scholarly journals Perceptions, Experiences, and Challenges of Physicians Involved in Dementia Care During the COVID-19 Lockdown in India: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debanjan Banerjee ◽  
Bhavika Vajawat ◽  
Prateek Varshney ◽  
TS Sathyanarayana Rao
Keyword(s):  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Specific Training ◽  
General Physicians ◽  
Travel Restriction ◽  
Structured Questionnaire ◽  
Do So

Introduction: With 5.3 million people living with dementia in India and the pandemic wreaking havoc, dementia care has faced unique challenges during the outbreak, with reduced healthcare access, travel restriction, long-term lockdown and fear of hospitalization. We explored the experiences and barriers faced by the physicians involved in dementia care during the lockdown period.Methods: A qualitative approach was used with purposive sampling. After an initial pilot, 148 physicians were included in the study. They were virtually interviewed in-depth based on a pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire, in areas related to tele-consultations, attributes related to dementia care, challenges faced and way forward. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed using Nvivo-10 software. Triangulation, peer debriefing and respondent validation were used to ensure rigor.Results: The overarching categories that emerged were “Tele-medicine as the future of dementia care in India,” “people living with dementia being uniquely susceptible to the pandemic with a triple burden of: age, ageism and lack of autonomy” and “markedly reduced healthcare access in this population with significant mental health burden of caregivers.” The experiences of the physicians were categorized into their challenges during the lockdown period and perceptions related to specific facets of dementia care during the crisis. The general physicians expressed special “unmet needs” of dementia-specific training and specialist collaboration. Most of the participants perceived ambiguity related to the newly released telepsychiatry guidelines.Conclusion: Resource constraints and pandemic burden are currently high. This study looks at the “voices” of those actively providing dementia care during the ongoing crisis and to the best of our knowledge, is the first one from India to do so. Concurring with their experiences, PwD and their families are exposed to multiple vulnerabilities during COVID-19, need tailored care, especially at the primary healthcare level which includes general physicians. These relevant “voices” are discussed in light of the new tele-psychiatry guidelines and further optimization of dementia care in an aging India.

scholarly journals Takaful Retirement Annuity Plan in Malaysia: An Investigation on Consumers’ Perceived Value and Knowledge Mediated by Attitude

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (04) ◽  
pp. 1687-1694
Author(s):  
Mohammad Niaz Morshed ◽  
Sardar Md Humayun Kabir ◽  
Fadhilah Abdullah Asuhaimi ◽  
Md Muhibbullah
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Insurance Company ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Financial Strategy ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Structured Questionnaire ◽  
Do So

Annuities are being treated as a backup financial strategy throughout the age of retirement and a way of reducing the long-term risk of a person’s old age. Takaful markets in Malaysia have wanted to advance an annuity plan backed by Islamic Shari’ah and similar to the purpose pursued by an insurance company, but failed to do so after initiation in early 1999. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship among consumers’ decision to take Takaful retirement annuity plan and their perceived value, knowledge mediated by attitude. Quantitative research has been conducted by a structured questionnaire survey on participants’ attitude, perceived value and knowledge of Takaful retirement annuity plan. The sample (n=121) for this study consisted of the employees working in different functional units of the International Islamic University Malaysia located in the metropolitan capital (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor) area of Malaysia. The findings from this study unveiled that the attitude and perceived value of the participants had a significant positive relationship with their decisions to take Takaful retirement annuity plan. But no direct connection has been found between knowledge and choices on Takaful retirement annuity plan. The significant practical implication of this study will be the Takaful operators, their customers, and researchers.

Thinking Beyond Language: Intervention for Severe Aphasia

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Simmons-Mackie
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Communication Training ◽  
Language Intervention ◽  
Specific Training ◽  
Environmental Support ◽  
Total Communication ◽  
Communication Partners

Abstract Purpose: This article addresses several intervention approaches that aim to improve life for individuals with severe aphasia. Because severe aphasia significantly compromises language, often for the long term, recommended approaches focus on additional domains that affect quality of life. Treatments are discussed that involve increasing participation in personally relevant life situations, enhancing environmental support for communication and participation, and improving communicative confidence. Methods: Interventions that have been suggested in the aphasia literature as particularly appropriate for people with severe aphasia include training in total communication, training of communication partners, and activity specific training. Conclusion: Several intervention approaches can be implemented to enhance life with severe aphasia.

scholarly journals Development and evaluation of the Good Grief program for young people bereaved by familial cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pandora Patterson ◽  
Fiona E. J. McDonald ◽  
Elizabeth Kelly-Dalgety ◽  
Bianca Lavorgna ◽  
Barbara L. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Familial Cancer ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Program Satisfaction ◽  
Death Of A Parent

Abstract Background Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) bereaved by the death of a parent or sibling from cancer report unique psychosocial needs and can have difficulty adjusting to their loss. Unaddressed, this can result in poor long-term bereavement outcomes. This paper describes the development and evaluation of Good Grief – a 3-day camp-based program focused on meeting coping, social support, and respite needs of AYAs bereaved by familial cancer. Methods One hundred and nine Australian AYAs (68% female; age: 12–25 years, M = 16.63) participated in the evaluation. Grief intensity (Texas Revised Inventory of Grief), meaning-making (Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory), trauma coping (Perceived Ability to Cope with Trauma Scale) and unmet needs (Bereaved Cancer Needs Instrument) measures were administered pre-program and 3-months post-program. Acceptability was measured after each session and at the program’s conclusion. Appropriateness was measured at 3-month follow-up. Thirteen participants were interviewed three months post-program on their perceptions of the program. Results Participants reported high program satisfaction, engagement with psychosocial sessions, and enjoyment of recreational activities. Significant improvements were observed in trauma coping abilities and reductions in unmet needs for managing emotions, social support, respite, future planning, and accessing information and support domains. No change was evident in grief intensity or meaning-making as measured quantitatively. Interviews supported these quantitative findings but also identified evidence of personal growth, a component of meaning-making. Conclusions Good Grief is a highly acceptable and beneficial intervention that addresses the unique needs of AYAs bereaved by familial cancer.

scholarly journals Computer-assisted sign language translation: a study of translators’ practice to specify CAT software

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Kaczmarek ◽  
Michael Filhol
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Language Translation ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Translation Process ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Subjective Data ◽  
Do So

AbstractProfessional Sign Language translators, unlike their text-to-text counterparts, are not equipped with computer-assisted translation (CAT) software. Those softwares are meant to ease the translators’ tasks. No prior study as been conducted on this topic, and we aim at specifying such a software. To do so, we based our study on the professional Sign Language translators’ practices and needs. The aim of this paper is to identify the necessary steps in the text-to-sign translation process. By filming and interviewing professionals for both objective and subjective data, we build a list of tasks and see if they are systematic and performed in a definite order. Finally, we reflect on how CAT tools could assist those tasks, how to adapt the existing tools to Sign Language and what is necessary to add in order to fit the needs of Sign Language translation. In the long term, we plan to develop a first prototype of CAT software for sign languages.

scholarly journals Mapping of affordability levels for photovoltaic-based electricity generation in the solar belt of sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and South Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sándor Szabó ◽  
Irene Pinedo Pascua ◽  
Daniel Puig ◽  
Magda Moner-Girona ◽  
Mario Negre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
High Level ◽  
Do So

AbstractLack of access to modern forms of energy hampers efforts to reduce poverty. The provision of electricity to off-grid communities is therefore a long-standing developmental goal. Yet, many off-grid electrification projects neglect mid- and long-term operation and maintenance costs. When this is the case, electricity services are unlikely to be affordable to the communities that are the project’s primary target. Here we show that, compared with diesel-powered electricity generation systems, solar photovoltaic systems are more affordable to no less than 36% of the unelectrified populations in East Asia, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. We do so by developing geo-referenced estimates of affordability at a high level of resolution (1 km2). The analysis illustrates the differences in affordability that may be found at the subnational level, which underscores that electrification investments should be informed by subnational data.

scholarly journals Young Spanish Adults and Disinformation: Do They Identify and Spread Fake News and Are They Literate in It?

Publications ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Aida María de Vicente de Vicente Domínguez ◽  
Ana Beriain Beriain Bañares ◽  
Javier Sierra Sierra Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Quantitative Method ◽  
Spanish Population ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Know How ◽  
Literacy Training ◽  
Structured Questionnaire ◽  
Do So

The infodiet of young Spanish adults aged 18 to 25 was analysed to determine their attitude towards fake news. The objectives were: to establish whether they have received any training in fake news; to determine whether they know how to identify fake information; and to investigate whether they spread it. The study employed a descriptive quantitative method consisting of a survey of 500 representative interviews of the Spanish population aged between 18 and 25 through a structured questionnaire. The results indicate that they are aware of the importance of training, although generally they do not know of any course and when they do, they do not tend to enroll on one either due to lack of interest or time. These young adults feel that they know how to identify fake content and, moreover, that they know how to do so very well. However, they do not use the best tools. While they do not always verify information, they mainly suspect the credibility of information when it is meaningless. However, they do not tend to spread fake information. We conclude that media information literacy training (MILT) is necessary in educational centres that focuses on the main issues identified.

scholarly journals Facilitators and barriers to implement nurse-led interventions in long-term dementia care: a qualitative interview study with Swiss nursing experts and managers

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Hirt ◽  
Melanie Karrer ◽  
Laura Adlbrecht ◽  
Susi Saxer ◽  
Adelheid Zeller
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers

Abstract Background To support the implementation of nurse-led interventions in long-term dementia care, in-depth knowledge of specific supporting factors and barriers is required. Conditions and structures of caring for people with dementia differ widely, depending on the country and the care context. Our study aimed to describe the experiences and opinions of nursing experts and managers with regard to facilitators and barriers to the implementation of nurse-led interventions in long-term dementia care. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using individual interviews based on qualitative vignettes as a useful stimulus to generate narrations allowing to study peoples’ perceptions and beliefs. The study took place in nursing homes in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and in the Principality of Liechtenstein using purposive sampling. We intended to conduct the interviews face-to-face in a quiet room according to the participant’s choice. However, due to the lockdown of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, we performed interviews face-to-face and by video. We analysed data thematically following Braun and Clarke to achieve a detailed, nuanced description. To verify our interpretation and to ensure congruence with participants’ perspectives, we conducted member checks. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) served to structure our manuscript. Results Six dyads of nursing home managers and nursing experts from six nursing homes took part in our study (n = 12). Our thematic analysis yielded seven themes reflecting facilitators and barriers to implementing nurse-led interventions in long-term dementia care: «A common attitude and cohesion within the organization», «Commitment on several levels», «A needs-oriented implementation», «The effect and the public perception of the intervention», «A structured and guided implementation process», «Supporting knowledge and competencies», as well as «Resources for implementing the intervention». Conclusions To support the implementation of nurse-led interventions in long-term dementia care, active commitment-building seems essential. It is necessary that the value of the intervention is perceptible.Commitment-building is the precondition to reach the persons involved, such as nursing home managers, nursing staff, residents and relatives. Furthermore, nurses should precisely inform about the intervention. It is necessary that the value of the intervention is perceptible. In addition, nurses should adjust the interventions to the situational needs of people with dementia, thus. Therefore, it is important to support dementia-specific competencies in long-term care. Findings indicate that the barrier is determined by the intervention and its implementation – and not by the behaviour of the person with dementia.

scholarly journals MBCL-14. A STUDY OF LOW-DOSE CRANIOSPINAL RADIATION THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED AVERAGE-RISK MEDULLOBLASTOMA

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii390-iii391
Author(s):  
Aaron Mochizuki ◽  
Anna Janss ◽  
Sonia Partap ◽  
Paul Fisher ◽  
Yimei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Average Risk ◽  
Craniospinal Radiation ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
Therapy Studies ◽  
Do So

Abstract INTRODUCTION Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumors in children. To date, the treatment of average-risk (non-metastatic, completely resected) medulloblastoma includes craniospinal radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Modern treatment modalities and now risk stratification of subgroups have extended the survival of these patients, exposing the long-term morbidities associated with radiation therapy. METHODS We performed a single-arm, multi-institution study, seeking to reduce the late effects of treatment in patients with average-risk medulloblastoma prior to advances in molecular subgrouping. To do so, we reduced the dose of craniospinal irradiation by 25% to 18 gray with the goal of maintaining the therapeutic efficacy as described in CCG 9892 with maintenance chemotherapy. RESULTS 28 patients aged 3–30 years were enrolled across three institutions between April 2001 and December 2010. Median age at enrollment was 9 years with a median follow-up time of 11.7 years. The 3-year relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were 78.6% (95% CI 58.4% to 89.8%) and 92.9% (95% CI 74.4% to 98.2%), respectively. The 5-year RFS and OS were 71.4% (95% CI 50.1% to 84.6%) and 85.7% (95% CI 66.3% to 94.4%), respectively. Toxicities were similar to those seen in other studies; there were no grade 5 toxicities. CONCLUSIONS Given the known neurocognitive adverse effects associated with cranial radiation therapy, studies to evaluate the feasibility of dose reduction are needed. In this study, we demonstrate that select patients with average-risk medulloblastoma may benefit from reduced craniospinal radiation dose of 18 gray without impacting relapse-free or overall survival.

scholarly journals Identifying unmet needs in long-term stroke care using in-depth assessment and the Post-Stroke Checklist – The Managing Aftercare for Stroke (MAS-I) study

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Hotter ◽  
Inken Padberg ◽  
Andrea Liebenau ◽  
Petra Knispel ◽  
Sabine Heel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Caregiver Burden ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Interquartile Range ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Post Stroke

Introduction Detailed data on the long-term consequences and treatment of stroke are scarce. We aimed to assess the needs and disease burden of community-dwelling stroke patients and their carers and to compare their treatment to evidence-based guidelines by a stroke neurologist. Methods We invited long-term stroke patients from two previous acute clinical studies ( n = 516) in Berlin, Germany to participate in an observational, cross-sectional study. Participants underwent a comprehensive interview and examination using the Post-Stroke Checklist and validated standard measures of: self-reported needs, quality of life, overall outcome, spasticity, pain, aphasia, cognition, depression, secondary prevention, social needs and caregiver burden. Results Fifty-seven participants (median initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 10 interquartile range 4–12.75) consented to assessment (median 41 months (interquartile range 36–50) after stroke. Modified Rankin Scale was 2 (median; interquartile range 1–3), EuroQoL index value was 0.81 (median; interquartile range 0.70–1.00). The frequencies for disabilities in the major domains were: spasticity 35%; cognition 61%; depression 20%; medication non-compliance 14%. Spasticity ( p = 0.008) and social needs ( p < 0.001) had the strongest impact on quality of life. The corresponding items in the Post-Stroke Checklist were predictive for low mood ( p < 0.001), impaired cognition ( p = 0.015), social needs ( p = 0.005) and caregiver burden ( p = 0.031). In the comprehensive interview, we identified the following needs: medical review (30%), optimization of pharmacotherapy (18%), outpatient therapy (47%) and social work input (33%). Conclusion These results suggest significant unmet needs and gaps in health and social care in long-term stroke patients. Further research to develop a comprehensive model for managing stroke aftercare is warranted. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT02320994.

Implementing culture change in long-term dementia care settings

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (19) ◽  
pp. 44-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica McGreevy
Keyword(s):  
Culture Change ◽  
Dementia Care
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