Search

BackgroundIn the United States, more than one-third of the adult population is obese, and approximately 25.2% of those aged ≥65 years have type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is the seventh leading cause of death. It is important to measure patient-reported outcomes and monitor progress or challenges over time when managing T2D to understand patients’ perception of health and quantify the impact of disease processes or intervention effects. The evaluation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is especially important among patients with multiple chronic conditions in which clinical measures do not provide a complete picture of health. ObjectiveThis study examined the feasibility of collecting Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures, and preliminarily evaluated changes in PROMIS scores and compared the scores with standard scores of the general US population. The parent study is a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial testing three different modes (mobile health [mHealth], paper diary, and control) of self-monitoring in a behavioral lifestyle intervention among overweight or obese patients with T2D. MethodsPatients with comorbid overweight or obesity and a diagnosis of T2D for at least 6 months were recruited from a diabetes education program. Participants were randomized to the following three groups: mHealth, paper diary, and control (standard of care) groups. Paper diary and mHealth experimental groups received additional behavioral lifestyle intervention education sessions, as well as tools to self-monitor weight, physical activity, diet, and blood glucose. All participants completed PROMIS-57 and PROMIS-Global Health (GH) version 1.0 questionnaires during visits at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The PROMIS-57 includes the following seven domains: anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, physical function, satisfaction with participation in social roles, and sleep disturbance. The PROMIS-GH is composed of the following two domains: global mental health and global physical health. ResultsA total of 26 patients (mHealth, 11; paper diary, 9; control, 6) were included in our analysis. The study sample was predominantly African American (68%) and female (57%), with a mean age of 54.7 years and a mean BMI of 37.5 kg/m2. All patients completed the PROMIS-57 and PROMIS-GH questionnaires, and we compared the mean scores of the three groups to investigate potential differences. No relevant differences were noted across the groups. However, positive trends were noted in both intervention (mHealth and paper diary) groups in the middle (month 3) and end (month 6) of the study. ConclusionsOur pilot study provides evidence for the feasibility of using PROMIS questionnaires to record important components of T2D-related symptoms among overweight or obese individuals. The results from our study support the use of PROMIS questionnaires to provide clinicians and researchers with a benchmark for assessing the overall need for symptom management and determining the success or challenges of an intervention. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02858648; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02858648

This article describes a quality improvement project that studied students' perceptions about how writing affirmations on an online discussion board helped them transition into the first semester of an RN-to-BSN online program. Analysis of students' responses revealed themes (Transition to a New Group, Enhanced Critical Thinking, and Focus on Client-Centered Care) that aligned with holistic nursing practice and nursing role development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher in South Asians (SAs) than in other ethnic groups. The purpose of this review is to explore SAs' health beliefs regarding CVD risk and risk reduction behaviors including physical activity and healthy diet. Methodology: An integrative review was conducted to examine the peer-reviewed literature published before May 2017. Searches from PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL yielded 1 mixed-method, 4 quantitative, and 14 qualitative studies. Results: Stress, lack of exercise, and high-fat diet were perceived as causes of CVD in most studies. Lack of time, sociocultural norms, and insufficient guidance from health care providers were perceived barriers to CVD risk reduction. Exercise and healthy diet were perceived to be beneficial in a few studies. Cues to action included information from community leaders and health care providers. Discussion: Understanding the unique health beliefs of SAs regarding CVD is important in planning and delivering culturally competent preventive and educational services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how use of an online affirmation discussion in an online first-semester Health Assessment course can be created as an introductory assignment for students to engage and interact with each other. It mentions the COVlD-19 pandemic pushed many academic programs into increased online teaching, and peer support and interaction through an online curriculum differ from a traditional face-to-face nursing curriculum.