OBJECTIVES: The current systematic review aims to synthesize existing feasibility studies on LRI among persons with cancer.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted from the databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, PsychArticles, Scopus, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, Cochrane, EBSCO, and other methods. Eligible articles were selected based on the predetermined inclusion criteria and data extraction revolved around the study design, intervention procedure, and feasibility and psychological outcome measures.
RESULTS: The search yielded 8,627 articles, to which respondents simultaneously receiving other forms of psychological interventions were excluded. Eight were selected for evaluation. Four were integrated interventions while the remaining were conducted with the standard intervention. The sample size range from 5 to 90 persons with cancer. All reviewed articles reported optimum feasibility, as presented by recruitment capability, participant retention rate, acceptability and satisfaction, intervention implementation, and evaluation of intervention outcome measures. However, a majority of psychological outcome measures indicated no statistical significance.
CONCLUSION: LRI is feasible to be implemented among persons with cancer, given the high acceptability and availability of resources for its implementation. The present review highlighted the preliminary knowledge on the feasibility of the intervention.
METHODS: This was a randomized controlled, open labelled trial. Patients ≥ 65 years old without diabetes mellitus, has hip fracture were recruited in a tertiary hospital between November 2020 and May 2021. The intervention was carbohydrate loading versus standard preoperative fasting.
RESULTS: Thirty-four ASA I-III patients (carbohydrate loading and control, n = 17 each), mean age 78 years (SEM ± 1.5), mean body mass index 23.7 (SEM ± 0.6 kg/m2) were recruited. Analysis for feasibility of carbohydrate loading (n = 17) demonstrated attrition rate of 29% (n = 5). Otherwise, all recruited patients were compliant (100% compliance) with no adverse events reported. There was no significant difference among groups in the postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain score, fatigue level, muscle strength, postoperative infection and length of hospital stay assessed at 24-48 h postoperatively.
CONCLUSION: The implementation of preoperative carbohydrate loading was found to be feasible preoperatively in hip fracture surgeries but requires careful coordination among multidisciplinary teams. An adequately powered randomized controlled study is needed to examine the full benefits of preoperative carbohydrate loading in this group of patients.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in ClinicalTrial.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04614181, date of registration: 03/11/2020).
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a COVID-19 symptom monitoring system (CoSMoS) by exploring its utility and usability with end-users.
METHODS: This was a qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Patients with suspected COVID-19 infection who used CoSMoS Telegram bot to monitor their COVID-19 symptoms and doctors who conducted the telemonitoring via CoSMoS dashboard were recruited. Universal sampling was used in this study. We stopped the recruitment when data saturation was reached. Patients and doctors shared their experiences using CoSMoS, its utility and usability for COVID-19 symptoms monitoring. Data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 11 patients and 4 doctors were recruited into this study. For utility, CoSMoS was useful in providing close monitoring and continuity of care, supporting patients' decision making, ensuring adherence to reporting, and reducing healthcare workers' burden during the pandemic. In terms of usability, patients expressed that CoSMoS was convenient and easy to use. The use of the existing social media application for symptom monitoring was acceptable for the patients. The content in the Telegram bot was easy to understand, although revision was needed to keep the content updated. Doctors preferred to integrate CoSMoS into the electronic medical record.
CONCLUSION: CoSMoS is feasible and useful to patients and doctors in providing remote monitoring and teleconsultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The utility and usability evaluation enables the refinement of CoSMoS to be a patient-centred monitoring system.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the LC scores of three previous years with those of the SBCE and studied the feedback of the three stakeholders: students, examiners, and simulated patients (SPs), regarding their experience with SBCE and the suitability of SBCE as an alternative for LC in future examinations.
RESULTS: The SBCE scores were higher than those of the LC. Most of the examiners and students were not in favour of SBCE replacing LC, as such. The SPs were more positive about the proposition. The comments of the three stakeholders brought out the plus and minus points of LC and SBCE, which prompted our proposals to make SBCE more practical for future examinations.
CONCLUSION: Having analysed the feedback of the stakeholders, and the positive and negative aspects of LC and SBCE, it was evident that SBCE needed improvements. We have proposed eight modifications to SBCE to make it a viable alternative for LC.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study of patients with cancer was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur between September and October 2020. Self-reported data from the patients were collected using face-to-face interviews. Detailed information about cancer-related OOP expenses including direct medical, direct non-medical, and productivity loss in addition to financial coping strategies were collected. Costs data were estimated and reported as average annual total costs per patient.
RESULTS: The mean total cost of cancer was estimated at MYR 7955.39 (US$ 1893.46) per patient per year. The direct non-medical cost was the largest contributor to the annual cost, accounting for 46.1% of the total cost. This was followed by indirect costs and direct medical costs at 36.0% and 17.9% of the total annual costs, respectively. Supplemental food and transportation costs were the major contributors to the total non-medical costs. The most frequently used financial coping strategies were savings and financial support received from relatives and friends.
CONCLUSION: This study showed that estimation of the total cost of cancer from the patient's perspective is feasible. Considering the significant impact of direct non-medical and indirect costs on the total costs, it is vital to conduct further exploration of its cost drivers and variations using a larger sample size.
METHODS: We recruited patients with CRDs from two hospitals in Klang Valley, Malaysia to a home-PR programme. Following centre-based assessment, patients performed the exercises at home (five sessions/week for eight weeks (total 40 sessions)). We monitored the patients via weekly telephone calls and asked about adherence to the programme. We measured functional exercise capacity (6-Minutes Walking Test (6MWT) and Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) (COPD Assessment Test (CAT)) at baseline and post-PR at nine weeks. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively sampled participants to explore views and feedback on the home-PR programme. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically.
RESULTS: We included 30 participants; two withdrew due to hospitalisation. Although 28 (93%) adhered to the full programme, only 11 (37%) attended the post-PR assessment because COVID-19 movement restrictions in Malaysia at that time prevented attendance at the centre. Four themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: involvement of family and caregivers, barriers to home-PR programme, interactions with peers and health care professionals, and programme enhancement.
CONCLUSION: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the home-PR programme proved feasible for remote delivery, although centre-based post-PR assessments were not possible. Family involvement played an important role in the home-PR programme. The delivery of this programme can be further improved to maximise the benefit for patients.
METHODS: Twenty patients were recruited from a public hospital and attended DBT skills groups in an outpatient clinic. Participants completed measures assessing psychological symptoms, self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation, emotion regulation difficulties, self-compassion, and well-being pre- and post-intervention.
RESULTS: There were significant reductions in depressive symptoms, stress, and emotion regulation difficulties, as well as increases in self-compassion and well-being from pre- to post-intervention. A trend was found for decreases in frequency and types of non-suicidal self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation, and anxiety symptoms. Qualitative content analyses of participants' feedback indicated that the vast majority of participants perceived a positive impact from the skills group, with mindfulness and distress tolerance being rated frequently as skills that were beneficial.
CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings suggest that DBT skills training is feasible and acceptable in a Muslim-majority, low resource clinical setting, and holds promise in improving clinical outcomes among BPD patients in Malaysia.