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Purpose: Patients with heart failure (HF) possess low self-care activation and motivation, leading to a deprived quality of life and adverse mental health conditions. To this end, self-determination theory emphasizes that autonomy-supportive interventions (ASI) can stimulate intrinsic motivation and improve behaviors and quality of life. Nevertheless, studies that focused on ASI for HF are inadequate. This study aims to evaluate the effects of an HF-ASIP on self-care, quality of life and mental health in HF patients., Methods: In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, the participants are randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 41) or control (n = 41) groups. The intervention group received routine care and participated in an 8-week HF-ASIP, including individual education and consultation sessions. In contrast, the control group received only routine care. The primary outcome includes self-care management, while the secondary outcomes include self-care maintenance, quality of life, mental health, and motivation. After measuring the outcomes at baseline (T 0 ), 4-week (T 1 ), 8-week (T 2 ), and 12-week (T 3 ) follow-up, the intervention effects are assessed using the generalized equation models., Results: The outcomes indicated that self-care management (T 2 : P = 0.001; T 3 : P = 0.016), self-care maintenance (T 2 : P = 0.003; T 3 : P = 0.001), depression (T 2 : P = 0.007; T 3 : P = 0.012), anxiety (T 2 : P = 0.001; T 3 : P = 0.012), MLHFQ total score (T 1 : P = 0.004; T 2 : P < 0.001; T 3 : P = 0.001), autonomous motivation (T 2 : P = .0.006; T 3 : P = 0.002) showed statistically difference between the groups., Conclusion: In summary, the 8-week HF-ASIP significantly improved the attributes of self-care, quality of life, mental health, and motivation in HF patients, suggesting the potential for practical intervention effect., Trial Registration: ChiCTR2100053970., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Maintaining caregivers' quality of life (QoL) is critical to sustaining the care needed for cancer patients. One of the interventions applied to cancer patients' caregivers is early palliative care (EPC)., Aims: This systematic review synthesized the implementation of EPC on the QoL of caregivers of cancer patients., Methods: The search was undertaken using seven electronic databases: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertation & Theses (PQDT). The search strategy integrated relevant terms of early palliative care, caregivers, cancer, and quality of life and was conducted until March 14, 2022. The thematic data analysis approach was used to integrate the results., Results: Using advanced search features, 4193 studies were obtained on the initial search. After screening and quality assessment, eight studies were included. Eight studies depicted that EPC interventions were delivered for caregivers of patients with advanced cancer, that is, those with a life expectancy of at least 4-24 months or considered intermediate to poor prognosis. One study provided the intervention for caregivers of patients newly diagnosed with cancer. None of the studies had the same protocol or content in delivering EPC for caregivers. Four studies gave similar details on addressing the strategies for caregivers in several aspects, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. There was no difference in the QoL between caregivers with cancer patients who received EPC compared with usual care. EPC was noted to influence other factors, such as caregivers' psychological distress and burden., Linking Evidence to Action: The data on EPC interventions portray no beneficial effects on the QoL of caregivers with cancer patients. Further studies on developing standard protocols of EPC, multidisciplinary team, and how early it should be given to caregivers are strongly recommended., (© 2023 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

Introduction: Mental health is a major concern among migrant workers worldwide. More than 200,846 female migrant workers in Taiwan are from Indonesia. The study's purpose was to investigate mediating effects of coping strategies on the relationship between mental health problems and the quality of life (QoL)., Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Taiwan. In total, 500 Indonesian female migrant workers completed four questionnaires. A mediation test was conducted to estimate direct and indirect effects., Results: Coping strategies, namely substance use, behavioral disengagement, denial, and religious dedication, partially mediated the relationship between mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and stress) and QoL among Indonesian female migrant workers in Taiwan., Discussion: Health promotion programs should be developed for Indonesian female migrant workers in Taiwan to help them detect and overcome their mental health problems. Interventions that facilitate effective coping strategies should be administered to improve their QoL.

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) experience continuous changes in symptom distress, care needs, social support, and meaning in life from acute decompensation to chronic phases. The longitudinal relationship between these four factors and quality of life (QOL) was not fully explored., Aims: To simultaneously investigate the relationship between all factors and QOL from hospitalization to 6 months after discharge, and the impact of the changes in these factors on QOL at different time points., Methods: A longitudinal design with panel research (4 time points) was used. From January 2017 to December 2019, patients hospitalized due to acute decompensated HF were consecutively enrolled and followed up for 6 months. Patients were interviewed with questionnaires assessing symptom distress, care needs, social support, meaning in life and QOL at hospitalization and 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge., Results: A total of 184 patients completed 6 months of follow-up. From baseline to 6 months, QOL continuously improved along with decreases in symptoms and care needs, but increases in social support and meaning in life. Better QOL was associated with younger age, higher education level, economic independence, less symptom distress and care needs, and stronger meaning in life (p < 0.05). Compared with hospitalization, decreases in care needs and increases in meaning in life at 1, 3 and 6 months were associated with an increase in physical QOL (p < 0.01). The decrease in care needs and increase in meaning in life at 3 months were associated with an increase in mental QOL (p < 0.05). The increase in social support at 6 months was associated with increases in both physical and mental QOL (p < 0.01). Changes in symptom distress were not correlated with changes in QOL from baseline to all time points. In the multivariable analysis, these findings were independent of age, educational level and economic status., Conclusions: Although symptom distress is associated with QOL after acute decompensated HF, QOL cannot be improved only by improvement in symptoms. With differential duration of improvement in each factor, the integration of alleviation in care needs and strengthening in social support and meaning in life might provide additional benefits in QOL., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Our previous trial confirmed that induction chemotherapy (IC) improved long-term survival outcomes in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we investigated the impact of IC on long-term quality of life (QoL) in this cohort., Methods: Our trial was a randomised, open-label phase 3 trial comparing IC followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in patients with stage III-IVB (except T3N0-1) NPC. All participants completed two self-administered questionnaires, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30) and the EORTC QLQ Head and Neck Cancer-Specific Module (H&N35). As per protocol, the questionnaires had to be completed before knowledge of treatment allocation by the patient (baseline). Patients were then approached to enroll at the time of the present study period., Results: Ultimately, QoL data from 228 patients were included in the analysis. Most scales were both statistically and clinically decreased in both groups between baseline and the latest follow-up. The IC followed by CCRT group had significantly better outcome in role functioning, cognitive functioning, social functioning, fatigue, pain, and constipation in QLQ-C30 scales at the last follow-up. Similarly, in H&N35 scales, a significantly better result was observed in pain, sexuality, sticky saliva, pain killers use, nutritional supplements, and weight loss, but a poorer result in senses problems, for those treated by IC followed by CCRT., Conclusion: IC followed by CCRT seemed to have better long-term QoL outcomes compared with CCRT alone in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To examine the effects of health coaching on self-management and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to evaluate whether self-efficacy and patient activation mediate the effect of health coaching on self-management and QOL., Design and Methods: A single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. A total of 108 patients with stages 1 to 3a CKD participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to a health-coaching intervention group or a usual care control group. Participants' QOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale), self-management (CKD Self-Management instrument), patient activation (Patient Activation Measure), and self-efficacy (CKD Self-Efficacy instrument) were measured at baseline, immediately after, and 6 weeks after the intervention., Findings: Health coaching improved QOL, self-management, patient activation, and self-efficacy at postintervention and at 12 weeks' follow-up. Health coaching had a significant indirect effect on QOL through improvements in patient activation. Health coaching exerted a significant indirect effect on self-management through improvements in self-efficacy and patient activation., Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that health coaching can effectively improve QOL and self-management. A health-coaching intervention can raise self-efficacy and activation levels through which self-management and QOL further improve., Clinical Relevance: Health-coaching strategies can be used to assist patients with early-stage CKD in reaching their health goals and becoming activated in self-management of their diseases., (© 2021 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

Background: Patient activation has been described as a potential strategy to improve chronic disease self-management. However, the effects of patient activation interventions on psychological and behavioral outcomes have not been systematically evaluated., Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effects of patient activation interventions on physiological, psychological, behavioral, and health-related quality of life outcomes in patients with chronic diseases., Methods: We systematically searched four databases (PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Embase) from inception to September 1, 2017. We identified English- and Chinese-language published reports of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of patient activation interventions for adults with chronic diseases. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two reviewers independently. We summarized the intervention effects with Hedges's g values and 95% confidence intervals using a random-effects model. We used the Cochrane Handbook to assess the methodological quality of the randomized controlled trials., Results: Twenty-six randomized controlled trials were included in the qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. In terms of overall study quality, most of the included studies were affected by performance and detection bias. Patient activation interventions produced significant effects on outcomes related to physiological, psychological, behavioral, and health-related quality of life in the context of chronic diseases. The following effect sizes were obtained: (a) physiological, namely, glycated hemoglobin = -0.31 (p < .01), systolic blood pressure = -0.20 (p < .01), diastolic blood pressure = -0.80 (p = .02), body weight = -0.12 (p = .03), and low-density lipoprotein = -0.21 (p = .01); (b) psychological, namely, depression = -0.16 (p < .01) and anxiety = -0.25 (p = .01); (c) behavioral, namely, patient activation = 0.33 (p < .01) and self-efficacy = 0.57 (p < .01); and (d) health-related quality of life = 0.25 (p = .01)., Conclusions: Patient activation interventions significantly improve patients' physiological, psychosocial, and behavioral health statuses. Healthcare providers should implement patient activation interventions that tailor support to the individual patients' level of patient activation and strengthen the patients' role in managing their healthcare to improve chronic-disease-related health outcomes.

Objective: Although the mechanism of post-concussion syndrome remains unclear, psychological factors are thought to be associated with its development. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the gold standard for psychological disorders; however, its effects on post-concussion syndrome remain unclear. Through this meta-analysis, we assessed the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on post-concussion syndrome following traumatic brain injury., Methods: Six electronic databases were searched from inception to September 15, 2019, for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with post-concussion syndrome. Primary outcomes included the severity of symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, depression, anxiety, and social integration. Secondary outcomes were fatigue, cognitive function, and quality of life. Effects were estimated through the calculation of Hedge's g and 95% confidence interval using a random effects model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by excluding studies in which an intention-to-treat analysis was not employed., Results: In total, 24 studies were included. Most studies had risk of bias. Significant effects were found for most outcomes, except for severity of symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, fatigue, executive function, and problem solving. After sensitivity analyses, the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy remained significant for immediate and mid-term effects on depression, anxiety, and social integration., Conclusions: This study does not support the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for severity of symptoms of post-concussion syndrome; however, it might be an effective treatment option for improving depression, anxiety, and social integration in individuals with traumatic brain injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) as an intervention for anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic schizophrenia., Design and Methods: Eighty patients were recruited from a Taiwanese psychiatry ward. The intervention group received group PMR; control group received treatment-as-usual., Results: The results indicated that PMR might have a short-term effect on reducing anxiety, improving psychotic syndromes, and QOL among patients with chronic schizophrenia; however, the effectiveness at the 3-month follow-up was not evident., Practice Implications: Both the psychiatric patients and the health institutions may be able to list PMR as a clinical routine care, and then become a mental health practice strategy for mental patients to improve the quality of mental care., Implications for Nursing Practice: Our studies suggest that prevention of severe mental illness among patients with schizophrenia requires PMR interventions. PMR had an immediate effect, and it is possible that a shorter intervention period using this approach would also be successful., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Prostate cancer ranks second among male cancers in the United States in terms of death rate. Robot-assisted surgery (RAS) is now offered as the standard surgical procedure performed for radical prostatectomy. Urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction were common complications after RAS prostatectomy. Patients felt ill-prepared after surgery, resulting in negative impacts on their quality of life. Pelvic floor muscle exercise is prioritized for patients with mild-to-moderate incontinence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using resistance band pelvic floor muscle exercise for patients after RAS prostatectomy. A preexperimental single-group study was conducted for this study. A total of 43 patients completed the program. Urinary incontinence scale, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were assessed at 0.5 months, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after urinary catheter removal. The results revealed that urinary incontinence, life impact, and depression and anxiety improved significantly as time went on. This study suggests that using simple and easy-to-learn resistance band pelvic floor muscle exercise program at home can benefit patients financially and reduce travel time.

Background: The prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis often involves multiple complications and repeated admissions, which may significantly burden and reduce the quality of life of the primary caregivers of these patients., Purpose: The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between the burden of caregivers of liver cirrhosis patients and their quality of life., Methods: A structured questionnaire, which included the Primary Caregiver Burden Scale, Coping Behaviors Scale, the WHOQOL-BREF, and a caregiver demographic datasheet, was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics (independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and stepwise regression analysis) were used to analyze data., Results: A total of 113 participants were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan. The results revealed: (1) The highest average scores for caregiver burden were in the financial domain, while the lowest average scores were in the physical domain. The highest average scores for quality of life were observed in the environment domain, while the lowest average scores were in the physical health domain. (2) Most of the caregivers adopted a problem-solving oriented strategy to care for their patient. (3) Overall care burden correlated negatively with overall quality of life (r = -.223, p < .05). The caregivers' "self-assessed health", "financial load", and "daily care hours" were significant factors affecting overall quality of life (F = 52.78, p < .05), accounting for 58% of the total variance in the results., Conclusions: The results of this study may help nurses better understand and work to reduce the burden of caregivers in order to enhance their quality of life. Nurses should assess caregiver burden, especially in cases where caregivers themselves are in a poor financial situation or have poor self-assessed health, in order to provide necessary support and assistance.

Background: Postradiation nasopharyngeal necrosis (PRNN) is a severe complication after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which can severely affect the quality of life and threaten the patient's life. Only 13.4%-28.6% of patients can be cured by traditional repeated endoscopic debridement. Here, we introduced an innovative curative-intent endoscopic surgery for PRNN patients and evaluated its clinical efficacy., Methods: Clinical data of 72 PRNN patients who underwent radical endoscopic necrectomy, followed by reconstruction using a posterior pedicle nasal septum and floor mucoperiosteum flap were analyzed to determine the efficacy of this surgery. The endpoints were complete re-epithelialization of the nasopharyngeal defect, relief of headache, and overall survival (OS)., Results: All surgeries were successfully performed without any severe postoperative complications or death. The median value of numeric rating scales of pain decreased from 8 before surgery to 0 after surgery (P < 0.001). Fifty-one patients (70.8%) achieved complete re-epithelialization of the nasopharyngeal defect. The number of cycles of radiotherapy (odds ratio [OR], 7.254; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.035-50.821; P = 0.046), postoperative pathological result (OR, 34.087; 95% CI 3.168-366.746; P = 0.004), and survival status of flap (OR, 261.179; 95% CI 17.176-3971.599; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors of re-epithelialization of the nasopharyngeal defects. Postoperative pathological result (hazard ratio [HR], 5.018; 95% CI 1.970-12.782; P = 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor for OS. The 2-year OS rate of the entire cohort was 77.9%., Conclusion: Curative-intent endoscopic necrectomy followed by construction using the posterior pedicle nasal septum and floor mucoperiosteum flap is a novel, safe, and effective treatment of PRNN in patients with NPC.

The differences of basic attributes, health promotion behaviors, and quality of life between elderly males and females in Taiwan were compared. Several scales were used to examine the gender differences and the factors associated with quality of life. Regression analysis revealed that gender, education level, depression level, and healthy diet were key factors influencing the overall quality of life. The education level of females was lower, and their depression level was higher; however, females had healthier diets. With regards to their satisfaction in the quality of life, elderly males scored higher than females in both the physical and psychological domains.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess quality of life (QoL) and obturator functioning in patients having undergone a maxillectomy as a tumor ablative resection and rehabilitation with a prosthetic obturator., Materials and Methods: The University of Washington Quality of Life scale version 4 (UW-QoLv4) and the Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS) were used to evaluate the self-reported QoL and obturator functioning. The effects of demographic and treatment variables on QoL were assessed using age, defect size, postoperative radiotherapy (RT), neck dissection, and dentition., Results: The study included 16 men and 13 women with a mean age of 48.8 years. Of the 29 patients, 16 had a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect and 13 had a Brown Class 2b or larger defect. The mean OFS score (P = .004) and the physical (P = .001) and social-emotional function scores (P = .001) of the patients who received postoperative RT were significantly lower than those who did not receive postoperative RT. The subscales for swallowing (P = .008), saliva (P = .001), pain (P = .001), and shoulder function (P = .002) correlated strongly with postoperative RT on the UW-QoL. The subscales for pronunciation (P = .007) and saliva (P = .002) correlated significantly with RT on the OFS. The mean OFS scores were significantly lower for the patients with a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect than for Brown Class 2b or larger (P = .005)., Conclusion: Postoperative RT was the strongest variable affecting QoL in patients with maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction. The size of the defect slightly influenced the obturator function; however, it did not influence the overall QoL.

The purpose of this study was to validate the applicability of our proposed disease-specific questionnaire to Cantonese coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. During the investigation from August 2010 to March 2012, 1000 Cantonese inpatients were recruited. The reliability of the scale was judged by the internal consistency, and the content and construct validity were assessed by using Pearson correlation and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. Results showed that the Cronbach's α coefficient for the whole scale and most domains/facets were larger than .70 (.59 to .93). Most items had moderate to strong Pearson correlations with their respective facets (r > 0.50). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the indices for goodness of fit were nearly acceptable. Overall, the QLICD-CHD scale has adequate psychometric properties when applied to Cantonese CHD patients., (© 2014 APJPH.)

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important issue for long-term kidney transplantation (KT) patients. Nevertheless, few studies have focused on long-term HRQOL in KT recipients with a functional graft. Thus, the aim of this study is to describe the long-term (10-year) HRQOL of KT recipients., Methods: This is a cross-sectional and correlational design. The Medical Outcome Survey (MOS SF-36) questionnaire was used to collect data on HRQOL. The data were collected from November 2009 to September 2010 at a medical center in Northern Taiwan., Results: A total of 88 patients were interviewed. The mean years after transplantation was 14.48 (SD = 3.9). The mean score of each of the HRQOL subscales ranged from 59.4 to 82.5. The mean scores on the bodily pain (BP) subscale were the highest and, on the general health (GH) subscale, the lowest. Compared to the general population, with the exception of the BP subscale, long-term KT patients had a lower mean score (poorer HRQOL) on all subscales. Age, gender, serum creatinine level, and employment status were significantly related to HRQOL., Conclusion: HRQOL of long-term KT patients was, overall, poorer than that of the general population. When comparing the HRQOL of KT patients with that of the general population, one should take into account age and gender. Finally, the physical, psychological, and social adjustment domains of HRQOL of KT patients warrant further attention.

This cross-sectional research study explored differences in health-promoting behavior and resilience among three groups of chronic kidney disease patients (high-risk, early chronic kidney disease; early CKD and pre-end stage renal disease; pre-ESRD) treated at the Nephrology outpatient clinic in northern Taiwan. A total of 150 CKD outpatients were interviewed using structured questionnaires including a CKD Health to Promote Lifestyle Scale, and resilience scale. We found that the pre-ESRD group had lower resilience than either high-risk or early CKD groups. Factors affecting pre-ESRD resilience were gender, occupational status, diabetes and health-promoting behaviors. Factors affecting resilience of the high-risk group included level of education and health-promoting behaviors while factors affecting resilience in the early CKD group involved whether they are employed and health promoting behaviors. A significant positive correlation was found between health promoting behavior and resilience in all study subjects. Multiple regression analysis found that factors which could effectively predict resilience in patients at high-risk for CKD were gender, whether the patient had a job, nutrition, self-actualization, and stress level, accounting for 69.7% of the variance. Therefore, nursing education should focus on health promotion advocacy throughout the life of not only patients but also their families.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of epidemic prevention and isolation policies on residents' health and well-being and assess the effectiveness of implementing intervention measures to maintain their quality of life. This mixed-methods research study involved a retrospective record review of residents' daily life diaries and descriptive statistical analysis. Data were collected between March 2021 and June 2022, and epidemic-prevention measures were implemented using Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Three interventions were developed to address residents' health, social, and rehabilitation needs. Despite an overall infection rate of 10% at various times between 2021 and 2022, there were no reported outbreaks of nosocomial infections. The concept of reablement proved effective in helping residents maintain their independence and physical function, with a maintenance rate of 66.6%, thereby improving their quality of life. By implementing epidemic-prevention measures, we found that proper hand washing and the use of surgical masks were effective in controlling infections. Furthermore, the decline in physical function is a continuous and gradual process for older adults. Even under the restriction of social interaction, it is essential to incorporate rehabilitation plans into residents' daily activities and encourage their active participation, as this promotes improved physical function and enhances their overall quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puzzles are mental exercises that enhance cognitive function. Functional cognition is critical for older adults to be able to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) and is linked to positive aging. This paper reports participation by Hispanic older adults in puzzle working and explores the relationship between the reported need for assistance with ADL and puzzles participation. Survey findings from 156 older adults reveal that puzzle working not only provides an opportunity to exercise their mind to solve cognitive challenges, but also elicits emotional and social benefits. The reported need for assistance with ADL is not a statistically significant predictor of participation in puzzle working, indicating that regardless of the level of assistance senior adults need for ADL, they can participate in puzzle working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Shexiang Baoxin Pill combined with exercise in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Methods: Sixty patients with HFpEF were randomly divided into group A (n=20), receiving Shexiang Baoxin Pill combined with home-based exercise training based on conventional drugs for 12 weeks; group B (n=20), receiving conventional drugs combined with home-based exercise training for 12 weeks; and group C (n=20), receiving conventional drug treatment only. Peak oxygen uptake (peakVO2), anaerobic threshold (AT), 6-min walking test (6MWT), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and SF-36 questionnaire (SF-36) results before and after treatment were compared among groups. Results: After the 12-week intervention, patients in group C showed significant declines in peakVO2, AT, 6MWT, PSQI, and SF-36 compared with pre-treatment (P<0.01), while groups A and B both showed significant improvements in peakVO2, AT, 6MWT, PSQI, and SF-36 results compared with pre-treatment (P<0.01). Compared with group C, patients in groups A and B showed significant improvements in peakVO2, AT, 6MWT, PSQI, and SF-36 (P<0.01). In addition, patients in group A showed more significant improvements in physical function, role-physical, vitality, and mental health scores on the SF-36 questionnaire, and PSQI scores than those in group B (P<0.01). Conclusions: Exercise training improved exercise tolerance, sleep quality and quality of life (QoL) in patients with HFpEF. Notably, Shexiang Baoxin Pill played an active role in sleep quality and QoL of patients with HFpEF. (The trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2100054322)) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess quality of life (QoL) and obturator functioning in patients having undergone a maxillectomy as a tumor ablative resection and rehabilitation with a prosthetic obturator.Materials and Methods: The University of Washington Quality of Life scale version 4 (UW-QoLv4) and the Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS) were used to evaluate the self-reported QoL and obturator functioning. The effects of demographic and treatment variables on QoL were assessed using age, defect size, postoperative radiotherapy (RT), neck dissection, and dentition.Results: The study included 16 men and 13 women with a mean age of 48.8 years. Of the 29 patients, 16 had a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect and 13 had a Brown Class 2b or larger defect. The mean OFS score (P = .004) and the physical (P = .001) and social-emotional function scores (P = .001) of the patients who received postoperative RT were significantly lower than those who did not receive postoperative RT. The subscales for swallowing (P = .008), saliva (P = .001), pain (P = .001), and shoulder function (P = .002) correlated strongly with postoperative RT on the UW-QoL. The subscales for pronunciation (P = .007) and saliva (P = .002) correlated significantly with RT on the OFS. The mean OFS scores were significantly lower for the patients with a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect than for Brown Class 2b or larger (P = .005).Conclusion: Postoperative RT was the strongest variable affecting QoL in patients with maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction. The size of the defect slightly influenced the obturator function; however, it did not influence the overall QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Self-management programs may facilitate the improvement of outcomes in medical, role, and emotional management and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease. Studies on the effect of three self-management tasks have reported conflicting findings. In addition, systematic reviews are unavailable. Objective This study evaluated the effects of self-management programs on medical, role, and emotional management and health-related quality of life in chronic kidney disease. Design Meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. Data sources The meta-analysis involved an online search of the English literature from PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL and the Chinese literature from the Airiti Library that were published from the inception of the websites until January 1, 2017. Review methods The meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of self-management on chronic kidney disease outcomes. Electronic databases were searched by using keywords: chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, renal failure, dialysis, self-management, self-efficacy, empowerment, cognitive behavioral, and educational. The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software 2.0. Results Eighteen randomized controlled trials met our inclusion criteria. The results revealed that the self-management program significantly enhanced the effects of self-management on outcomes of medical, role, and emotional management and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease. The following Hedges’ g (effect size) values were obtained: (1) interdialytic weight gain, −0.36 (95% confidence interval, −0.60 to −0.12, p < 0.01); (2) self-efficacy, 0.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.96, p < 0.01); (3) anxiety, −0.95 (95% confidence interval, −1.65 to −0.25, p = 0.01); (4) depression, −0.63 (95% confidence interval, −0.85 to −0.41, p < 0.01) (5) health-related quality of life for the mental component of the SF-36, 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.45–0.97, p < 0.01); (6) the physical component of the SF-36, 0.61 (95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.86, p < 0.01); and (7) the Kidney Disease Quality of Life, 0.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.17–0.65, p < 0.01). Discussion This study revealed a small effect of self-management on interdialytic weight gain; medium effects on self-efficacy, depression, and health-related quality of life; and a large effect on anxiety. However, high-quality randomized controlled trial designs are required to confirm these results, although the existing evidence can guide clinical practitioners and health policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vestibular assessment in patients with acoustic tumor (so-called vestibular schwannoma, VS) via ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) and cervical VEMP (cVEMP) tests are not often discussed in the neurosurgical literature. Objectives: This study conducted physiological and morphological assessments for VS patients before and after CyberKnife radiosurgery. Methods: Twenty patients with unilateral VS underwent a battery of tests comprising facial nerve function test, audiometry, and caloric, oVEMP and cVEMP tests before and 2 years after CyberKnife treatment at a mean dosage of 18 Gy in 3 fractions. Results: The abnormal percentages of caloric, oVEMP and cVEMP tests did not significantly differ before and after Cyberknife treatment, indicating that preservation of the superior and inferior vestibular nerves can be achieved after radiosurgery. Median tumor volumes, 1.49 cm3 before treatment versus 0.97 cm3 at 2 years after treatment, differed significantly. Conclusions: The use of oVEMP and cVEMP tests in VS patients before stereotactic radiosurgery may help to evaluate the tumor origin from the superior or inferior vestibular nerve. It takes a short time and costs less, and it would be practical to make this a routine examination in VS patients having stereotactic radiosurgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date Presented 03/26/20 Due to an anticipated increase in the older adult population, a survey research design was used to compare quality of life of older adults who live at home and are active in the community versus those who live in a long-term care facility. Data indicates that older adults who age in place and are active in the community report a higher quality of life. Additionally, socioeconomic status is a predictor of quality of life. The results of this study provide insight in gearing direction to care for older adults. Primary Author and Speaker: Dahlia Castillo Additional Authors and Speakers: Liana Trevino, Raul Suarez, Genesis Arreola-Castaneda Contributing Authors: Cecilia Fierro, Mei-Ling Lin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]