METHOD: This was a pilot, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received a guided video and was briefed to perform the exercise twice a week for two weeks while the waitlist control group only received the video upon completion of the study. The subjects were assessed at three-time points (T0: Baseline, T1: 2 weeks after the intervention, T2: 4 weeks after intervention), using the Neurological Disorders Depression Index (NDDI-E), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31) and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).
RESULTS: Twenty patients were recruited, with 10 in the intervention and waitlist-control groups. Compared with the waitlist-control group, participants in the intervention group showed significant improvement in NDDI-E at T1 (p = 0.022) but not at T2 (p = 0.056) and greater improvement in GAD-7 at T1 and T2 but not statistically significant. The QOLIE-31 overall score in the intervention group has significantly improved at T1 (p = 0.036) and T2 (p = 0.031) compared to the waitlist-control group. For MAAS, the intervention group also had an increased score at T2 (p = 0.025).
CONCLUSION: The 20-minute mindfulness breathing exercise has an immediate effect in improving depression and quality of life among people with epilepsy.
METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial at the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. Seventy-three patients with advanced cancer with an overall suffering score ≥4/10 based on the Suffering Pictogram were recruited and randomly assigned into either the MBST group (n=34) or the control group (n=39).
RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in the overall suffering score in the MBST group compared with the control group (U=432.5, median1=-2.0, median2=-1.0, z=-2.645, p=0.008). There was also significant improvement in the total Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (U=483.5, median1=-4.0, median2=-3.0, z=-1.994, p=0.046), and the total Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being score (U=252.0, median1=+14.5, median2=+5.0, z=-4.549, p=0.000) in the MBST group compared with the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: The results provided evidence that the practice of MBST during patient care could promote positive psychosocial outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to examine the effect of mindful gratitude journaling on suffering, psychological distress and quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group, blinded, randomised controlled trial at the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. Ninety-two adult patients with advanced cancer, and an overall suffering score ≥4/10 based on the Suffering Pictogram were recruited and randomly assigned to either a mindful gratitude journaling group (N=49) or a routine journaling group (N=43).
RESULTS: After 1 week, there were significant reductions in the overall suffering score from the baseline in both the intervention group (mean difference in overall suffering score=-2.0, 95% CI=-2.7 to -1.4, t=-6.125, p=0.000) and the control group (mean difference in overall suffering score=-1.6, 95% CI=-2.3 to -0.8, t=-4.106, p=0.037). There were also significant improvements in the total Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (mean difference=-3.4, 95% CI=-5.3 to -1.5, t=-3.525, p=0.000) and the total Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being score (mean difference=7.3, 95% CI=1.5 to 13.1, t=2.460, p=0.014) in the intervention group after 7 days, but not in the control group.
CONCLUSION: The results provide evidence that 7 days of mindful gratitude journaling could positively affect the state of suffering, psychological distress and quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN1261800172191) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study in the neurology clinic in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The screening tools used were the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) and the General Anxiety Disorder Form (GAD-7).
RESULTS: Five hundred and eighty-five patients were recruited in this study, and 50.8% of them were male, predominantly Chinese (46.7%), with a mean age of seizure onset of 21.8 ± 16.1 years. The majority had focal seizures (75.0%), and 41.9% had seizure remission. There were 15.5% who scored ≥15 in the NDDI-E, and 17.0% had moderate or severe anxiety (scored ≥10 in the GAD-7). In a regression model to predict the NDDI-E score, the age of seizure onset recorded a higher beta value (β = -0.265, p =
METHODS: In this multicenter, open-label, single-arm, observational study, patients received flexible doses of Vortioxetine for a period of six months. All participants were assessed at baseline and scheduled for monitoring at weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Depression severity was assessed using Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale. The Perceived Deficiency Questionnaire (PDQ-5) assessed the perceived cognitive difficulties in concentration, executive functioning, and memory. The European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC) was used to assess the patients' quality of life. Side effects of vortioxetine were monitored using the Antidepressant Side-Effect Checklist (ASEC).
RESULTS: Patients experienced a reduction in MADRS scores from 29.89 ± 5.997 at baseline to 11.59 ± 4.629 by Week 24. The PDQ-5 scores showed significant change from Week-4, whereas the EORTC role, emotional, and cognitive functioning scores showed a significant change from Week 2 onwards. CGI-Severity scores decreased from a baseline of 4.39 ± 0.746 to 2.41 ± 1.085 by Week 24. During the 24-Weeks of therapy, around three-quarters of the patients (73.3%) had one or more adverse events reported on the ASEC. The most frequently reported TEAEs were dry mouth, insomnia, somnolence, and headache, with more than a 30% incidence rate.
CONCLUSION: Vortioxetine seems promising in the management of depression and enhancement of cognitive function and quality of life of cancer patients with Major Depressive Disorder.
.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study where family caregivers and patients who were diagnosed of cancers within 12 months were recruited. QOL of caregivers were measured using The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC). Psychological distress was measured using Hospital anxiety and depressive scale. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the related factors of QOL of caregivers.
RESULTS: A total of 458 patients/caregiver pairs were included. Symptoms of anxiety and depression reported by caregivers were 24.9% and 24.2% respectively. Caregivers of patients with solid tumors have better CQOLC score compared to those who cared for patients with hematological cancers (91.25 vs 86.75). Caregivers of non-Malay ethnicity, those caring for patients with advanced stage cancer and with hematological cancers had significantly poorer QOL. QOL of caregivers are also significantly affected when patients demonstrated anxiety symptoms.
CONCLUSION: This study provides detailed evaluation of the QOL of caregivers of cancer patients in Malaysia. The significant psychological distress and low caregiver QOL indicate the urgent need for comprehensive supports for caregivers with cancer patients, especially those caring for patients with haematological cancers.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of our study was to determine the efficacy of a single session of 20 min mindful breathing in alleviating multiple symptoms in palliative care.
METHODS: Adult palliative care in patients with at least one symptom scoring ≥5/10 based on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were recruited from September 2018 to December 2018. Recruited patients were randomly assigned to either 20 min mindful breathing and standard care or standard care alone.
RESULTS: Forty patients were randomly assigned to standard care plus a 20 min mindful breathing session (n=20) or standard care alone (n=20). There was statistically significant reduction of total ESAS score in the mindful breathing group compared with the control group at minute 20 (U=98, n 1 = n 2 = 20, mean rank 1 = 15.4, mean rank 2 = 25.6, median reduction 1 = 6.5, median reduction 2 = 1.5, z=-2.763, r=0.3, p=0.005).
CONCLUSION: Our results provided evidence that a single session of 20 min mindful breathing was effective in reducing multiple symptoms rapidly for palliative care patients.
METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group, blinded, randomized controlled study at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Malaysia from February 2019 to April 2019. Sixty adult palliative care patients with an overall suffering score of 4/10 or above based on the Suffering Pictogram were recruited and randomly assigned to either the 5-min mindfulness of love group (N = 30) or the 5-min supportive listening group (N = 30).
RESULTS: There were statistically significant improvements in the overall suffering score (mean difference = -2.9, CI = -3.7 to -2.1, t = -7.268, p = 0.000) and the total FACIT-Sp-12 score (mean difference = 2.9, CI = 1.5 to 4.3, t = 4.124, p = 0.000) in the intervention group compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION: The results provided evidence that 5-min mindfulness of love could affect the actual state of suffering and the spiritual quality of life of palliative care patients.
METHODS: This was a parallel, open-label randomised controlled trial with participants recruited from psychiatric outpatient services of a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur and a secondary hospital in Melaka. Adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with major depressive disorder; capable of reading and understanding English or Bahasa Malaysia; prescribed with at least one antidepressant and owns a smart phone were subsequently randomly assigned (1:1) to receive treatment reminders (intervention) or standard treatment without reminders (control), using a computergenerated randomisation programme. The intervention group received two reminder categories: Outpatient appointment reminders (a day before appointment); and medication reminders (weekly basis). Participants were followed-up over two months. We utilised Montgomery- Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to measure the severity of depression; and Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS) to assess medication adherence. Primary outcomes were outpatient attendance rates and medication adherence assessed at two months. Secondary outcomes included changes in depression severity within each group at two months; comparison of changes in depression severity between both groups; preferences of participants towards treatment reminders, and reasons for non-attendance among participants. This trial was registered with the National Medical Research Registry, NMRR-19-3466-52001.
RESULTS: Between February and April 2020, 183 participants were randomised to each group, of whom 179 reached study endpoint (91 [98.9%] of 92 in intervention group and 88 [96.7%] of 91 in control group). All recruited participants (n=183) were analysed using intention-to-treat approach. At two months, intervention group has significantly higher outpatient attendance rates (76.8%) than control group (56.4%) (p=0.002), and reported higher medical adherence percentage (mean difference 23.1, [95%CI 0.4, 35.8]; p<0.001). There was also significant difference in the MADRS score change between both groups (mean difference 3.4, [95%CI 0.4, 6.3]; p=0.025). Treatment reminders preferences among participants varied; forgetfulness was the most commonly reported reason (53%) for missing outpatient appointments.
CONCLUSION: Reminders through mobile messaging applications significantly improved outpatient attendance and medication adherence among patients with depression. Our findings support the use of messaging apps for treatment reminders in psychiatric outpatient settings. However, concerns regarding confidentiality require careful measures to be taken.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 745 women who presented with breast symptoms in a university breast clinic in Malaysia. Participants were instructed to respond to self-report questionnaires on depression, trait anxiety, and social support while they were waiting for assessment of their suspected BC. The final diagnoses of these patients were traced one month after examining their medical records. Descriptive statistics were performed to examine the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of all participants. A multiple regression analysis was carried out to determine the association of the abovementioned factors with the diagnosis of BC.
Results: The analysis showed that BC was diagnosed in 109 (14.6%), benign breast disease (BBD) in 550 (73.8%), and healthy breast (HB) in 86 (11.5%) women. The prevalence of depression was 53.2% in women with BC, 53.6% in women with BBD, and 60.5% in women with HB prior to diagnosis. The prevalence of trait anxiety was 33%. Mean scores for trait anxiety were 42.2 ± 9.0 and 41.8 ± 9.1 for the BC group and BBD group, respectively. The level of perceived social support was similar in all three groups.
Conclusion: We found no significant difference in depression, trait anxiety, and social support among women with newly diagnosed BC, BBD, and HB in women with breast symptoms while undergoing diagnostic evaluation. A longitudinal study is essential to establish the association between chronic mental stress and BC.
METHODS: Data collection was carried out in 3-time points: baseline (T1), screening (T2), and post-treatment (T3). Respondents who had significant subjective cognitive impairment were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (n = 30) and waitlist (n = 30). Respondents in the intervention group received 4 sessions of 1 hour of ACT therapy.
FINDINGS: Respondents in the intervention group showed significant improvement in subjective cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility after the ACT intervention (p