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Life Review Intervention: A Systematic Review of Its Feasibility Among Persons With Cancer

Ng JK, Subramaniam P, Ismail F, Ahmad M, Shamsudin NL

J Pain Symptom Manage, 2022 Nov;64(5):e235-e249.
PMID: 35931402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.07.016

CONTEXT: Life Review Intervention (LRI) has started to shift in emphasis of focus onto persons with cancer and its effectiveness in improving their psychological well-being. The process has now begin integrating into healthcare settings as a complementary treatment for this population.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Feasibility of cardiac-based seizure detection and prediction: A systematic review of non-invasive wearable sensor-based studies

Seth EA, Watterson J, Xie J, Arulsamy A, Md Yusof HH, Ngadimon IW, et al.

Epilepsia Open, 2024 Feb;9(1):41-59.
PMID: 37881157 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12854

A reliable seizure detection or prediction device can potentially reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with epileptic seizures. Previous findings indicating alterations in cardiac activity during seizures suggest the usefulness of cardiac parameters for seizure detection or prediction. This study aims to examine available studies on seizure detection and prediction based on cardiac parameters using non-invasive wearable devices. The Embase, PubMed, and Scopus databases were used to systematically search according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Human studies that evaluated seizure detection or prediction based on cardiac parameters collected using wearable devices were included. The QUADAS-2 tool and proposed standards for validation for seizure detection devices were used for quality assessment. Twenty-four articles were identified and included in the analysis. Twenty studies evaluated seizure detection algorithms, and four studies focused on seizure prediction. Most studies used either a wrist-worn or chest-worn device for data acquisition. Among the seizure detection studies, cardiac parameters utilized for the algorithms mainly included heart rate (HR) (n = 11) or a combination of HR and heart rate variability (HRV) (n = 6). HR-based seizure detection studies collectively reported a sensitivity range of 56%-100% and a false alarm rate (FAR) of 0.02-8/h, with most studies performing retrospective validation of the algorithms. Three of the seizure prediction studies retrospectively validated multimodal algorithms, combining cardiac features with other physiological signals. Only one study prospectively validated their seizure prediction algorithm using HRV extracted from ECG data collected from a custom wearable device. These studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using cardiac parameters for seizure detection and prediction with wearable devices, with varying algorithmic performance. Many studies are in the proof-of-principle stage, and evidence for real-time detection or prediction is currently limited. Future studies should prioritize further refinement of the algorithm performance with prospective validation using large-scale longitudinal data. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This systematic review highlights the potential use of wearable devices, like wristbands, for detecting and predicting seizures via the measurement of heart activity. By reviewing 24 articles, it was found that most studies focused on using heart rate and changes in heart rate for seizure detection. There was a lack of studies looking at seizure prediction. The results were promising but most studies were not conducted in real-time. Therefore, more real-time studies are needed to verify the usage of heart activity-related wearable devices to detect seizures and even predict them, which will be beneficial to people with epilepsy.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext A Robust Handwritten Numeral Recognition Using Hybrid Orthogonal Polynomials and Moments

Abdulhussain SH, Mahmmod BM, Naser MA, Alsabah MQ, Ali R, Al-Haddad SAR

Sensors (Basel), 2021 Mar 12;21(6).
PMID: 33808986 DOI: 10.3390/s21061999

Numeral recognition is considered an essential preliminary step for optical character recognition, document understanding, and others. Although several handwritten numeral recognition algorithms have been proposed so far, achieving adequate recognition accuracy and execution time remain challenging to date. In particular, recognition accuracy depends on the features extraction mechanism. As such, a fast and robust numeral recognition method is essential, which meets the desired accuracy by extracting the features efficiently while maintaining fast implementation time. Furthermore, to date most of the existing studies are focused on evaluating their methods based on clean environments, thus limiting understanding of their potential application in more realistic noise environments. Therefore, finding a feasible and accurate handwritten numeral recognition method that is accurate in the more practical noisy environment is crucial. To this end, this paper proposes a new scheme for handwritten numeral recognition using Hybrid orthogonal polynomials. Gradient and smoothed features are extracted using the hybrid orthogonal polynomial. To reduce the complexity of feature extraction, the embedded image kernel technique has been adopted. In addition, support vector machine is used to classify the extracted features for the different numerals. The proposed scheme is evaluated under three different numeral recognition datasets: Roman, Arabic, and Devanagari. We compare the accuracy of the proposed numeral recognition method with the accuracy achieved by the state-of-the-art recognition methods. In addition, we compare the proposed method with the most updated method of a convolutional neural network. The results show that the proposed method achieves almost the highest recognition accuracy in comparison with the existing recognition methods in all the scenarios considered. Importantly, the results demonstrate that the proposed method is robust against the noise distortion and outperforms the convolutional neural network considerably, which signifies the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed approach in comparison to the state-of-the-art recognition methods under both clean noise and more realistic noise environments.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Paving the way in implementation of SCID newborn screening in developing nations: feasibility study and strategies to move forward in Malaysia

Kumarasamy G, Khairiz K, Chang WL, Aye TT, Ali A

Front Immunol, 2024;15:1400247.
PMID: 38983864 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1400247

Early diagnosis and effective management of Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs), particularly severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), play a crucial role in minimizing associated morbidities and mortality. Newborn screening (NBS) serves as a valuable tool in facilitating these efforts. Timely detection and diagnosis are essential for swiftly implementing isolation measures and ensuring prompt referral for definitive treatment, such as allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The utilization of comprehensive protocols and screening assays, including T cell receptor excision circles (TREC) and kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KREC), is essential in facilitating early diagnosis of SCID and other PIDs, but their successful application requires clinical expertise and proper implementation strategy. Unfortunately, a notable challenge arises from insufficient funding for the treatment of PIDs. To address these issues, a collaborative approach is imperative, involving advancements in technology, a well-functioning healthcare system, and active engagement from stakeholders. The integration of these elements is essential for overcoming the existing challenges in NBS for PIDs. By fostering synergy between technology providers, healthcare professionals, and governmental stakeholders, we can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of early diagnosis and intervention, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with PIDs.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies*
A feasibility study of adaptive radiation therapy for postprostatectomy prostate cancer

Meyers SM, Winter JD, Obeidi Y, Chung P, Menard C, Warde P, et al.

Med Dosim, 2023 11 18;49(2):150-158.
PMID: 37985297 DOI: 10.1016/j.meddos.2023.10.008

Postoperative prostate radiotherapy requires large planning target volume (PTV) margins to account for motion and deformation of the prostate bed. Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) can incorporate image-guidance data to personalize PTVs that maintain coverage while reducing toxicity. We present feasibility and dosimetry results of a prospective study of postprostatectomy ART. Twenty-one patients were treated with single-adaptation ART. Conventional treatments were delivered for fractions 1 to 6 and adapted plans for the remaining 27 fractions. Clinical target volumes (CTVs) and small bowel delineated on fraction 1 to 4 CBCT were used to generate adapted PTVs and planning organ-at-risk (OAR) volumes for adapted plans. PTV volume and OAR dose were compared between ART and conventional using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Weekly CBCT were used to assess the fraction of CTV covered by PTV, CTV D99, and small bowel D1cc. Clinical metrics were compared using a Student's t-test (p < 0.05 significant). Offline adaptive planning required 1.9 ± 0.4 days (mean ± SD). ART decreased mean adapted PTV volume 61 ± 37 cc and bladder wall D50 compared with conventional treatment (p < 0.01). The CTV was fully covered for 96% (97%) of fractions with ART (conventional). Reconstructing dose on weekly CBCT, a nonsignificant reduction in CTV D99 was observed with ART (94%) compared to conventional (96%). Reduced CTV D99 with ART was significantly correlated with large anterior-posterior rectal diameter on simulation CT. ART reduced the number of fractions exceeding our institution's small bowel D1c limit from 14% to 7%. This study has demonstrated the feasibility of offline ART for post-prostatectomy cancer. ART facilitates PTV volume reduction while maintaining reasonable CTV coverage and can reduce the dose to adjacent normal tissues.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies*
A feasibility study on preoperative carbohydrate loading in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery

Yap KS, Loh PS, Foong YX, Mok CZ, Ong T, Khor HM

BMC Geriatr, 2024 May 06;24(1):401.
PMID: 38711010 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04958-7

BACKGROUND: Preoperative carbohydrate loading in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery is an independent predictor of postoperative outcomes. By reducing the impact of surgical stress response, fasting-induced insulin resistance is modulated. As a clear fluid, consuming carbohydrate drink is safe up to 2 h preoperatively. Widely practiced in abdominal surgeries, its implementation in hip fracture surgeries is yet to be recognized. This study aimed to identify the feasibility of preoperative carbohydrate loading in hip fracture surgery and assess its clinical effects.
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).

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies*
Quantitative characterisation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque neovascularisation using contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging: A feasibility study

Tian M, Mohamad N, Gao XZ, Mohd Taib NH

Med J Malaysia, 2025 Jan;80(1):88-95.
PMID: 39812434

INTRODUCTION: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), an in vivo imaging tool for evaluating intraplaque neovascularisation (IPN), is an increasingly researched marker of susceptible atherosclerotic plaque. This study aims to assess the feasibility of quantifying carotid IPN using CEUS and to identify and characterise the neovascularisation in carotid plaques. The hospital's ethical committee approved the study, and the informed individual consent form of CEUS was obtained from all patients before the examination.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques (95 plaques) were studied on CEUS. Contrast enhancement in the plaque was evaluated with visual interpretation and quantitative analysis. The intraplaque neovascularisation (IPN) test was graded on a 3- point scale. IPN was quantified using dedicated software for CEUS image analysis.
RESULTS: It was found that the CEUS quantitative parameters were significantly different for plaques with varying types of echoes. The quantitative parameters also differed in soft, hard, and mixed plaques. The quantification of carotid IPN using CEUS was found feasible. The quantitative parameters measured from CEUS provide multiple references for carotid IPN of different echo types. This can help identify and monitor unstable atherosclerotic plaques.
CONCLUSION: CEUS has the potential to be an important tool in clinical application, specifically for diagnosing carotid atherosclerotic plaque features and vulnerability.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies*
Fulltext Feasibility and Acceptability of the "About Me" Care Card as a Tool for Engaging Older Adults in Conversations About Cognitive Impairment

Grande SW, Epperly M, Tan KY, Yagnik S, Ellenbogen M, Pederson J, et al.

Ann Fam Med, 2025 Mar 24;23(2):117-126.
PMID: 40127970 DOI: 10.1370/afm.240165

PURPOSE: We aimed to address fears and lived experiences of cognitive decline among adults via whole-person conversations that elicit problems and goals that matter most to patients. Currently, 6.7 million Americans have Alzheimer disease or related dementias, with an additional 28 million people reporting subjective cognitive decline-a possible indicator of Alzheimer disease and related dementias. A review of tools for older adults with cognitive impairment showed strong clinical specificity, with insufficient whole-person support for patients. We developed and tested the feasibility and acceptability of a tool to enhance conversations for adults with cognitive impairment at the point of care.
METHODS: We conducted a feasibility study to build a conversation tool, guided by principles of shared decision making, called the "About Me" Care Card. Informed by an environmental scan, we created and pilot-tested prototypes at implementation sites. All phases were overseen by a multidisciplinary steering committee.
RESULTS: Fourteen diverse clinicians consisting of 7 clinician types across 7 institutions piloted the card during in-person visits or by telephone. Observations showed that the card (1) allowed time to elicit what matters most to patients, (2) created space for personalized care conversations, (3) opened an examination of social care needs, and (4) moderated emotional relationships between families and individuals.
CONCLUSION: A community-based codesign process led to a feasible tool for primary care teams to facilitate whole-person conversations with aging adults. The About Me Care Card appeared to broaden conversations compared with routine care. More work is needed to determine scalability and effects on outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies*
Fulltext A New Chaotic System with Stable Equilibrium: Entropy Analysis, Parameter Estimation, and Circuit Design

Kapitaniak T, Mohammadi SA, Mekhilef S, Alsaadi FE, Hayat T, Pham VT

Entropy (Basel), 2018 Sep 05;20(9).
PMID: 33265759 DOI: 10.3390/e20090670

In this paper, we introduce a new, three-dimensional chaotic system with one stable equilibrium. This system is a multistable dynamic system in which the strange attractor is hidden. We investigate its dynamic properties through equilibrium analysis, a bifurcation diagram and Lyapunov exponents. Such multistable systems are important in engineering. We perform an entropy analysis, parameter estimation and circuit design using this new system to show its feasibility and ability to be used in engineering applications.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Mobile Network Performance and Technical Feasibility of LTE-Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Zulkifley MA, Behjati M, Nordin R, Zakaria MS

Sensors (Basel), 2021 Apr 18;21(8).
PMID: 33919486 DOI: 10.3390/s21082848

Conventional and license-free radio-controlled drone activities are limited to a line-of-sight (LoS) operational range. One of the alternatives to operate the drones beyond the visual line-of-sight (BVLoS) range is replacing the drone wireless communications system from the conventional industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) radio band to a licensed cellular-connected system. The Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology that has been established for the terrestrial area allows command-and-control and payload communications between drone and ground station in real-time. However, with increasing height above the ground, the radio environment changes, and utilizing terrestrial cellular networks for drone communications may face new challenges. In this regard, this paper aims to develop an LTE-based control system prototype for low altitude small drones and investigate the feasibility and performance of drone cellular connectivity at different altitudes with measuring parameters such as latency, handover, and signal strength. The measurement results have shown that by increasing flight height from ground to 170 m the received signal power and the signal quality levels were reduced by 20 dBm and 10 dB respectively, the downlink data rate decreased to 70%, and latency increased up to 94 ms. It is concluded that although the existing LTE network can provide a minimum requirement for drone cellular connectivity, further improvements are still needed to enhance aerial coverage, eliminate interference, and reduce network latency.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Stability analysis and optimal control of covid-19 with convex incidence rate in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (Pakistan)

Khan A, Zarin R, Hussain G, Ahmad NA, Mohd MH, Yusuf A

Results Phys, 2021 Jan;20:103703.
PMID: 33520623 DOI: 10.1016/j.rinp.2020.103703

The dynamic of covid-19 epidemic model with a convex incidence rate is studied in this article. First, we formulate the model without control and study all the basic properties and results including local and global stability. We show the global stability of disease free equilibrium using the method of Lyapunov function theory while for disease endemic, we use the method of geometrical approach. Furthermore, we develop a model with suitable optimal control strategies. Our aim is to minimize the infection in the host population. In order to do this, we use two control variables. Moreover, sensitivity analysis complemented by simulations are performed to determine how changes in parameters affect the dynamical behavior of the system. Taking into account the central manifold theory the bifurcation analysis is also incorporated. The numerical simulations are performed in order to show the feasibility of the control strategy and effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Contactless Visualization of Latent Fingerprints on Nonporous Curved Surfaces of Circular Cross Section

Low WZ, Khoo BE, Abdullah AF

J Forensic Sci, 2016 07;61(4):1093-9.
PMID: 27364293 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13063

Nondestructive techniques for gathering evidence are important in the field of forensics. Due to the geometry of the substrates, nondestructive visualization of fingermarks on curved surfaces remains challenging. A novel contactless technique was developed for visualizing and recording fingermark patterns on nonporous curved surfaces of circular cross section. The technique utilizes a plane mirror to transmit rays from a light source to illuminate the area of interest for fingermark visualization. The fingermark acquisition system consists of a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, a plane mirror, and a white light source. Mathematical equations are used to calculate the mirror size. Experiments were performed on various curved surfaces to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the technique. Spectral Image Validation and Verification (SIVV) was used to analyze the captured images. The results of this study indicate that the technique described here is able to reveal fingermark patterns on curved surfaces of circular cross section.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Feasibility study on small cars as an alternative to conventional fleets due to low occupancy: case study in Indonesia

Setiyo M, Widodo EM, Rosyidi MI, Waluyo B, Pambuko ZB, Tamaldin N

Heliyon, 2020 Jan;6(1):e03318.
PMID: 32051877 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03318

Consumer interest in privately managed urban transport services in Indonesia are showing a declining trend. On the other hand, the presence of Transportation on Demand (ToD) based on Internet of Things (IoT) has attracted the majority of conventional fleet customers which contribute to the declining trend of occupancy. Therefore, this study aims to present a feasibility study of a small car RE60 Three Passenger and One Driver (3P+1D) four-wheeler as an alternative to replace conventional fleets. The Break-Even Point (BEP), Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback Period (PP) are analyzed based on vehicle operating data. The analysis shows that there is an additional monthly income flow of IDR 1,533,122 and IDR 2,536,946 from RE60 operations compared to the high and low consumption of fuel from existing fleets, respectively. In conclusion, it is feasible to invest in small car RE60 as a replacement for the existing fleets since the fundamental indicators (BEP, NPV, IRR, and PP) showed positive results before the specified instalment period. Sensitivity analysis also shows good results, NPV shows positive results (>0) although the input conditions are made pessimistic to -30% from NPV base case. The BEP of RE60 will cut distance travelled at 190,670 km and 115,225 km, respectively. NPV of IDR 33,088,000 and IDR 80,841,000 will be obtained at the 60th month after the operation and IRR also enabled good scores, at 2.24% and 4.17%.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
A feasibility study for the treatment of 1,2-dichloroethane-contaminated groundwater using reedbed system and assessment of its natural attenuation

Rahim F, Abdullah SRS, Hasan HA, Kurniawan SB, Mamat A, Yusof KA, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2022 Mar 25;814:152799.
PMID: 34982990 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152799

A reedbed system planted with Phragmites australis was implemented to treat chlorinated hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater in an industrial plant area. Reedbed commissioning was conducted from July 2016 to November 2016 to treat contaminated groundwater via a pump-and-treat mechanism. Combination of horizontal and vertical reedbed systems was applied to treat 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2 DCA) under four parallel installations. The 2-acre horizontal and vertical reedbed systems were designed to treat approximately 305 m3/day of pumped groundwater. Initial concentration of 1,2 DCA was observed at 0.362 mg/L to 4320 mg/L, and the reedbed system successfully reduced the concentration up to 67.9%. The average outlet concentration was measured to be 2.08 mg/L, which was lower than the site-specific target level of 156 mg/L. Natural attenuation analysis was conducted using first-order decay kinetics, showing an average natural attenuation rate of 0.00372/year. Natural attenuation of 1,2 DCA was observed in shallow monitoring wells, which was indicated by the reduction trend of 1,2 DCA concentration, thereby confirming that the reedbed system worked well to remove 1.2 DCA from contaminated groundwater at the shallow profile.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Underwater Turbulence Detection Using Gated Wavefront Sensing Technique

Bi Y, Xu X, Chua SY, Chow EMT, Wang X

Sensors (Basel), 2018 Mar 07;18(3).
PMID: 29518889 DOI: 10.3390/s18030798

Laser sensing has been applied in various underwater applications, ranging from underwater detection to laser underwater communications. However, there are several great challenges when profiling underwater turbulence effects. Underwater detection is greatly affected by the turbulence effect, where the acquired image suffers excessive noise, blurring, and deformation. In this paper, we propose a novel underwater turbulence detection method based on a gated wavefront sensing technique. First, we elaborate on the operating principle of gated wavefront sensing and wavefront reconstruction. We then setup an experimental system in order to validate the feasibility of our proposed method. The effect of underwater turbulence on detection is examined at different distances, and under different turbulence levels. The experimental results obtained from our gated wavefront sensing system indicate that underwater turbulence can be detected and analyzed. The proposed gated wavefront sensing system has the advantage of a simple structure and high detection efficiency for underwater environments.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Utility and usability of an automated COVID-19 symptom monitoring system (CoSMoS) in primary care during COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative feasibility study

Lim HM, Abdullah A, Ng CJ, Teo CH, Valliyappan IG, Abdul Hadi H, et al.

Int J Med Inform, 2021 Nov;155:104567.
PMID: 34536808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104567

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 telemonitoring applications have been developed and used in primary care to monitor patients quarantined at home. There is a lack of evidence on the utility and usability of telemonitoring applications from end-users' perspective.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Moving from long case to scenario-based clinical examination: Proposals for making it feasible

Puthiaparampil T, Rahman MM, Shazrina AR, Nariman S, Lukas S, Chai CS, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2022 Nov;77(6):724-729.
PMID: 36448391

INTRODUCTION: Our faculty used one long case (LC) and three short cases for the clinical component of the final professional examinations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the LC had to be replaced with scenario-based clinical examination (SBCE) due to the impracticability of using recently hospitalised patients. While keeping the short case component as usual, the LC had to be replaced with SBCE in 2020 for the first time at a short notice. To evaluate the positive and negative aspects of SBCE and LC to determine the feasibility of replacing LC with SBCE in future examinations.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext The Direct and Indirect Costs of Cancer among the Lower-Income Group: Estimates from a Pilot and Feasibility Study

Aminuddin F, Bahari MS, Zainuddin NA, Mohd Hanafiah AN, Mohd Hassan NZA

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2023 Feb 01;24(2):489-496.
PMID: 36853297 DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.2.489

BACKGROUND: Healthcare in Malaysia is largely publicly funded, however, cancer could still result in out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, which may burden the affected patients. This is especially relevant to those in the lower-income group. This pilot study was conducted to estimate the direct and indirect costs of cancer and evaluate the feasibility of obtaining these costs information from the lower-income cancer patients undergoing treatment.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Fulltext Developing a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic respiratory diseases in Malaysia: A mixed-method feasibility study

Chan SC, Patrick Engksan J, Jeevajothi Nathan J, Sekhon JK, Hussein N, Suhaimi A, et al.

J Glob Health, 2023 Oct 27;13:04099.
PMID: 37883199 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.04099

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of remote healthcare and home-based interventions, including pulmonary rehabilitation, for patients with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). It has also heightened the vulnerability of individuals with underlying respiratory conditions to severe illness from COVID-19, necessitating exploration and assessment of the feasibility of delivering home - pulmonary rehabilitation (home-PR) programmes for CRD management in Malaysia and other countries. Home-based programmes offer a safer alternative to in-person rehabilitation during outbreaks like COVID-19 and can serve as a valuable resource for patients who may be hesitant to visit healthcare facilities during such times. We aimed to assess the feasibility of delivering a home-PR programme for patients with CRDs in Malaysia.
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.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies
Utilising standard samples instead of randomly collected food waste in composting: Implementation strategy and feasibility evaluation

Wang J, Li C, Awasthi MK, Nyambura SM, Zhu Z, Li H, et al.

J Environ Manage, 2024 Feb 27;353:120182.
PMID: 38278112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120182

Randomly collected food waste results in inaccurate experimental data with poor reproducibility for composting. This study investigated standard food waste samples as replacements for randomly collected food waste. A response surface methodology was utilised to analyse data from a 28-day compost process optimisation experiment using collected food waste, and the optimal combination of composting parameters was derived. Experiments using different standard food waste samples (high oil and salt, high oil and sugar, balanced diet, and vegetarian) were conducted for 28 days under optimal conditions. The ranking of differences between the standard samples and collected food waste was vegetarian > balanced diet > high oil and sugar > high oil and salt. Statistical analysis indicated t-tests for increased oil and salt samples and collected food waste were not significant, and Cohen's d effect values were minimal. High oil and salt samples can be used as replacements for collected food waste in composting experiments.

Matched MeSH terms: Feasibility Studies

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