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Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Brain damage is associated with physical and psychological difficulties among TBI survivors. Diverse face-to-face and telehealth programs exist to help survivors cope with these burdens. However, the effectiveness of telehealth interventions among TBI survivors remains inconclusive. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials were conducted. Relevant full-text articles were retrieved from seven databases, from database inception to January 2022, including Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science. Bias was assessed with the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to calculate the pooled effect size of telehealth interventions for TBI survivors. STATA 16.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: In total, 17 studies (N = 3158) applying telehealth interventions among TBI survivors were included in the analysis. Telehealth interventions decreased neurobehavioural symptom (standardized mean difference: −0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.36 to 0.10), reduce depression (standardized mean difference: −0.32; 95% CI: −0.79 to 0.14), and increase symptom management self-efficacy (standardized mean difference: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.02–0.42). Discussion: Telehealth interventions are promising avenues for healthcare delivery due to advances in technology and information. Telehealth programs may represent windows of opportunity, combining traditional treatment with rehabilitation to increase symptom management self-efficacy among TBI patients during recovery. Future telehealth programs can focus on developing the contents of telehealth modules based on evidence from this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a daily necessity for people living with HIV but these individuals experience multiple barriers and challenges to medication adherence. Interventions to support medication adherence have yielded effects in the expected direction, but the extent to which telehealth or virtually delivered interventions to promote adherence are effective among people living with HIV/AIDS remains unknown. We aimed to address this knowledge gap and inform future research and practice that promotes the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDs through telehealth interventions addressing medication use. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted using the following databases: Academic Search Complete, Cochrane library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, OVID (UpToDate), and the Web of Science. Relevant full-text articles published through September 2021 were retrieved. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to calculate the pooled effects of telehealth-assisted interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS. Stata 16.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 12 studies (N = 3557 participants) that used telehealth-assisted interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS were included. Telehealth interventions were found to increase the adherence to treatment (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03 to 0.40), to reduce depressive symptoms (SMD: −2,74; 95% CI: −3.39 to −2.09), and to improve perceived quality of life (SMD: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.37 to 1.10). Discussion: The meta-effects of telehealth-assisted interventions include significantly enhanced adherence to treatment, improved quality of life, and reduced depressive symptoms among people living with HIV/AIDS. These findings suggesting that delivering health management interventions remotely through telehealth-assisted modalities was both feasible and effective in yielding health benefits for people living with HIV/AIDS. Integrating telehealth-assisted interventions as a modality in HIV/AIDS care might support continuity of care and sustained well-being. Future research should evaluate telehealth intervention outcomes and examine mediating, moderating, or other tailorable variables affecting intervention effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Transitional care interventions have emerged as a promising method of ensuring treatment continuity and health care coordination when patients are discharged from hospital to home. However, few studies have investigated the frequency and duration of interventions and the effects of interventions on physical function. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the efficacy of transitional care for patients with stroke. Methods: Six databases and the grey literature were searched to obtain relevant articles from October 1, 2022 to March 10, 2023. The primary outcomes studied were motor performance, walking speed, activities of daily living (ADLs) and caregiver burden following hospital‐to‐home transitional care. The quality of the studies was assessed with Cochrane risk of bias version 2. The quality and sensitivity of the evidence were assessed to ensure rigour of the findings. Meta‐analyses were performed using stata 17.0. Results: A total of 2966 patients were identified from 23 studies. Transitional care improved post‐stroke motor performance, walking speed and ADLs, and reduced caregiver burden. Conclusion: The findings suggest that provision of transitional care model implementation in patients with stroke is important because it reduces disability in stroke patients and helps to decrease caregivers' burden. Impact: The findings of the study emphasize the importance of transitional care programmes for stroke patients after they are discharged from the hospital and returned to their homes. To meet the needs of patients, all levels of health professionals including nurses should be aware of the discharge process and care plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Telehealth interventions to advance adolescent sexual health have evolved and are being used to promote adolescent sexual health knowledge and healthy sexual behaviors. However, as this area of intervention modality expands, there is a need to pause and examine the effects of telehealth interventions on adolescent sexual health outcomes. Addressing this knowledge gap will inform researchers and practitioners on the current state of evidence of telehealth interventions and inform further intervention development and testing. This study aimed to explore the meta-effects of telehealth interventions on self-efficacy of using condoms, condom use practices, and sexually transmitted infection testing behaviors among adolescents. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were conducted. Seven databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, OVID (UpToDate), and Web of Science) were searched for relevant full-text articles from the inception to May 2021. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate the pooled effects of telehealth interventions for adolescents. Stata 16.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 15 studies (N = 5499) that used telehealth interventions with adolescents were included in the analysis. Telehealth interventions were found to increase self-efficacy for condom use (standardized mean difference: 0.22; 95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.36), practice for condom use (standardized mean difference: 0.35; 95% confidence interval: 0.23–0.47), and being screened/tested for sexual transmitted infections (standardized mean difference: 0.61; 95% confidence interval: 0.31–0.92). Discussion: Telehealth interventions show promise as effective intervention delivery solutions for improving self-efficacy and certain sexual health behaviors among adolescents. These telehealth strategies could be important alternatives to in-person visits to accessing sexual health information or services near where they live. Future research should consider testing telehealth strategies where there is evidence of impact to move the field forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To identify the efficacy of non‐pharmacological interventions designed to reduce pain in people with dementia. Background: Pain is prevalent among patients with dementia but frequently remains untreated. Although non‐pharmacological interventions have been used to reduce pain in people with dementia, the efficacy of these interventions for pain management in people with dementia has not been thoroughly synthesised. Design: Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: The study was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and Cochrane criteria for systematic reviews. A comprehensive search was performed using the Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, OVID and Web of Science databases, from databases inception to 13 March 2022. The modified Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool (ROB‐2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of each included study. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were synthesised using a random‐effects model to assess the efficacy of non‐pharmacological interventions for reducing pain in people with dementia (using Stata 16.0). Results: The final analysis assessed 12 studies, including 989 persons with dementia. Non‐pharmacological interventions were found to reduce pain in 4–8 weeks after the interventions (SMD: −0.32; 95% CI: −0.62 to −0.02). However, the effects of intervention frequency and patient age remain unknown. Conclusions: Non‐pharmacological interventions are effective for reducing pain in people with dementia. Further investigations remain necessary to explore the effectiveness of specific non‐pharmacological therapies for pain reduction in people with dementia (e.g. aromatherapy, play activity, singing or robotic care). Relevance to clinical practice: The findings of this study can guide healthcare practitioners when considering the use of non‐pharmacological pain management methods for people with dementia and may improve the implementation of these methods in clinical practice. Patient or public contributions: The study suggests non‐pharmacological interventions to reduce pain and underlines the relevance of health provider's viewpoints. The types, duration and length of follow‐up of non‐pharmacological interventions can be offered based on patient's conditions and the standard of clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Telehealth‐assisted interventions have been used as secondary prevention measures in cardiac rehabilitation, especially for the delivery of information between healthcare service providers and patients. However, as the application of this intervention modality broadens, investigation of its effects in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is necessary. Aims: To identify the effectiveness of telehealth‐assisted interventions for secondary prevention of CVD. Design: Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: The PRISMA protocol was used to conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials. The full text of articles was obtained from six databases for the period from database establishment to 25 November 2021. To assess the methodological quality of the studies reviewed, the updated Cochrane risk‐of‐bias checklist for randomised trials was employed. A meta‐analysis was performed using a random‐effects model to calculate the pooled effects of telehealth‐assisted interventions for secondary CVD prevention. Results: The final analysis included 4012 individuals from 18 different trials. Telehealth‐assisted interventions were shown to improve medication adherence (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33–0.59) and reduce depression (SMD: −0.28; 95% CI: −0.46 to −0.10). Conclusions: Telehealth‐assisted interventions appear to improve adherence to medication and reduce depression of individuals with CVD. These intervention strategies could be offered to both healthcare providers and individuals with CVD as an option in delivering and facilitating the use of health services to improve health behaviours and overall outcomes. Furthermore, this study may be used as guidance for future research to provide an appropriate plan of care for this population. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings imply that the delivery of care remotely via telehealth‐assisted interventions for secondary prevention of CVD is beneficial in improving CVD survivors' health and access to healthcare services. Trial registration: The International Prospective Register of Systematic Review: (PROSPERO): CRD 42021290111. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have reported the effects of robotic arms on improving upper limb function in patients with stroke. However, previous studies have reported inconsistent findings that may lead to incorrect applications of robotic arm use. Six databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. Meta‐analyses were performed for upper limb performance measures, including subgroup analysis of pooled upper limb rehabilitation data such as stroke stage and intervention delivery dose. Furthermore, the Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials version 2 (RoB 2) and sensitivity analysis were used to assess methodology and determine publication bias. The final analysis included 18 studies. Robotic arms improved upper limb and hand function in patients with stroke. Subgroup analysis revealed that robotic arm interventions lasting 30–60 min per session significantly improved upper limb function. However, no significant improvement was observed in shoulder and elbow or wrist and hand movements. This review may help develop applicable rehabilitation robots and collaboration between clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A stroke survivor who is discharged to home care faces many challenges during the transition from the hospital to home, including managing their care at home and engaging in rehabilitation and recovery. Case management was developed to ease the transition from hospital to home and help people with stroke cope with their care management challenges. However, the effects of case management intervention remain inconclusive. Case management was designed to direct care and may represent a novel method for reducing the burden of care. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of case management interventions on mental health outcomes, activities of daily living capacity, physical function, and social function among stroke survivors. Design Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: This study included studies examining the impacts of case management interventions for stroke survivors that were published in English and identified by searching eight databases, from database inception to February 20, 2022. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to pool effect sizes using a random‐effects model (in Stata 16.0). The revised Cochrane risk‐of‐bias tool for randomized trials (RoB‐2) was used to assess the methodological quality of each study. Findings The inclusion criteria were satisfied by eight studies (including a total of 1119 stroke survivors). Case management had positive effects on mental health (SMD: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.45, p = 0.001) and activities of daily living (SMD: 0.68; 95% CI: 00.37 to 0.99, p < 0.001). However, no significant effects were observed for either physical function or social function. Conclusion: Case management appears to enhance the mental health and activities of daily living among stroke survivors. Clinical Relevance: Case management interventions hold promise as efficient, cost‐effective, and accessible strategies to positively influence care for stroke survivors. This intervention strategy could be applied to the hospital‐to‐home transition to guide care among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The use of technology‐assisted interventions in dementia care contributes to increased communication, reduced burden on the caregivers, improved health outcomes, and improved expense management. Technology‐assisted interventions can be provided remotely to monitor, improve, and enable home care, benefiting the health of both patients and caregivers. Despite increasing use, the effectiveness of technology‐assisted interventions for dementia care remains uncertain, with studies reporting inconclusive findings subject to interpretation. Therefore, the current study investigated the available evidence to explore the efficacy of technology‐assisted interventions for people with dementia. Design Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: The study was preregistered with the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA)‐guided protocol. The primary search was conducted in eight databases from database inception to January 29, 2022. Using a random‐effects model, the standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were synthesized to obtain pooled effect sizes (using Stata 16.0). The updated Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool (RoB‐2) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. Findings A pooled analysis of 12 trials, including 584 people with dementia, showed more improvement associated with technology‐assisted interventions compared with standard care, including in the domains of cognitive function (SMD = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.64; p < 0.001) and depression (SMD = −0.75; 95% CI: −1.33 to −0.17; p = 0.01). However, no significant effects were observed for activities of daily living (ADL) or quality of life. Conclusion: Technology‐assisted interventions appear to improve cognitive function and reduce depression in people with dementia compared with standard care. Clinical relevance: This study may be used to demonstrate that interventions incorporating many modalities or technologies can be used to enhance dementia care, which may improve favorable outcomes when using technology‐assisted interventions to remotely initiate appropriate activities for people with dementia. Because technology allows for simultaneous communication and access to shared multimedia, it removes environmental constraints and allows treatment to be administered remotely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke is one of the most common causes of disability worldwide. In recent years, diverse telehealth programmes for stroke survivors have suggested that this mode of rehabilitation could improve stroke survivors' abilities to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and maintain balance. Although increasingly utilised in clinical and community settings, the effectiveness of telehealth interventions in stroke survivors remains inconclusive. This warrants investigation so that telehealth interventions are evidence‐based and are not merely modalities of convenience. Aim: To identify the effects of telehealth interventions on the ability to perform ADLs and maintain balance in stroke survivors. Design: A systematic literature review and meta‐analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using seven databases for literature dated up to April 25, 2021. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised trials was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A meta‐analysis was performed using a random‐effects model to calculate the pooled effects of telehealth interventions. Stata 16.0 was used for the statistical analyses. Results: A total of 14 studies with 1,367 participants were included in the analysis. Overall, telehealth interventions were effective in improving stroke survivors' abilities to carry out their ADLs (standardised mean difference:.45; 95% confidence interval:.12 to.78); however, no significant effects were found on balance. Conclusion: Telehealth interventions are beneficial for improving stroke survivors' performance of their ADLs. Future telehealth intervention trials should focus on identifying essential intervention delivery components that facilitate intervention adoption by clinicians and stroke survivors and sustain the positive effects on stroke survivors' performance of their ADLs in different settings. Relevance to clinical practice.: It is essential to build flexibility in the telehealth‐based intervention delivery protocol to meet individual stroke survivors' needs to motivate and enhance their ADL performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Person-centered care emphasizes the importance of valuing and supporting the humanness of a person living with dementia as compared to focusing heavily on disease symptom management and treatment. The state of the evidence and outcomes from person-centered care is unclear and is an important knowledge gap to address informed evidence-based care for persons living with dementia., Aims: To synthesize the evidence on the efficacy of person-centered care in improving health outcomes in people living with dementia., Methods: Our search using the following databases: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, COCHRANE library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The methodology quality of the included studies was assessed using a revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Meta-analyses were performed using the DerSimonian and Laird random effects model to investigate the effectiveness of person-centered care on improving health outcomes in persons living with dementia., Results: Seventeen trials were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Person-centered care implementation was found to improve cognitive function (pooled SMD: 0.22; 9CRD420223808975% CI [0.04, 0.41], p = .02) in persons living with dementia, although outcomes including the impact of the care model on activities of daily living, agitation, depression, and quality of life remain inconclusive., Linking Evidence to Action: Person-centered care improves the cognitive function of persons living with dementia, which is clinically meaningful and should not be ignored or overlooked in delivering evidence-based care to this population. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of person-centered care implementation among people living with dementia as an approach in improving health outcomes particularly on cognitive function improvement. Person-centered care emphasizes the personhood of individuals living with dementia while respecting their needs, values, and beliefs and is identified as a preferred model of delivering dementia care in all settings as a non-pharmacological approach., (© 2024 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

The Philippines has an increasingly aging population thereby increasing the demand for healthcare and support from families. Studies showed that the family is the main caregiver of elderly parents/adults as dictated by the Filipino culture of filial piety and respectful behavior towards older people. However, this caring culture is now slowly declining, and Filipino older adults also experience abuse, exploitation, and other forms of neglect from their families. This special article described that the declining caring culture was due to deteriorating family values and societal influences brought about by modernization. This paper also highlights the crucial role of the family and the community in inculcating the preservation of this valued caring Filipino culture, especially among the youth. In cases where senior citizens are being abused and neglected by their families, the state steps in to safeguard the welfare and protection of Filipino senior citizens. Enacted and promulgated laws ensure social justice and protection of human dignity among Filipino older adults as well as the provision of socioeconomic and health needs. In conclusion, the preservation of a caring culture through educating the youth coupled with the implementation of enacted and promulgated laws of the country ensures the quality of aging life among Filipino older adults., Competing Interests: All authors declared no conflicts of interest. The views and opinions expressed by the authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the stance of any of the institutions to which they are affiliated., (© 2024 Acta Medica Philippina.)