scholarly journals Use of Technology-Based Tools to Support Adolescents and Young Adults With Chronic Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jac Kee Low ◽  
Elizabeth Manias

BACKGROUND With the large amount of material that is readily available on the internet, there are endless opportunities for electronic health–literate patients to obtain and learn new information. Although novel, a Web- or mobile-based program can be a powerful way to engage adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The ongoing engagement of AYAs with chronic disease is vital not only to empower them but also to ensure a smooth transition from pediatric to adult health care. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the current evidence on Web- or mobile-based interventions designed for AYAs. METHODS This review was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42018096487. A systematic search of MEDLINE Complete, EMBASE, and CINAHL Complete was conducted on April 10, 2019, for studies that examined the perspectives of transition-age patients about technology-based interventions, the process involved in intervention development, or the evaluation of intervention efficacy. For each study, the comprehensiveness of reporting was appraised. The Downs and Black checklist was used for intervention efficacy trials, the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used for qualitative work, and a 16-item tool developed by Tong et al was used for questionnaire research. RESULTS The search uncovered 29 relevant studies, which included qualitative studies (n=14), intervention efficacy studies (n=7), questionnaire studies (n=4), mixed qualitative and questionnaire studies (n=2), and a mixed qualitative and pilot randomized controlled trial study (n=1). The reporting comprehensiveness score of questionnaires was rated considerably lower (n=6, 13%-57% [2/16-8/14]) than the scores of intervention efficacy trials (n=8, 48%-85% [13/27-23/27]) and qualitative research (n=17, 40%-93% [8.5/21-19.5/21]). AYAs were receptive to obtaining information via a website or mobile app. An intervention was more likely to be perceived as useful by AYAs when there was a concerted effort to involve AYAs and subject matter experts in the process of intervention design, as opposed to relying solely on the AYAs or the experts alone. The preferred medium of intervention delivery varied greatly for AYAs, ranging from static text to audiovisual materials. However, AYAs considered being concise was the most important aspect. Across different conditions, AYAs were interested in receiving information on diverse topics, such as anxiety and stress management, dealing with insurance, and having social relationships. Patients also requested for disease-specific information, such as weather forecasts and pollen levels for patients with asthma and information related to the pretransplant period for organ transplant recipients. Meta-analyses showed no significant group differences across time on quality of life, self-efficacy, and self-management. CONCLUSIONS Owing to the lack of intervention efficacy trials, no conclusion can be drawn if an intervention delivered via a mobile app is better than that delivered via a website. However, through this systematic review, it is confirmed that AYAs were receptive to receiving medical information electronically.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Conejo-Cerón ◽  
Svenja Taubner ◽  
Erkki Heinonen ◽  
Asta Adler ◽  
Rasa Barkauskiene ◽  
...  

IntroductionAnxiety and depressive disorders are a significant problem that starts in childhood or adolescence and should be addressed early to avoid chronic mental conditions. There is strong evidence to demonstrate that psychological treatments are effective for these disorders, however, little is known on mediators and mechanisms of change of psychological treatment in adolescents and young adults. Understanding the pathways through which psychological treatments operate will facilitate more effective treatments.AimWe aim to conduct a systematic review, exploring the available evidence on mediators of psychological treatments for anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults.MethodsA systematic search has been performed on PubMed and PsycINFO databases to identify studies from inception to 23rd February 2020. Eligible studies include randomized controlled trials and trials (quasi-experimental) designs that have enrolled adolescents and young adults presenting with depression and/or anxiety and that have examined mediators of psychological treatments. A group of 20 reviewers from the COST-Action TREATme (CA16102) divided into 10 pairs independently screen studies for inclusion, extract information from the included studies, and assess the methodological quality of the included studies and the requirements for mediators. The methodological quality will be assessed by The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Extracted data from the included studies will be collected and presented using a narrative approach.DiscussionThis systematic review will summarize and provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence on mediators of psychological treatments for anxiety and depression for adolescents and young adults. Results will allow the identification of strategies to optimize intervention to enhance clinical outcomes.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required. Findings from this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated at conferences and meetings. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021234641.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Proulx-Cabana ◽  
Danielle Taddeo ◽  
Olivier Jamoulle ◽  
Jean-Yves Frappier ◽  
Fannie Tremblay-Racine ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a highly prevalent disease in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The quality of initial inpatient medical management in a patient with severe malnutrition due to AN is crucial to prevent further medical instability. This review aims to inventory evidence regarding initial refeeding and management of AYAs with AN in an inpatient setting, in order to avoid medical complications. Methods A systematic review will be conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, All EBM Reviews, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database and CINAHL. The search strategy consists of terms related to anorexia, hospitalization and Pediatrics. Randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, cross-sectional and cohort studies will be included. Participants will include adolescents and adults 18–24 years old diagnosed with AN and meeting criteria for severe disease. The primary outcome will be any of the following complications: hypophosphatemia, refeeding syndrome, hypoglycemia, cardiac arrythmia, hepatic cytolysis or death. Data will be extracted and the risk of bias will be assessed by one author and reviewed by a second author. Results will be presented in a systematic narrative synthesis format. The quality of evidence for all outcomes will be evaluated using the GRADE methodology. Discussion This systematic review will examine current evidence on initial inpatient refeeding and help to document effectiveness of initial inpatient management in AYAs with severe AN in avoiding further medical complications. Trial registration This study is registered on PROSPERO under the reference number CRD42019123608.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199687
Author(s):  
Courtney A. Brown ◽  
Anna C. Revette ◽  
Sarah D. de Ferranti ◽  
Holly B. Fontenot ◽  
Holly C. Gooding

This methodologic paper aims to update researchers working with adolescents and young adults on the potentials and pitfalls associated with web-based qualitative research. We present a case study of synchronous web-based focus groups with 35 adolescents and young women ages 15–24 years old recruited from a clinical sample for a mixed methods study of heart disease awareness. We contrast this with two other studies, one using asynchronous web-based focus groups with 30 transgender youth ages 13 to 24 years old and another using synchronous web-based focus groups with 48 young men who have sex with men ages 18 to 26 years old, both recruited via social media. We describe general and logistical considerations, technical platform considerations, and ethical, regulatory, and research considerations associated with web-based qualitative research. In an era of technology ubiquity and dependence, researchers should consider web-based focus groups a potential qualitative research tool, especially when working with youth.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Kalliopi Kappou ◽  
Myrto Ntougia ◽  
Aikaterini Kourtesi ◽  
Eleni Panagouli ◽  
Elpis Vlachopapadopoulou ◽  
...  

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious, multifactorial mental disorder affecting predominantly young females. This systematic review examines neuroimaging findings in adolescents and young adults up to 24 years old, in order to explore alterations associated with disease pathophysiology. Methods: Eligible studies on structural and functional brain neuroimaging were sought systematically in PubMed, CENTRAL and EMBASE databases up to 5 October 2020. Results: Thirty-three studies were included, investigating a total of 587 patients with a current diagnosis of AN and 663 healthy controls (HC). Global and regional grey matter (GM) volume reduction as well as white matter (WM) microstructure alterations were detected. The mainly affected regions were the prefrontal, parietal and temporal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, insula, thalamus and cerebellum as well as various WM tracts such as corona radiata and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Regarding functional imaging, alterations were pointed out in large-scale brain networks, such as default mode network (DMN), executive control network (ECN) and salience network (SN). Most findings appear to reverse after weight restoration. Specific limitations of neuroimaging studies in still developing individuals are also discussed. Conclusions: Structural and functional alterations are present in the early course of the disease, most of them being partially or totally reversible. Nonetheless, neuroimaging findings have been open to many biological interpretations. Thus, more studies are needed to clarify their clinical significance.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa E. Schilstra ◽  
Joanna E. Fardell ◽  
Mary A. Burns ◽  
Sarah J. Ellis ◽  
Antoinette C. Anazodo ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Schrøder ◽  
Kirsten A. Boisen ◽  
Jesper Reimers ◽  
Grete Teilmann ◽  
Jesper Brok

AbstractPurposeWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies assessing quality of life in adolescents and young adults born with CHD compared with age-matched controls.MethodsWe carried out a systematic search of the literature published in Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library’s Database (1990–2013); two authors independently extracted data from the included studies. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa scale for quality assessment of studies. A random effects meta-analysis model was used. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2-test.ResultsWe included 18 studies with 1786 patients. The studies were of acceptable-to-good quality. The meta-analysis of six studies on quality of life showed no significant difference – mean difference: −1.31; 95% confidence intervals: −6.51 to +3.89, I2=90.9% – between adolescents and young adults with CHD and controls. Similar results were found in 10 studies not eligible for the meta-analysis. In subdomains, it seems that patients had reduced physical quality of life; however, social functioning was comparable or better compared with controls.ConclusionFor the first time in a meta-analysis, we have shown that quality of life in adolescents and young adults with CHD is not reduced when compared with age-matched controls.


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