Interactive Journal of Medical Research最新文献

{"title":"Wearable Devices for Supporting Chronic Disease Self-Management: Scoping Review.","authors":"Marie-Pierre Gagnon, Steven Ouellet, Eugène Attisso, Wilfried Supper, Samira Amil, Caroline Rhéaume, Jean-Sébastien Paquette, Christian Chabot, Marie-Claude Laferrière, Maxime Sasseville","doi":"10.2196/55925","DOIUrl":"10.2196/55925","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>People with chronic diseases can benefit from wearable devices in managing their health and encouraging healthy lifestyle habits. Wearables such as activity trackers or blood glucose monitoring devices can lead to positive health impacts, including improved physical activity adherence or better management of type 2 diabetes. Few literature reviews have focused on the intersection of various chronic diseases, the wearable devices used, and the outcomes evaluated in intervention studies, particularly in the context of primary health care.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to identify and describe (1) the chronic diseases represented in intervention studies, (2) the types or combinations of wearables used, and (3) the health or health care outcomes assessed and measured.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, searching the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2012 and 2022. Pairs of reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, applied the selection criteria, and performed full-text screening. We included interventions using wearables that automatically collected and transmitted data to adult populations with at least one chronic disease. We excluded studies with participants with only a predisposition to develop a chronic disease, hospitalized patients, patients with acute diseases, patients with active cancer, and cancer survivors. We included randomized controlled trials and cohort, pretest-posttest, observational, mixed methods, and qualitative studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After the removal of 1987 duplicates, we screened 4540 titles and abstracts. Of the remaining 304 articles after exclusions, we excluded 215 (70.7%) full texts and included 89 (29.3%). Of these 89 texts, 10 (11%) were related to the same interventions as those in the included studies, resulting in 79 studies being included. We structured the results according to chronic disease clusters: (1) diabetes, (2) heart failure, (3) other cardiovascular conditions, (4) hypertension, (5) multimorbidity and other combinations of chronic conditions, (6) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (7) chronic pain, (8) musculoskeletal conditions, and (9) asthma. Diabetes was the most frequent health condition (18/79, 23% of the studies), and wearable activity trackers were the most used (42/79, 53% of the studies). In the 79 included studies, 74 clinical, 73 behavioral, 36 patient technology experience, 28 health care system, and 25 holistic or biopsychosocial outcomes were reported.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This scoping review provides an overview of the wearable devices used in chronic disease self-management intervention studies, revealing disparities in both the range of chronic diseases studied and the variety of wearable devices used. These findings offer researchers valuable insights to further explore healt","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e55925"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11667132/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142803144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting Depressive Symptoms Using GPS-Based Regional Data in Germany With the CORONA HEALTH App During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Johanna-Sophie Edler, Michael Winter, Holger Steinmetz, Caroline Cohrdes, Harald Baumeister, Rüdiger Pryss","doi":"10.2196/53248","DOIUrl":"10.2196/53248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Numerous studies have been conducted to predict depressive symptoms using passive smartphone data, mostly integrating the GPS signal as a measure of mobility. Environmental factors have been identified as correlated with depressive symptoms in specialized studies both before and during the pandemic.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study combined a data-based approach using passive smartphone data to predict self-reported depressive symptoms with a wide range of GPS-based environmental factors as predictors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The CORONA HEALTH app was developed for the purpose of data collection, and this app enabled the collection of both survey and passive data via smartphone. After obtaining informed consent, we gathered GPS signals at the time of study participation and evaluated depressive symptoms in 249 Android users with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The only GPS-based data collected were the participants' location at the time of the questionnaire, which was used to assign participants to the nearest district for linking regional sociodemographic data. Data collection took place from July 2020 to February 2021, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Using GPS data, each dataset was linked to a wide variety of data on regional sociodemographic, geographic, and economic characteristics describing the respondent's environment, which were derived from a publicly accessible database from official German statistical offices. Moreover, pandemic-specific predictors such as the current pandemic phase or the number of new regional infections were matched via GPS. For the prediction of individual depressive symptoms, we compared 3 models (ie, ridge, lasso, and elastic net regression) and evaluated the models using 10-fold cross-validation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The final elastic net regression model showed the highest explained variance (R²=0.06) and reduced the dataset from 121 to 9 variables, the 3 main predictors being current COVID-19 infections in the respective district, the number of places in nursing homes, and the proportion of fathers receiving parental benefits. The number of places in nursing homes refers to the availability of care facilities for the elderly, which may indicate regional population characteristics that influence mental health. The proportion of fathers receiving parental benefits reflects family structure and work-life balance, which could impact stress and mental well-being during the pandemic.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Passive data describing the environment contributed to the prediction of individual depressive symptoms and revealed regional risk and protective factors that may be of interest without their inclusion in routine assessments being costly.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e53248"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11653045/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142774665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and Evaluation of 4 Short, Animated Videos for Women in Midlife Promoting Positive Health Behaviors: Survey Study.","authors":"Karin Hammarberg, Mridula Bandyopadhyay, Hau Nguyen, Flavia Cicuttini, Karin Andrea Stanzel, Helen Brown, Martha Hickey, Jane Fisher","doi":"10.2196/60949","DOIUrl":"10.2196/60949","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health and health behaviors in midlife are important determinants of healthy aging. There is evidence of unmet needs for health-promoting information for women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with low literacy.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to (1) develop accessible short, animated videos viewable and downloadable from YouTube aimed at promoting positive health behaviors in women in midlife and (2) evaluate their accessibility, acceptability, understanding, and usability and whether this was influenced by the level of education or socioeconomic disadvantage.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In collaboration with a video production company, a multidisciplinary team of academics and health professionals developed 2 short, animated videos on self-management of menopause health and 2 promoting joint health. Their accessibility, acceptability, understanding, and usability to women were evaluated in an anonymous web-based survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 490 women viewed the videos and responded to the survey. Of these, 353 (72%) completed all questions. Almost all (from 321/353, 91% to 334/363, 92%) agreed that the information in the videos was \"very easy to understand.\" The proportions reporting that all or some of the information in the video was new to them varied between videos from 36% (137/386) to 66% (233/353), the reported likelihood of using the practical tips offered in the videos varied from 70% (271/386) to 89% (331/373), and between 61% (235/386) and 70% (263/373) of respondents stated that they would recommend the videos to others. Education-level group comparisons revealed few differences in opinions about the videos, except that women with lower education were more likely than those with higher education to state that they would recommend the 2 joint health videos to others (36/45, 80% vs 208/318, 65%; P=.051 for video 3; and 36/44, 80% vs 197/309, 64%; P=.04 for video 4). There were no differences between women living in the least advantaged areas (Socioeconomic Indexes for Areas quintile areas 1 and 2) and those living in the most advantaged areas (Socioeconomic Indexes for Areas quintile areas 3, 4, and 5) in their responses to any of the questions about the 4 videos.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Most women found the videos easy to understand, learned something new from watching them, planned to use the practical tips they offered, and were likely to recommend them to other women. This suggests that short, animated videos about health self-management strategies in midlife to improve the chance of healthy aging are perceived as accessible, acceptable, easy to understand, and useful by women.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e60949"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11650076/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142774550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Common Physical Performance Tests for Evaluating Health in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Chitra Banarjee, Renoa Choudhury, Joon-Hyuk Park, Rui Xie, David Fukuda, Jeffrey Stout, Ladda Thiamwong","doi":"10.2196/53304","DOIUrl":"10.2196/53304","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interdisciplinary evaluation of older adults' health care is a priority in the prevention of chronic health conditions and maintenance of daily functioning. While many studies evaluate different physical performance tests (PPTs) from a retrospective view in predicting mortality or cardiopulmonary health, it remains unclear which of the commonly used PPTs is the most effective at evaluating the current health of older adults. Additionally, the time and participant burden for each PPT must be considered when planning and implementing them for clinical or research purposes.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This cross-sectional study aimed to determine how elements of overall physical capacity, performance, and other nongait factors in older adults affect the results of 3 commonly used tests: the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 53 community-dwelling older adults met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (mean age 77.47, SD 7.25 years; n=41, 77% female; and n=21, 40% Hispanic). This study evaluated older adults using 3 different PPTs including the SPPB, 6MWT, and ISWT, as well as constructed multiple linear regression models with measures of physical activity, static balance, and fear of falling (FoF). The nongait measures included 7 days of physical activity monitoring using the ActiGraph GT9X Link instrument, objective measurement of static balance using the BTrackS Balance System, and FoF using the short Fall Efficacy Scale-International.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The models revealed that the complete SPPB provided the most comprehensive value, as indicated by a greater R² value (0.523), and that performance on the SPPB was predicted by both moderate to vigorous physical activity (P=.01) and FoF (P<.001). The ISWT was predicted by moderate to vigorous physical activity (P=.02), BMI (P=.02), and FoF (P=.006) and had a similar R² value (0.517), whereas the gait component of the SPPB (P=.001) and 6MWT (P<.001) was predicted by only FoF and had lower R² values (0.375 and 0.228, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results indicated the value of a multicomponent, comprehensive test, such as the SPPB, in evaluating the health of older adults. Additionally, a comparison of the 2 field walking tests (ISWT and 6MWT) further distinguished the ISWT as more responsive to overall health in older adults. In comparing these commonly used PPTs, clinicians and researchers in the field can determine and select the most optimal test to evaluate older adults in communities and research settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e53304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11645506/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship Between Depression and Falls Among Nursing Home Residents: Integrative Review.","authors":"Alcina Matos Queirós, Armin von Gunten, Joëlle Rosselet Amoussou, Andreia Maria Lima, Maria Manuela Martins, Henk Verloo","doi":"10.2196/57050","DOIUrl":"10.2196/57050","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Depression is a highly prevalent psychopathological condition among older adults, particularly those institutionalized in nursing homes (NHs). Unfortunately, it is poorly identified and diagnosed. NH residents are twice as likely to fall as community-dwelling older adults. There is a need for more knowledge about the mechanisms and relationships between depression and falls.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aims to identify, analyze, and synthesize research on the relationships between depression and falls among NH residents.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A literature search was conducted in October 2023 in the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE ALL Ovid, Embase, CINAHL with Full Text EBSCO, APA PsycInfo Ovid, Web of Science Core Collection, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Wiley, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. Clinical trials were searched for in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Wiley, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Additional searches were performed using Google Scholar, the DART-Europe E-theses Portal, and backward citation tracking. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies were used to evaluate study quality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The review included 7 quantitative studies published in 7 different countries from 3 continents; of these, 6 (86%) were cross-sectional studies, and 1 (14%) was a prospective cohort study. Results suggested high frequencies of depressive symptoms and falls among older adults living in NHs, and depressive symptoms were considered a risk factor for falls. The 15-item and 10-item versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale were the most commonly used measurement tools, followed by the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia and the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set 2.0. The prevalence of depression was heterogeneous, varying from 21.5% to 47.7% of NH residents. The studies used heterogeneous descriptions of a fall, and some considered the risk of falls, recurrent fallers, and near falls in their data. The prevalence of fallers was disparate, varying from 17.2% to 63.1%. Of the 7 retained studies, 6 (86%) reported a relationship between depression and falls or the risk of falls. Among the 19 other risk factors identified in the review as being associated with falls among NH residents were a history of falls in the last 180 days, &gt;1 fall in the past 12 months, and respiratory illnesses.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;There is a paucity of research examining falls among older adults with depressive symptoms in NHs. These findings should alert nurses to the need to consider depression as a risk factor in their work to prevent falls. More research is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of fall risk among NH residents with depressive symptoms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;International registered report ","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e57050"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11638692/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142752108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benefits of Clinical Decision Support Systems for the Management of Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases: Targeted Literature Review.","authors":"Klaudia Grechuta, Pedram Shokouh, Ahmad Alhussein, Dirk Müller-Wieland, Juliane Meyerhoff, Jeremy Gilbert, Sneha Purushotham, Catherine Rolland","doi":"10.2196/58036","DOIUrl":"10.2196/58036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) are designed to assist in health care delivery by supporting medical practice with clinical knowledge, patient information, and other relevant types of health information. CDSSs are integral parts of health care technologies assisting in disease management, including diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. While electronic medical records (EMRs) serve as data repositories, CDSSs are used to assist clinicians in providing personalized, context-specific recommendations derived by comparing individual patient data to evidence-based guidelines.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This targeted literature review (TLR) aimed to identify characteristics and features of both stand-alone and EMR-integrated CDSSs that influence their outcomes and benefits based on published scientific literature.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A TLR was conducted using the Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases to identify data on CDSSs published in a 10-year frame (2012-2022). Studies on computerized, guideline-based CDSSs used by health care practitioners with a focus on chronic disease areas and reporting outcomes for CDSS utilization were eligible for inclusion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 49 publications were included in the TLR. Studies predominantly reported on EMR-integrated CDSSs (ie, connected to an EMR database; n=32, 65%). The implementation of CDSSs varied globally, with substantial utilization in the United States and within the domain of cardio-renal-metabolic diseases. CDSSs were found to positively impact \"quality assurance\" (n=35, 69%) and provide \"clinical benefits\" (n=20, 41%), compared to usual care. Among CDSS features, treatment guidance and flagging were consistently reported as the most frequent elements for enhancing health care, followed by risk level estimation, diagnosis, education, and data export. The effectiveness of a CDSS was evaluated most frequently in primary care settings (n=34, 69%) across cardio-renal-metabolic disease areas (n=32, 65%), especially in diabetes (n=13, 26%). Studies reported CDSSs to be commonly used by a mixed group (n=27, 55%) of users including physicians, specialists, nurses or nurse practitioners, and allied health care professionals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, both EMR-integrated and stand-alone CDSSs showed positive results, suggesting their benefits to health care providers and potential for successful adoption. Flagging and treatment recommendation features were commonly used in CDSSs to improve patient care; other features such as risk level estimation, diagnosis, education, and data export were tailored to specific requirements and collectively contributed to the effectiveness of health care delivery. While this TLR demonstrated that both stand-alone and EMR-integrated CDSSs were successful in achieving clinical outcomes, the heterogeneity of included studies reflects the evolving nature of this research ","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e58036"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11635333/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142734495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Homestay Hosting Dynamics and Refugee Well-Being: Scoping Review.","authors":"Areej Al-Hamad, Yasin Mohammad Yasin, Kateryna Metersky, Sepali Guruge, Grace Jung, Khadija Mahsud","doi":"10.2196/58613","DOIUrl":"10.2196/58613","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Homestay accommodations aim to support a smoother transition for refugees; yet, the intricate nature of relationships between refugees and their hosting families can make this process complex, which, in turn, can affect their health and well-being. It is crucial to grasp the experiences of both refugees and their host families in order to foster effective settlement, integration, and well-being.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this scoping review is to explore the dynamics of homestay or hosting with a focus on understanding the experiences of both refugees and their hosting families to identify gaps in the literature and propose directions for future research.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist to guide this scoping review. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE via EBSCO, Scopus via OVID, CINAHL, SOCIndex, Web of Science Core Collection, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, the SciELO Citation Index, and APA PsycInfo. Literature written in English and published from 2011 to 2024 that focused on homestay hosting contexts for refugees was included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results of this review illuminate the multifaceted and dynamic nature of homestay hosting for refugees. The findings include motivations and barriers for homestay hosting, factors influencing host-refugee relations, and psychological and social outcomes of homestay hosting.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of this scoping review demonstrated the need for tailored support for refugees to improve homestay programs for the benefit of both refugees and host families and highlighted the need of more inclusive, supportive, and effective strategies for the hosting, resettlement, and integration of refugees.</p><p><strong>International registered report identifier (irrid): </strong>RR2-10.2196/56242.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e58613"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11629040/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142717803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whole-Body Cryotherapy Reduces Systemic Inflammation in Healthy Adults: Pilot Cohort Study.","authors":"Elizabeth Chun, Richard Joseph, Rachele Pojednic","doi":"10.2196/60942","DOIUrl":"10.2196/60942","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronically elevated inflammation is implicated in many conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease, and has been associated with increased mortality risk. Whole-body cryotherapy (W-BC) is a promising modality to treat inflammation with demonstrated benefits for clinical subpopulations including those with arthritis, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, it is unclear whether the benefit from W-BC extends to healthy individuals prior to chronic disease-related inflammation. In addition, the long-term durability of W-BC effect is unknown.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study investigates the inflammatory response to W-BC in healthy adults with a biomarker of inflammation, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and clinical biomarkers of metabolism including fasting glucose, hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen individuals (n=9 female) participated in frequent recreational W-BC (3 minutes of cold exposure at -110 ℃) over approximately 9 months and had blood draws at baseline plus follow-up visits. Biomarkers were modeled as linear functions of W-BC sessions received in the month prior to blood draw.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean amount of W-BC received was 6.78 (SD 4.26) times per month with the cumulative total ranging from 13 to 157 W-BC sessions over the course of the study. On average, participants completed 1-2 sessions per week throughout the intervention. The number of W-BC sessions were associated with decreased hsCRP (-0.14 mg/L in hsCRP per W-BC session; P<.01) and with durability of up to 9 months. Increased W-BC was also associated with a downward trend in fasting glucose. This trend failed to reach significance at 1 month (-0.73 mg/dL in fasting glucose per W-BC session; P<.10) but was significant for 2- and 3-month windows (P<.05). HbA_1c was increased significantly after 9 months (P<.01); however, the change occurred within normal ranges (difference=0.13% and <5.7%) and was not clinically significant. There was no association between W-BC and LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides (P>.10), although LDL trended lower over the time period examined (P=.07).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results suggest that W-BC beneficially impacts systemic inflammation by lowering hsCRP levels in healthy individuals and may also have some modulating effect on fasting glucose.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e60942"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11624452/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social Cohesion and COVID-19: Integrative Review.","authors":"Paul Ware","doi":"10.2196/51214","DOIUrl":"10.2196/51214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nations of considerable wealth and sophisticated health care infrastructures have experienced high rates of illness and death from COVID-19. Others with limited economic means and less developed health systems have achieved much lower burdens. To build a full understanding, an appraisal of the contribution of social relationships is necessary. Social cohesion represents a promising conceptual tool.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to examine scholarship on social cohesion during the COVID-19 pandemic: specifically, the constructions of social cohesion being deployed, the variables chosen for representation, and the effects of and on social cohesion being reported.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The PubMed, Scopus, and JSTOR databases were searched for relevant journal articles and gray literature. A total of 100 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed from these using spreadsheet software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Several constructions of social cohesion were found. These concerned interpersonal relationships, sameness and difference, collective action, perceptions or emotions of group members, structures and institutions of governance, locally or culturally specific versions, and hybrid or multidimensional models. Social cohesion was reported to be influential on health outcomes, health behaviors, resilience, and emotional well-being, but there was some potential for it to drive undesirable outcomes. Scholarship reported increases or decreases in quantitative measures of social cohesion, a temporary \"rally round the flag\" effect early in the pandemic, the variable impacts of policy on social cohesion, and changing interpersonal relationships due to the pandemic conditions. There are numerous issues with the literature that reflect the well-documented limitations of popular versions of the concept.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Social cohesion has been used to express a range of different aspects of relationships during the pandemic. It is claimed to promote better health outcomes, more engagement with positive health behaviors, and greater resilience and emotional well-being. The literature presents a range of ways in which it has been altered by the pandemic conditions. There are significant weaknesses to this body of knowledge that greatly impede its overall quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e51214"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11621721/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142689545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patient Profile and Cost Savings of Long-Term Care in a Spanish Hospital: Retrospective Observational Study.","authors":"José Joaquín Mira, Daniel García-Torres, María Del Mar Bonell-Guerrero, Ana Isabel Cáceres-Sevilla, Martina Ramirez-Sanz, Rosa Martínez-Lleo, Concepción Carratalá","doi":"10.2196/64248","DOIUrl":"10.2196/64248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long-term care hospitals have been considered an efficient response to the health care needs of an increasingly aging population. These centers are expected to contribute to better hospital bed management and more personalized care for patients needing continuous care. The evaluation of their outcomes is necessary after a sufficient period to assess their impact. Hospitals for Acute and Chronic Long-Term Extended Stay (HACLES) emerged in Spain in the late 20th century as a response to the aging population and the increase in chronic diseases.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to analyze the profile of patients treated in a HACLES, particularly analyzing gender differences, and evaluate the cost savings associated with using these centers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective study was conducted based on data from patients 65 years old or older admitted to a HACLES between 2022 and 2023. Gender, age, household cohabitation data, diagnosis and comorbidity, daily medication intake, and degree of dependency were obtained to describe the profile of patients who attended the HACLES. Data coded in SIA-Abucasis (version 37.00.03; Consellería Sanitat, Generalitat Valenciana; a digital medical record system used in the Valencian region) were reviewed, and descriptive statistics and comparison tests were used. The direct cost savings of HACLES admissions were calculated by comparing the daily cost of a general hospital bed with that of a HACLES bed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data from 123 patients with a mean age of 77 years were analyzed. Most (n=81, 65.9%) had a cohabiting family member as their primary caregiver. Palliative care was the most frequent reason for admission (n=75, 61%). The mortality rate (odds ratio [OR] 61.8, 95% CI 53.2-70.5) was similar between men and women (OR 54.1, 95% CI 47.8-71.5 vs OR 59.7, 95% CI 42.2-66.0; P=.23). The cognitive assessment, using the Pfeiffer scale, improved at discharge (mean 3.2, SD 3.2 vs mean 2.5, SD 3.1; P=.003). The length of stay was significantly larger for patients who returned home compared with patients discharged to other facilities (mean 89.8, SD 58.2 versus mean 33.1, SD 43.1 days; P<.001). The direct cost savings were estimated at US $42,614,846 per 1000 admissions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients typically treated in HACLES are older, with a high level of cognitive impairment and physical dependency, and a significant proportion are in palliative care, highlighting the importance of adapting care to the individual needs of the admitted patients. The HACLES model contributes to the sustainability of the public health system.</p>","PeriodicalId":51757,"journal":{"name":"Interactive Journal of Medical Research","volume":"13 ","pages":"e64248"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11615552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142677703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}