METHOD: This study utilized a quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional research design. A total of 60 subjects were randomly selected after passing the study's sampling criteria. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was to used to determine common MSDs affecting the various regions in the body. The Demographic Pofile Sheet was provided to gather a subject's demographic characteristics.
RESULTS: Filipino migrant workers mostly complain of pain in the low back area (60%) and shoulder pain (60%), followed by pain in the upper back (48.3%) and neck pain (45%) in the last 12 months. Household workers accounting for 73.3% of the subjects commonly complain of pain in the hips/thighs (78.9%), while workers in the service industry commonly complain of knee pain (39.1%).
CONCLUSIONS: Results imply that Filipino migrant workers have a higher prevalence of shoulder and lower back pain in the last 12 months. Household workers are more susceptible to hip/thigh pain. Interventions focusing on ergonomics policy implementation, education on posture and lifting techniques and physical function is recommended. Further studies should consider the psychological and psychosocial aspects of migrant employment, which are known risk factors for MSDs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts of 796 women who underwent pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery from July 2006 to January 2012 in Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals were reviewed. We included women who presented with advanced cuff eversion and treated with TVM surgery. Data were analysed after three years post-surgery. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic and perioperative data. The paired-samples t test was used for comparison of preoperative and postoperative continuous data. The outcomes measured were objective cure (POP-Q stage ≤ 1) and subjective cure (negative response to question 2 and 3 on POPDI-6).
RESULTS: A total of 97 patients was analysed. 61 patients had TVM-A and 36 patients had TVM-AP insertion. Mean follow-up was 52 months. The objective cure rate for TVM-AP was significantly higher than TVM-A, 94.4% versus 80.3%. TVM-AP also showed a higher subjective cure rate (91.7%) though there was no significant difference from TVM-A (p = 0.260). The mesh extrusion rate was low at 3.1% with no major complications seen. In TVM-A the blood loss was lesser and the operation time was shorter.
CONCLUSION: TVM-AP showed better objective cure rate than TVM-A at 52 months. However, TVM-A is less invasive in comparison with an acceptably good cure rates.
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.
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OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the RQoL of the occupationally exposed (firefighters and traffic police) and the occupationally unexposed populations in Penang, Malaysia.
METHODS: We recruited male traffic police and firefighters from 5 districts of Penang by convenient sampling during June to September 2018. Participants completed the SGRQ. Scores (symptoms, activity, impacts, total) were derived using a scoring calculator. Higher scores indicate poorer RQoL. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were fitted to explore the relationship of the independent predictive factors with participants' RQoL.
RESULTS: We recruited 706 participants---211 firefighters, 198 traffic police, and 297 from general population. Smokers had significantly higher scores than non-smokers in all SGRQ domains. Regardless of smoking status, the "occupationally exposed group" had higher symptoms score than the "occupationally unexposed group," who had higher activity and impact scores. Smoking status, comorbidity status and monthly income were significant independent predictors of SGRQ total score.
CONCLUSION: In comparison with the general population, firefighters and traffic police reported poorer RQoL; smoking further deteriorated their respiratory health. There is a need to strengthen preventive health measures against occupational disease and smoking cessation among firefighters and traffic police.
METHODS: Data from 87 patients with cervical cancer recruited from a referral hospital in Yogyakarta province, Indonesia, from an earlier study of health-related quality of life were used in this study. The differences among the utility scores derived from the four value sets were determined using the Friedman test. Performance of the psychometric properties of the four value sets versus visual analogue scale (VAS) was assessed. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were used to test the agreement among the utility scores. Spearman ρ correlation coefficients were used to assess convergent validity between utility scores and patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. With respect to known-group validity, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to examine the differences in utility according to the stages of cancer.
RESULTS: There was significant difference among utility scores derived from the four value sets, among which the Malaysian value set yielded higher utility than the other three value sets. Utility obtained from the Malaysian value set had more agreements with VAS than the other value sets versus VAS (intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plot tests results). As for the validity, the four value sets showed equivalent psychometric properties as those that resulted from convergent and known-group validity tests.
CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of an Indonesian value set, the Malaysian value set was more preferable to be used compared with the other value sets. Further studies on the development of an Indonesian value set need to be conducted.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Delphi consensus technique was conducted online to review and evaluate the framework module. A panel of experts, including rehabilitation medicine physicians, occupational therapists, and clinical psychologists in Malaysia, was invited to participate in this study. For each round, the expert consensus was defined as more than 90% of the expert panel agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposed items.
RESULTS: A total of 33 practitioners completed the three Delphi rounds. 72.7% of the expert panel have been practising in their relevant clinical fields for more than six years (M = 10.67, SD = 5.68). In Round 1, 23% of the experts suggested that the framework module for attention training required further improvements, specifically in the language (M = 1.97, SD = 0.75) and instructions (M = 2.03, SD = 0.71) provided. In Round 2, 15% of the experts recommended additional changes in the instruction (M = 2.15, SD = 0.67) for attention training. Amendments made to the framework module in line with the recommendations provided by the experts resulted in a higher level of consensus, as 94% to 100% of the experts in Round 3 concluded the framework module was suitable and comprehensive for our breast cancer survivors. Following the key results, the objectives were practical, and the proposed approaches, strategies, and techniques for attention and memory training were feasible. The clarity of the instructions, procedures, verbatim transcripts, and timeframe further enhanced the efficacy and utility of the framework module.
CONCLUSIONS: This study found out that the cognitive intervention framework module for breast cancer survivors with cognitive impairment following chemotherapy can be successfully developed and feasible to be implemented using Delphi technique.
OBJECTIVE: With the growing body of evidence supporting the use of eHealth interventions, the intention is to conduct a meta-analysis on various health outcomes of eHealth interventions among ischaemic heart disease (IHD) patients.
METHODS: Based on PRISMA guidelines, eligible studies were searched through databases of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, EBSCOHost, and SAGE (PROSPERO registration CRD42021290091). Inclusion criteria were English language and randomised controlled trials published between 2011 to 2021 exploring health outcomes that empower IHD patients with eHealth interventions. RevMan 5.4 was utilised for meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and risk of bias (RoB) assessment while GRADE software for generating findings of physical health outcomes. Non-physical health outcomes were analysed using SWiM (synthesis without meta-analysis) method.
RESULTS: This review included 10 studies, whereby, six studies with 895 participants' data were pooled for physical health outcomes. Overall, the RoB varied significantly across domains, with the majority was low risks, a substantial proportion of high risks and a sizeable proportion of unclear. With GRADE evidence of moderate to high quality, eHealth interventions improved low density lipoprotien (LDL) levels in IHD patients when compared to usual care after 12 months of interventions (SMD -0.26, 95% CI [-0.45, -0.06], I2 = 0%, p = 0.01). Significance appraisal in each domain of the non-physical health outcomes found significant findings for medication adherence, physical activity and dietary behaviour, while half of the non-significant findings were found for other behavioural outcomes, psychological and quality of life.
CONCLUSIONS: Electronic Health interventions are found effective at lowering LDL cholesterol in long-term but benefits remain inconclusive for other physical and non-physical health outcomes for IHD patients. Integrating sustainable patient empowerment strategies with the advancement of eHealth interventions by utilising appropriate frameworks is recommended for future research.