Factors Contributing to the Unmet Needs of Primary Caregivers of Omani Children Diagnosed with Leukemia

Objectives: Childhood cancers affect 6.7% of those under 14 years of age in Oman, with leukemia being most common. The psychological distress of having a child with leukemia is often compounded by perceived unmet needs on the part of the child’s primary caregiver. This study aimed to identify factors contributing to perceived unmet needs among primary caregivers of Omani children with leukemia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 119 Omani caregivers accompanying their children to the National Oncology Center, Muscat, Oman. An Arabic version of the Needs Assessment of Family Caregivers‐Cancer (NAFC‐C) questionnaire was utilized to assess perceived unmet needs in seven domains. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Ministry of Health in Oman. Results: A total of 119 of Omani primary caregivers were contacted; of these, 101 agreed to participate in the study (response rate: 84.9%). Linear regression analysis showed significant correlations between total NAFC‐C scores and the child’s age (p = 0.014) and caregiver’s age (p <0.001), employment status (p = 0.024), and income (p = 0.028). Unmet needs in the obtaining information domain correlated with caregiver’s age (p <0.001), caring time (p = 0.018), and number of family members (p <0.001), whereas needs in the maintaining own strength domain correlated with the child’s gender (p = 0.028), time since diagnosis (p = 0.004), caregiver’s age (p <0.001), and education level (p = 0.019). Unmet needs in the accompanying the sick child domain were correlated with the child’s gender (p = 0.049), caregiver’s gender (p <0.001), and income (p <0.001). Conclusions: Various sociodemographic variables were found to affect the unmet needs of primary caregivers of children with leukemias in Oman. Healthcare professionals in Oman should be aware of such factors in order to reduce caregiver distress.

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Quality of Life of Primary Caregivers Attending a Rural Cancer Centre in Western Maharashtra: A Cross-Sectional Study

Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1735664 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (03) ◽

pp. 268-272

Author(s):

Shubham S. Kulkarni ◽

Chaitanya Patil ◽

Yogesh S. Anap ◽

Prasad K. Tanawade ◽

Parag J. Watve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Metastatic Cancer ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Primary Caregivers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Mean

Abstract Introduction Caregiver plays a vital role in taking good care of a cancer patient. But often, the caregiver’s quality of life (QOL) is overlooked. Objectives This study aimed to understand the Caregiver QOL Index—Cancer (CQOL-C) score of the primary caregivers and to find the significant predictors affecting CQOL-C. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among the caregivers attending a rural cancer center in western Maharashtra. The primary caregiver is an immediate relative who assists the patient in most routine activities and is not a professional caregiver. A pretested and predesigned questionnaire using the CQOL-C scale was used to interview the caregivers from December 2019 to June 2020. We analyzed the data using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Univariate analysis was done using Student’s t-test and a multivariate model was generated using linear regression analysis of the data. Results A total of 114 caregivers were interviewed. The mean total CQOL-C score was 44.15 ± 17.24 (confidence interval [CI]: 41–47.3). About 71% of the caregivers reported moderate-to-severe hampering of their QOL. The mean CQOL-C scores in caregivers of patients with and without recurrent cancer were 58.24 (CI: 51.66–64.81) and 40.58 (CI: 37.35–43.80), respectively (p < 0.001). The mean CQOL-C scores in caregivers of patients with and without metastatic cancer were 56.68 (CI: 51. 13–62.22) and 39.80 (CI: 36.45–43.14), respectively (p < 0.001). The mean CQOL-C score in caregivers of patients with hematological malignancies was 60.03 (CI: 58.88–61.17) which was significantly higher compared with other sites (p = 0.0257). Conclusion The majority of the caregivers in our study have moderate-to-severe detrimental QOL. Recurrence of cancer and metastatic cancer at presentation are the two significant factors affecting CQOL-C. There is an unmet need to cater to the primary caregiver’s concerns while we focus on treating cancer patients.

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Attitudes of pharmacy students towards patient safety: a cross-sectional study from six developing countries

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039459 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e039459

Author(s):

Abdallah Y Naser ◽

Zahra Khalil Alsairafi ◽

Ahmed Awaisu ◽

Hassan Alwafi ◽

Oriana Awwad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Patient Safety ◽

Quality Improvement ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

ObjectiveTo evaluate the attitudes of undergraduate pharmacy students towards patient safety in six developing countries.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingParticipants were enrolled from the participating universities in six countries.ParticipantsUndergraduate pharmacy students from the participating universities in six developing countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, India and Indonesia) were invited to participate in the study between October 2018 and September 2019.Primary outcomeAttitudes towards patient safety was measured using 14-item questionnaire that contained five subscales: being quality-improvement focused, internalising errors regardless of harm, value of contextual learning, acceptability of questioning more senior healthcare professionals’ behaviour and attitude towards open disclosure. Multiple-linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of positive attitudes towards patient safety.ResultsA total of 2595 students participated in this study (1044 from Jordan, 514 from Saudi Arabia, 134 from Kuwait, 61 from Qatar, 416 from India and 429 from Indonesia). Overall, the pharmacy students reported a positive attitude towards patient safety with a mean score of 37.4 (SD=7.0) out of 56 (66.8%). The ‘being quality-improvement focused’ subscale had the highest score, 75.6%. The subscale with the lowest score was ‘internalising errors regardless of harm’, 49.2%. Female students had significantly better attitudes towards patient safety scores compared with male students (p=0.001). Being at a higher level of study and involvement in or witnessing harm to patients while practising were important predictors of negative attitudes towards patient safety (p<0.001).ConclusionPatient safety content should be covered comprehensively in pharmacy curricula and reinforced in each year of study. This should be more focused on students in their final year of study and who have started their training. This will ensure that the next generation of pharmacists are equipped with the requisite knowledge, core competencies and attitudes to ensure optimal patient safety when they practice.

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The relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma and arterial stiffness in essential hypertensive patients from China: a cross-sectional study

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-021-02049-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Juan Yin ◽

Minghui Li ◽

Lingling Yu ◽

Feng Hu ◽

Yu Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Essential Hypertension ◽

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Atherogenic Index ◽

Chinese Patients ◽

Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Atherogenic Index Of Plasma

Abstract Background The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) always remains in a potential association with arterial stiffness, however, this association has not been fully discovered and needs to be studied in depth in large hypertensive patient populations. The present analysis thus sought to further explore the association that exists between AIP and arterial stiffness in Chinese patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed 4744 Chinese individuals with essential hypertension. AIP was defined as the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of plasma of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels indicated in molar concentrations. Measurement of arterial stiffness was carried out via brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Results Data were adjusted for potential confounding variables, and multivariate linear regression analysis revealed AIP to be positively correlated with baPWV (β = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.72, P < 0.001). When AIP was instead treated as a categorical variable divided into quartiles, the same relationship was observed (P for trend < 0.001). We additionally found AIP and baPWV had a stronger positive association in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) < 24 kg/m2 (P for interaction < 0.05). Conclusion AIP and arterial stiffness were positively correlated in essential hypertension patients in China, especially in those with a BMI < 24 kg/m2. Clinical trial registration ChiCTR1800017274.

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Factors influencing depression in primary caregivers of patients with dementia in China: A cross-sectional study

Geriatric Nursing ◽

10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.03.017 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 734-739

Author(s):

Yanhong H. Zhang ◽

Yin Cheng ◽

Zhaoqin Wang ◽

Tianting Yang ◽

Wenjun Lv ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Caregivers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Influencing

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Food Waste and Its Association with Diet Quality of Foods Purchased in South Florida

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082535 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2535

Author(s):

Vanessa Mijares ◽

Jair Alcivar ◽

Cristina Palacios

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

South Florida ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Grocery Purchase

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between food waste and the diet quality of foods purchased and with grocery purchasing behaviors. This was a cross-sectional study among 109 primary household food providers conducting primary shopping. Participants were recruited outside of local grocery stores and were asked to complete a survey assessing amounts of avoidable food waste and grocery purchasing behaviors. The diet quality of the foods purchased was assessed from grocery receipts using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016). Variables were associated using linear regression, analysis of covariance, and point biserial correlations. We found that fresh fruits (63%) and leafy greens (70%) were the foods that were the most wasted. The GPQI-2016 total score was significantly inversely associated with the total amount of food wasted (β = −0.63; 95% CI: −1.14,−0.12) after adjusting for important confounders. The reason “food past the date printed on the package” was directly correlated with food wasted (r = 0.40; p < 0.01) but inversely correlated with GPQI-2016 score (r = −0.21; p = 0.04). Food wasted, but not the GPQI-2016 score, was significantly higher among those who grocery shop 2–4 times per week compared to 1 time every 1–2 weeks (p = 0.02). In conclusion, food waste is inversely associated with diet quality and directly associated with grocery purchasing frequency.

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The association between early vascular aging and cyclothymic affective temperament

European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging ◽

10.1093/ehjci/jeaa356.239 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

M Vecsey-Nagy ◽

B Szilveszter ◽

M Kolossvary ◽

X Gonda ◽

Z Rihmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coronary Artery ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Suspected Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vascular Aging ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Entire Cohort ◽

Affective Temperaments ◽

Affective Temperament ◽

Vascular Age

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. onbehalf Cardiovascular Imaging Research Group Background Affective temperaments (depressive, anxious, irritable, hyperthymic, cyclothymic) are regarded as the biologically stable core of personality, and accumulating data implies their relationship with cardiovascular diseases. There are currently limited data on the association of affective temperaments and early vascular aging. Purpose The aim of our study was to assess the potential relationship of affective temperaments and vascular age, as assessed by coronary CT. Methods In our current cross-sectional study, 209 patients referred to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), were included. After the evaluation of medical history and demographic parameters, all patients completed the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Vascular age was estimated using coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and we calculated its difference from chronological age for each patient. Linear regression analysis was applied to identify predictors of early vascular aging in the entire cohort and in male and female sub-populations, separately. Results The independent predictors of early vascular aging were female sex (B = -10.82 [95%CI: -15.30 – -6.33]), diabetes mellitus (B = 7.16 [95%CI: 1.20 – 13.12]) and dyslipidemia (B = -8.28 [95%CI: 3.94 – 12.62]). Further assessing gender differences, cyclothymic temperament score proved to be an independent predictor of early vascular aging in women (B = 0.89 [95%CI: 0.04 – 1.75]), while this association was absent in men. Conclusion Our results suggest that cyclothymic affective temperament contribute to early vascular aging in women.

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Health and nutrition literacy in adults: Links with lifestyle factors and obesity

Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.3233/mnm-200471 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 361-370

Author(s):

Maria Michou ◽

Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos ◽

Christos Lionis ◽

Vassiliki Costarelli

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Linear Regression ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Lifestyle Factors ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional

BACKGROUND: Low Health Literacy (HL) and Nutrition Literacy (NL) are associated with serious negative health outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate certain lifestyle factors and obesity, in relation to HL and NL. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the urban area of the Attica region, in Greece. The sample consisted of 1281 individuals, aged ≥18 years. HL, NL sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption,) were assessed. Mann-Whitney U, the Kruskall Wallis, Pearson chi-square tests and multiple linear regression models were used. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis has shown that smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, were associated with HL levels (–1.573 points for ex-smokers in comparison to smokers, p = 0.035, –1.349 points for alcohol consumers in comparison to non-consumers, p = 0.006 and 1.544 points for physically active individuals to non-active, p = 0.001). With respect to NL levels, it was also not associated with any of these factors. Obesity was not associated with HL and NL levels. CONCLUSIONS: Certain lifestyle factors, including physical activity, are predicting factors of HL levels, in Greek adults. The results contribute to the understanding of the relationship between lifestyle factors and HL and should be taken into account when HL policies are designed.

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Prevalence of Gingival Pigmentation and its Association with Gingival Biotype and Skin Colour

Journal of Nepalese Society of Periodontology and Oral Implantology ◽

10.3126/jnspoi.v5i1.38178 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 19-25

Author(s):

Arjun Hari Rijal ◽

Bhageshwar Dhami ◽

Nashib Pandey ◽

Deepa Aryal

Keyword(s):

Strong Association ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Skin Colour ◽

Facial Skin ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Attached Gingiva ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Gingival Epithelium ◽

Interdental Papilla ◽

Gingival Biotype

Introduction: The facial appearance depends on several oral and extraoral factors including colour of facial skin and pigmentation of gingival epithelium. The colour of the gingiva varies among individuals and is thought to be associated with cutaneous pigmentation which ranges from light to dark brown or black colour. Objective: To assess the prevalence of physiological gingival pigmentation, gingival biotype and their association with skin colur in Nepalese subjects visiting Kantipur Dental College and Hospital (KDCH). Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study which was carried out from February 2020 to June 2020 in all patients of age-group 16 to 80 years visiting the Department of Periodontics at KDCH after ethical approval. Patients were recruited by convenience sampling and examined thoroughly to find out gingival biotype and extent of gingival pigmentation intraorally as well as skin colour extraorally. Results: In this study, 210 patients were examined among which, 105 (50%) were males and 105 (50%) were females. Out of 210, 33 (15.7%) had pink tissue without pigmentation, 84 (40%) had pigmentation only in attached gingiva, 58 (27.6%) in attached gingiva and interdental papilla, 32 (15.2%) had diffuse pigmentation involving all parts of gingiva, 2 (1%) had in marginal gingiva only, and 1 (0.5%) in marginal gingiva and interdental papilla. Conclusion: A strong association was found between gingival pigmentation and facial skin colour in present study (P <0.001). Establishing the pattern of gingival pigmentation in Nepalese population will help to choose a specific depigmentation therapy that will harmonise with skin colour.

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Sex Dependent Association of Vitamin D with Insulin Resistance

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ◽

10.1210/clinem/dgab213 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xin Chen ◽

Chang Chu ◽

Cornelia Doebis ◽

Volker von Baehr ◽

Berthold Hocher

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Animal Studies ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Double Blind ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Entire Study

Abstract Background Animal studies suggested that vitamin D might decrease insulin resistance. Estrogen increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in rodents. However, sex-specific association of vitamin D with insulin resistance in humans remains unclear. Objectives To investigate the sex-dependency of the association of insulin resistance and 25(OH)D in a large Caucasian population. Methods Cross-sectional study from out-patients’ blood samples with measurements of 25(OH)D and HOMA-IR drawn at exactly the same day (N=1887). This cohort was divided into three groups: i) group with vitamin D deficiency (n=1190), ii) group with vitamin D sufficiency (N=686)), iii) vitamin D excess groups (n=11), the vitamin D excess group was excluded from further analysis due to the small size. Results Analysis of the entire study population showed that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was inversely associated with HOMA-IR (rs=-0.19, P<0.0001). When considering the vitamin D status, this association was only seen in the vitamin D deficiency group, but not in the vitamin D sufficient group. The correlation was sex-dependent: HOMA-IR was inversely correlated with vitamin D in women with vitamin D deficiency (rs=-0.26, P<0.0001) but not in men with vitamin D deficiency (rs=0.01, P=0.714). After multivariate linear regression analysis considering confounding factors, this relationship was again only seen in women. Conclusion Vitamin D was inversely and independently associated with insulin resistance only in women with vitamin D deficiency. Based on our data, we suggest that in particular vitamin D deficient women might benefit from vitamin D substitution by improving insulin resistance. This, however, needs to be proven in adequately designed double-blind placebo-controlled clinical studies.

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Oral Hygiene Status, Periodontal Status, and Periodontal Treatment Needs among Institutionalized Intellectually Disabled Subjects in Kolhapur District, Maharashtra, India

Journal of Oral Diseases ◽

10.1155/2014/535316 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nilima S. Kadam ◽

Rahul Patil ◽

Abhijit N. Gurav ◽

Yojana Patil ◽

Abhijeet Shete ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Hygiene ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Periodontal Treatment ◽

Treatment Needs ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stepwise Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Periodontal Status ◽

Periodontal Index ◽

Community Periodontal Index

The aim of the study was to determine influence of intellectually disability (ID) on oral hygiene status (OHS), periodontal status (PS), and periodontal treatment needs (PTNs) and investigate the association of these clinical parameters with various sociodemographic and clinical variables among multicentric institutionalized ID subjects aged 5–55 years in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, India. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by both questionnaire and clinical examination. OHS, PS, and PTNs of these subjects were assessed by recording Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) and Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs, respectively. Analysis of variance and multiple logistic and stepwise linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Of the 576 subjects examined, the mean age of the subjects was 17.50 ± 7.4 years. Subjects with profound level of ID had the highest mean OHI-S, PS, and PTNs scores of 4.47 ± 1.04, 2.84 ± 0.78, and 2.25 ± 0.44, respectively, as compared with other ID groups (P<0.0001). The present study signified that ID subjects had poor OHS and PS with the highest PTNs and were influenced by age (P<0.0001), degree of ID (P<0.0001), SES, location, institution type, and parent’s level education. The present study underlines a considerable need for prevention and treatment of periodontal disease among ID subjects in India.

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