9 ± 4.7 kg) among CHO-P as compared with CO. However, there was no significant difference in mid-upper arm circumference and serum albumin level upon discharge. ERAS with preoperative whey protein-infused CHO loading and POEOF assured better PO outcomes.

scholarly journals Effects of a Meal Replacement on Body Composition and Metabolic Parameters among Subjects with Overweight or Obesity

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Guo ◽  
Yifan Xu ◽  
Hairong He ◽  
Hao Cai ◽  
Jianfen Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Metabolic Parameters ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Meal Replacement ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Meal replacement plans are effective tools for weight loss and improvement of various clinical characteristics but not sustainable due to the severe energy restriction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of meal replacement, specifically 388 kcal in total energy, on body composition and metabolic parameters in individuals with overweight and obesity from a Chinese population. A parallel, randomized controlled trial was performed with 174 participants (ChiCTR-OOC-17012000). The intervention group (N=86) was provided with a dinner meal replacement, and the control group (N=88) continued their routine diet as before. Body composition and blood parameters were assessed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. A post hoc analysis (least significant difference (LSD) test), repeated measurements, and pairedT-test were used to compare each variable within and between groups. Significant (p<0.001) improvements in body composition components were observed among the intervention group, including body weight (−4.3 ± 3.3%), body mass index (−4.3 ± 3.3%), waist circumference (−4.3 ± 4.4%), fat-free mass (−1.8 ± 2.9%), and body fat mass (−5.3 ± 8.8%). Body composition improvements corresponded with significant metabolic improvements of blood glucose (−4.7 ± 9.8%). Further improvements in visceral fat area (−7.7 ± 10.1%), accompanying with improvements in systolic (−3.7 ± 6.9%) and diastolic (−5.3 ± 7.7%) blood pressure, were only found in male subjects. To conclude, meal replacement intake with 388 kcal in total energy at dinner time for 12 weeks contributed to improvement in body composition and clinically significant metabolic parameters in both male and female participants with overweight/obesity. Additionally, glucose and blood pressure reduction were gender-specific highlighting the importance of gender stratification for design of nutritional intervention studies for improvement of health.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the impact of breastfeeding support groups in primary health centres in Andalusia, Spain: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial (GALMA project)

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Rodríguez-Gallego ◽  
Fatima Leon-Larios ◽  
Cecilia Ruiz-Ferrón ◽  
Maria-de-las-Mercedes Lomas-Campos
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Breastfeeding Rate ◽  
Breastfeeding Rates ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In 2003, the World Health Organization recommended exclusive breastfeeding (EB) during the newborn’s first 6 months of life and, if possible, during the first 2 years. However, EB rates resist these recommendations. In developed countries, only 1 out of 3 babies is breastfed during its first 6 months of life, and great differences between areas and countries can be observed. Only 35% of the newborns receive breastfeeding at 3–4 months of age. There are diverse strategies described in the literature that have proven their efficiency in improving breastfeeding rates. It has also been proven that professional support is an effective tool to extend any kind of breastfeeding; besides, it has been observed that mother-to-mother support also increases breastfeeding initiation, sustainment, and exclusive duration. The overall aim of the study is to assess the impact of the support groups on the sustainment of exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months after birth. Methods/design This study is a cluster-random multicentric clinical trial with a control group and an intervention group, without blinding because it is impossible to mask the intervention. A randomization by centres of primary health (clusters) will be carried out. The women allocated to the intervention or control group will be randomized with a simple randomization sampling. The participants’ breastfeeding rate will be followed up at the first 10 days, and at 2, 4, and 6 months of their newborn’s life. Discussion There is a need to assess the impact of mother support groups on exclusive breastfeeding. This study aims to analyse the outcomes related to the support received and to identify what should the structure of these groups be; in other words, to describe factors related to a better breastfeeding experience in order to help women increase breastfeeding rates. Trial registration The trial is prospectively recorded at the ISRCTN registry (Trial ID: ISRCTN17263529). Date recorded: 17/06/2020.

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