Therapy Quality Of Life Research Articles

Effectiveness of Herbal Steam Bath Therapy for Quality of Life and Sleep Quality in Post-Covid-19 Patients

Effectiveness of Herbal Steam Bath Therapy for Quality of Life and Sleep Quality in Post-Covid-19 Patients

Effectiveness of pharmaceutical care for improving medication‐related quality of life and adherence to treatment among people living with schizophrenia: a randomised controlled trial

AbstractBackgroundPeople living with schizophrenia frequently exhibit poor medication adherence because of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or lack of disease awareness. This prospective randomised controlled trial investigated the benefits of pharmaceutical care delivered by hospital pharmacists for improving pharmacotherapy‐related quality of life and medication adherence among this patient group.AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmaceutical care interventions in enhancing medication adherence and improving the quality of life of people living with schizophrenia.MethodData were collected during inpatient and subsequent outpatient treatment from 6 January–8 June 2021. Participants were divided into two groups via block randomisation: a control group receiving standard treatment; and an intervention group receiving pharmaceutical care combined with standard treatment. The pharmaceutical care comprised medication review, monitoring of drug‐related problems (including ADRs), adjustment of the dose of antipsychotic medicines in collaboration with psychiatrists, and counselling of participants and caregivers about disease management before discharge. Pharmacotherapy‐related quality of life was assessed using the short version of the Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measure of Pharmaceutical Therapy for Quality of Life (PROMPT‐QoL), whereas medication adherence was evaluated using the Medication Taking Behaviour in Thai Patients (MTB‐Thai). The primary outcomes were the average change in the PROMPT‐QoL score from inpatient to outpatient care and the average outpatient MTB‐Thai score. Ethical approval was granted by the Srithanya Hospital Office of the Ethics Commission for Human Research (Reference no: STY.COA008/2564) and the study conforms to the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all patient and caregiver participants via a project information sheet and the completion of a written consent form.ResultsAt the end of the study, compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly lower ADR prevalence (57.90% vs 79.70%, p < 0.05) and a greater change in the mean PROMPT‐QoL scores pertaining to ‘obtaining information of medicines and diseases’, ‘impact of medicine side effects’, ‘ease of use of medicines’, and ‘therapeutic relationship’. In addition, the intervention group achieved a significantly higher mean of medicine adherence score than the control group (22.81 ± 1.61 vs 16.85 ± 3.00, p < 0.001).ConclusionPharmaceutical care may improve the outcomes of people living with schizophrenia by improving their quality of life, decreasing ADRs, and enhancing medication adherence.

The Efficacy of Quality-of-Life Therapy Training on the Psychological Burden of Mothers of Children with Cancer: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Cancer in children, due to its unpredictable and progressive nature, causes a psychological burden and reduces the quality of life for mothers. The present study aimed to examine the effect of quality-of-life therapy (QOLT) training on the psychological burden of mothers of children with cancer. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with mothers of children with cancer who visited the chemotherapy departments of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan in 2023. The sample consisted of 80 participants who were randomly divided into two groups: An intervention group and a control group, each containing 40 members. The mothers in the intervention group attended eight group counseling sessions based on QOLT every other day. Data were collected before the intervention and eight weeks after the intervention using the Zarit Burden interview (ZBI). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-27 software with independent samples t-tests, paired samples t-tests, chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). A significance level of less than 0.05 (P < 0.05) was set for data analysis. Findings: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean psychological burden score before the intervention (P = 0.97). However, the results of the ANCOVA, controlling for the variables of mothers' age, number of children, duration of illness, and pre-test scores, showed that the mean psychological burden score for mothers in the intervention group (27.22 ± 12.82) was significantly lower than that of mothers in the control group (41.20 ± 11.50) after the QOLT training intervention (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The QOLT intervention in this study had a positive and significant effect on reducing the psychological burden of mothers of children with cancer. Therefore, healthcare providers and medical staff are encouraged to utilize this counseling technique to enhance the well-being and psychological health of mothers and to promote the quality of life for both mothers and their children.

Combined Couple Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment and Schema Therapy for Quality of Life and Recovery Process of Patients With Breast Cancer During Medical Treatment

Introduction: Cancer can affect the process of recovery and the quality of life (QoL) of individuals. This study determined the effectiveness of combined couple therapy based on acceptance and commitment and schema therapy on the QoL and recovery process of patients with breast cancer (BC) during medical treatment. Methods: The research method is semi-experimental with pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and control group. The study’s statistical population included all married patients with BC (stage one) who received treatment in Mashhad in 2019. A total of 30 samples were selected through the convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to the control and treatment groups. The exceptional EORTC QoL questionnaire (QLQ-C30) was used in patients with cancer to collect data, and the recovery symptoms were checked according to medical records and the relevant specialist’s opinion. The data were also analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance to analyze the obtained data. Results: The findings demonstrated that the combined couple therapy based on Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) had a significant effect on the QoL and recovery process of patients with cancer during medical treatment (P>0.01). Conclusion: The results imply that couple schema therapy-based ACT could positively affect the QoL and treatment processes among cancer patients.

Efficacy of technology-based interventions in psychosis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Technology-based interventions (TBIs) are a useful approach when attempting to provide therapy to more patients with psychosis. Randomized controlled trials of outcomes of TBIs v. face-to-face interventions in psychosis were identified in a systematic search conducted in PubMed/Ovid MEDLINE. Data were extracted independently by two researchers, and standardized mean changes were pooled using a three-level model and network meta-analysis. Fifty-eight studies were included. TBIs complementing treatment as usual (TAU) were generally superior to face-to-face interventions (g = 0.16, p ≤ 0.0001) and to specific outcomes, namely, neurocognition (g = 0.13, p ≤ 0.0001), functioning (g = 0.25, p = 0.006), and social cognition (g = 0.32, p ≤ 0.05). Based on the network meta-analysis, the effect of two TBIs differed significantly from zero; these were the TBIs cognitive training for the neurocognitive outcome [g = 0.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09-0.23] and cognitive behavioral therapy for quality of life (g = 1.27; 95% CI 0.46-2.08). The variables educational level, type of medication, frequency of the intervention, and contact during the intervention moderated the effectiveness of TBIs over face-to-face interventions in neurocognition and symptomatology. TBIs are effective for the management of neurocognition, symptomatology, functioning, social cognition, and quality of life outcomes in patients with psychosis. The results of the network meta-analysis showed the efficacy of some TBIs for neurocognition, symptomatology, and quality of life. Therefore, TBIs should be considered a complement to TAU in patients with psychosis.

1050 DELIRIUM RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT IN AN INPATIENT REHABILITATION UNIT

Abstract Introduction Delirium is associated with poor outcomes, but is under-diagnosed and under-treated. This project aimed to improve delirium recognition and multidisciplinary team (MDT) management on an inpatient rehabilitation ward. (NICE delirium: prevention, diagnosis and management, 2010). Methodology Using the Model for Improvement, the MDT identified four areas of delirium care; prevention, recognition, causes and management. Aspects of each were mapped in a driver diagram. The MDT voted on areas to target. Results and interventions were reviewed at weekly meetings. PDSA cycles 1.A delirium marker was introduced to the nursing handover and patients’ rooms. Data was collected on its use and weekly MDT meetings were used to check the accuracy of delirium identification. 2.An audit was completed of the 'patient profile’ information held in patients' bedside files. A person-centred ‘about me’ board was introduced instead and positioned visibly in patients’ rooms. 3.Healthcare assistants completed daily bowel charts. 4.Doctors completed anticholinergic medication reviews. Data was analysed using SPC charts. Results Before the delirium flag 0% of patients with delirium were identified on nursing handover. This improved to 58% on average, although some patients were incorrectly identified as delirious. Baseline personal profile completion rate was 61% on average, but the information quality collected was poor. The new ‘about me’ profile completion rate improved over time, varying between 16% and 86%. 100% of patients had medication reviews. Bowel chart completion improved from 89% to 100%. Conclusion Recognition of delirium improved. Stool charts and medication reviews were successfully implemented. The ‘about me’ board completion rate fluctuated but the information is now more visible. Our long-term goal is to improve patient-related outcomes such as engagement in therapy quality of life, and length of stay. Teaching sessions on delirium will be delivered by MDT members. Successful interventions will be expanded to other wards and PDSA cycles will continue.

Impact of a drug-related patient-reported outcome measure on drug-related problem identification, physicians' acceptance, and clinical and quality of life outcomes: a randomized controlled trial.

Data are scarce regarding the usefulness of a pharmaceutical therapy-related quality of life measure including the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure of Pharmaceutical Therapy for Quality of Life (PROMPT-QoL), for providing pharmaceutical care. To evaluate the impact of the PROMPT-QoL on identifying drug-related problems (DRPs), physicians' acceptance of pharmacist's recommendations on the DRP resolution, and clinical and quality of life outcomes. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary public hospital in Thailand from October 2019 to May 2020. A total of 286 outpatients with chronic diseases were randomly allocated into the control group (provided with pharmaceutical care only) (N = 146) and the intervention group (provided with pharmaceutical care together with use of the PROMPT-QoL) (N = 140). A significantly higher mean number of DRPs could be identified in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significantly higher proportion of physicians' acceptance of pharmacist's recommendations on the DRP resolution in the intervention than in the control group (p = 0.019). Regarding the clinical outcome, a significantly higher proportion of the DRP resolution was found in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.002). For quality of life outcomes, the intervention group yielded a significantly higher mean difference between posttest and pretest on the Medicine and Disease Information domain score of the PROMPT-QoL (p = 0.029) and the EuroQoL-Visual Analog Scale score (p = 0.031) than the control group. This study revealed that the application of the PROMPT-QoL together with pharmaceutical care favorably influenced identification of DRPs, physicians' acceptances, and clinical outcomes. Trial registration TCTR20201208005 on December 5, 2020.

The effectiveness of quality of life therapy on fear and anxiety control in at-risk workers of electricity company

This study aimed to investigate the effect of quality of life therapy (QOLT) on interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, coping with stressful situations, anxiety, and phobia in lineworkers of Isfahan Electrical Distribution Company. This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all 250 employees in Isfahan electricity distribution company. Among them, 40 lineworkers who were willing to participate in the project, were selected by purposive sampling and randomly divided into experimental (n = 20 per group). The QOLT intervention was performed on the experimental group for eight 90-min sessions. The research instrument included the Coping Inventory of Stressful Situations (CISS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Symptom CheckList-90- Revised (SCL-90-R). The intervention sessions had a significant effect on the components of coping with stressful situations, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, anxiety, and phobia in the post-test and follow-up assessments of the experimental group. Quality of life therapy can increase the ability to cope with stressful situations, improve interpersonal relationships, increase self-esteem, and decrease anxiety and phobia in at-risk workers of Isfahan electrical distribution company, who are continuously exposed to stressful situations.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Compassion-focused Therapy and Quality of Life Therapy on Self-Criticism and Psychopathological Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Background: The main feature of Major Depression Disorder (MDD) is mood swings between sadness (from minor disappointment to extreme despair) for several days, weeks, months, or even years. This work tries to compare the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy and quality of life-therapy on self-criticism and psychopathological symptoms in patients with MDD.Methodology: This work is a quasi-experimental study (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up test with a control group). The subjects include 45 MDD patients admitted in psychological advisory centers in Neyshabur, all of whom are selected by convenience sampling method and randomly divided into three groups: the compassion-focused therapy group, the quality of the life-therapy group, and the control group. The members of the CFT group and quality of life-therapy respectively received 8 and 10 therapy sessions, while the control group members were put on a waiting list. The research tools are as follows Self-Criticism Scale, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Beck-Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The participants were tested before therapy intrusions, immediately after the sessions, and two-month after the ending session. Data were analyzed according to the variance analysis test by repetitive measurements and SPSS-24 Software.Results: The results show that both therapies are effective in reducing self-criticism (p < 0.001) and psychopathological symptoms (p < 0.001); however, this effect was significantly higher in the CFT group as compared to the quality of life-therapy group (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Given the biological and psychological infrastructure of MDD, using quality of life-therapy and self-compassion approaches (in addition to medication) can be effective in reducing MDD symptoms.

The Application of Quality of Life Therapy via Teletherapy during COVID-19 to Reduce Depression in Early Adulthood (When caused by bullying during adolescence)

One of the effects of bullying in adolescence is the emerging of depression tendency in early adulthood even when the bullying has stopped. This long-term impact can require psychological therapy. One of the psychological therapies that helps to reduce depression tendencies is Quality-of-Life-Therapy (QOLT). QOLT could increase happiness and overall quality of life by increasing satisfaction in several areas from 16 specific areas of life through the 5 stages of CASIO. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of QOLT on the depression tendencies in early adulthood victims of adolescent bullying. The research design used in this study was a single case experimental design with ABA pattern. The instrument used in this study was the 21-items Beck Depression Inventory. There were two subjects in this study, each with a high level of depression tendency based on the BDI score. The QOLT was conducted online for 8 sessions and administered by a psychologist. In addition, the QOLT module guide was used as a reference for implementing the therapy that has been validated by expert. The data were subjected to visual and descriptive analysis and the results show the decrease of depression tendency.&#x0D; Keywords: depression tendency, quality of life therapy, bullying victims, early adulthood, pandemic covid-19

Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomised Trial of Social Prescribing of Forest Therapy for Quality of Life and Biopsychosocial Wellbeing in Community-Living Australian Adults with Mental Illness: Protocol.

Social Prescribing (SP) involves linking individuals with mental illness to local health and welfare services to improve quality of life (QoL) and biopsychosocial wellbeing. SP programs address psychosocial wellbeing by linking individuals to group activities. Forest Therapy (FT) is a group nature walk with prescribed activities that promote mindfulness, relaxation, and shared experience. Improvements in psychological and physical wellbeing have been demonstrated in FT, but psychosocial impacts have not been widely investigated. This study will implement an SP FT intervention and assess the impacts on QoL and biopsychosocial wellbeing. Participants will include 140 community-living adults with mental illness at Sydney/Gold Coast, Australia. A stepped-wedge cluster randomised design will be used; each participant will complete a 10-week control period followed by a 10-week FT intervention. Weekly 90-min FT sessions will be conducted in groups of 6–10 in local nature reserves. Validated tools will measure self-report QoL and biopsychosocial wellbeing pre- and post-control and intervention periods, and 5-week follow-up. Blood pressure and heart rate will be measured pre- and post-FT sessions. Hypothesised outcomes include improvements in QoL and biopsychosocial wellbeing. This study is the first to assess SP FT, and may provide evidence for a novel, scalable mental illness intervention.

Abstract 13165: Self-Reported Social Functioning is Responsive to Change in Functional Class in Patients With a Left Ventricular Assist Device: Findings From the Mechanical Circulatory Support Measures of Adjustment and Quality of Life Study

Introduction: Improvement in social functioning is an important goal for advanced heart failure (HF) patients (pts) who receive left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Self-reported social functioning and its association with clinical change is understudied. Methods: Adult HF pts who received LVADs at nine U.S. sites completed two measures of social functioning prior to, and 3-6 months after, surgery. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures were: Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (Ability) and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities (Satisfaction). PROMIS uses T-scores standardized to a U.S. general population (mean=50; standard deviation, SD=10); higher scores represent better outcomes. New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification was assigned at both times by treating clinicians; change was subsequently categorized as Better, Same or Worse NYHA. Linear mixed effects models and least-squares means were estimated for Ability and Satisfaction. Results: Pts ( n =107) were primarily male (78%) and non-Hispanic White (68%); mean age (SD)=54 (12.5) years; 74% were NYHA Class IV prior to surgery and only 18% were NYHA IV at follow-up. NYHA was better for the majority ( n =75, 70%); 24% ( n =26) were the same, and 6% ( n =6) were worse. Mean Ability and Satisfaction were lower than the general population mean of 50 at both time points (Figure). Ability improved for the NYHA Better ( p &lt;0.001) and Same ( p =0.030) groups, and nominally decreased for the Worse group ( p =0.800). Satisfaction improved for the Better ( p &lt;0.001) group, and nominally improved for the Same and Worse groups ( p &gt;0.300). Conclusions: Self-reported social functioning measures were responsive to clinician-rated clinical change. Understanding these relationships may guide clinicians in providing targeted health-related quality of life therapies to improve social functioning.

Θετικές παρεμβάσεις στη Γνωσιακή-Συμπεριφορική Ψυχοθεραπεία

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a well-established, evidence-based psychotherapy. Although it is the therapy of choice for both depression and anxiety disorders, many patients remain symptomatic after termination of their treatment, while relapses are not uncommon in the long-term follow-ups. Over time, different techniques have beenproposed in order to enrich cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy and increase its effectiveness. From the field of Positive Psychology, three psychotherapeutic strategies, Well-Being Therapy, Hope Therapy and Quality of Life Therapy, have been applied as additional ingredients in cognitive-behavioral packages. They are applied either as relapse prevention or as therapeutic strategies, in patients with affective and anxiety disorders who failed to respond to standard psychotherapeutic treatments. This paper presents the clinical and conceptual framework, as well as the structure and application of each strategy. Their potential clinical usefulness and results of preliminary validation studies are presented. Finally, their contribution in enriching the effectiveness of CBT is discussed.

Effectiveness of quality of life therapy on subjective well-being of Afghan women

Afghanistan experiencing more than four decades of war and violence, which has caused a lot of adversity to all specially women and affected their quality of life. This research conducted with aim of studying effectiveness of quality of life therapy on subjective wellbeing of Afghan women. It was quasi-experimental study with experimental, control groups and follow-up stage. Simple random sampling method used, therefore at first stage 200 copies of positive and negative affects questionnaire distributed among female students at Kabul University and Shaheed Rabbani Education University of Kabul city. 40 participants who had obtained scores that are more negative were invited for this study. In the second stage, 40 participants assessed through Ryff Subjective wellbeing questionnaire and then they divided to research and control groups. Finally, out of 40 participants, 28 of them participated in two groups (16 participants per group). Then the experimental group received 6-session intervention according to quality of life therapy (QOLT) package and control group did not receive any intervention. At the end of the sessions, posttest performed for both groups. In order to understand the consistency level of treatment, after 2 months the groups assessed with Ryff’s subjective wellbeing questionnaire. SPSS version 25 used for data analysis. The results show quality of life therapy have increased the subjective wellbeing of research group’s subjects in both stages (P&gt;0.05). Based on findings it has argued that using this therapeutic package enhances subjective wellbeing and could prevent many mental health disorders.

The Efficacy of Quality of Life-Therapy on Cognitive Flexibility and Family Cohesiveness in Outpatients with Opioid Use Disorder

The Efficacy of Quality of Life-Therapy on Cognitive Flexibility and Family Cohesiveness in Outpatients with Opioid Use Disorder

Relationships Between Pharmaceutical Therapy–Related Quality of Life and Health Utility Scores in Thai Patients With Chronic Diseases

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between pharmaceutical therapy–related quality of life (PTRQoL) and health utility (HU) scores since such data was not available. MethodsThe dataset of 1156 outpatients with chronic diseases from 3 public university hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand, were applied. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure of Pharmaceutical Therapy for Quality of Life (PROMPT-QoL) was utilized to assess PTRQoL. HU measures included EQ-5D-5L and EuroQoL-Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS). Multiple linear regressions using a stepwise approach were applied to evaluate the relationships between the PROMPT-QoL and the HU scores. ResultsThe results found that the EQ-5D-5L was mostly correlated with the impacts of medicines and side-effects followed by the medicine effectiveness, psychologic impacts of medication use, and availability and accessibility domains of the PROMPT-QoL, respectively (actual R2 about 18%). The EQ-VAS was mostly associated with the impacts of medicines and side-effects, followed by the medicine effectiveness and overall quality of life domains, respectively (actual R2 about 14%). ConclusionsThe PROMPT-QoL had medium correlations with the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS scores. Their relationships depended on HU approaches used. More research is needed to examine the relationships between the PROMPT-QoL or other PTRQoL instruments and other HU scores in other settings and populations.

Medication-Related Quality of Life in Thai Epilepsy Patients.

Background and PurposeThis study aimed to assess medication-related quality of life in Thai patients with epilepsy. The second objective was to evaluate the associations between the medication therapy-related quality of life and patient characteristics.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of 173 outpatients with epilepsy was recruited from a university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Inclusion criteria were aged 18 or over who were continuously taking an epileptic drug for at least 3 months, understanding Thai language, and willing to participate in the study. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure of Pharmaceutical Therapy for Quality of Life (PROMPT-QoL) was utilized to measure the medication therapy-related quality of life. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple linear regressions were employed to assess the relationships between eight PROMPT-QoL domain scores and patient demographic and clinical characteristics.ResultsMean age was 36.4±9.5 years and approximately 57% were female. Among eight domains of the PROMPT-QoL, the therapeutic relationships with health care providers and psychological impacts of medication use domains yielded the highest (77.9) and lowest (61.9) mean scores, respectively. Seven out of eight PROMPT-QoL domain scores were considered as moderate-to-good. Age, gender, duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, and treatment preference were significantly associated with PROMPT-QoL domain scores in multivariate linear regression analyses.ConclusionsThis study showed that Thai patients with epilepsy had moderate-to-good medication therapy-related quality of life. Healthcare providers should pay more attention to patients’ psychological impacts of antiepileptic drugs and those with characteristics related to lower medication therapy-related quality of life.

The Effect of Group Counseling Based on Quality of Life Therapy on Stress and Life Satisfaction in Family Caregivers of Individuals with Substance Use Problem: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Family caregivers of people with substance abuse are exposed to psychological problems that diminish their life quality and satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to diagnose the efficacy of quality-of-life intervention on stress and life satisfaction of family caregivers of individuals with substance use problem. This is a randomized controlled trial conducted on 80 family caregivers of individuals with substance use problem in the process of withdrawal who were referred to a psychiatric center in southeastern Iran (2018). The intervention group received seven sessions of quality-of-life group counseling every other day based on predetermined content. Twelve weeks post-intervention, data were collected from the control and intervention groups using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The results were analyzed through statistical tests. After group counseling based on quality of life, the mean stress score in the family caregivers of the intervention group (11.50 ± 4.36) was significantly lower than in those of the control group (14.67 ± 4.93) (p = 0.003). Also, in the posttest, the mean score of life satisfaction in the intervention group (24.75 ± 4.28) was significantly higher than that of the control group (19.57 ± 7.33) (p = 0.001). Group counseling based on quality of life exerted a significantly positive impact on reducing the severity of stress and improving life satisfaction among family caregivers of individuals with substance use problem. Therefore, it is highly recommended that healthcare service providers incorporate this counseling approach in substance use withdrawal programs so as to increase the well-being and mental health of family caregivers.

Canine-Assisted Therapy and Quality of Life in People With Alzheimer-Type Dementia: Pilot Study.

BackgroundWith the aim of improving the quality of life of people with Alzheimer’s disease, primarily as regards behavioral and psychological symptoms, we implemented canine-assisted therapy in a group of people with this disease.MethodsWe conducted a quasi-experimental study, with a simple pre-post case series design. Participants comprised 10 Alzheimer’s day care center users presenting severe or very severe cognitive decline. The measurement instrument employed was the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID) scale.ResultsBy the end of the therapy, 100% of participants showed an improvement in physical, behavioral, and psychological aspects. The total scores of the QUALID scale for the three different evaluation times (before the therapy and 6 and 12 months after starting) after the canine-assisted therapy intervention were smaller and less dispersed. The total score for the QUALID scale decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at 6 and 12 months after starting therapy. An analysis by item revealed that the scores of all of them fell during the course of the therapy.DiscussionOur study provides evidence of the significant benefits of canine-assisted therapy for quality of life in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological adjuvant therapies for quality of life in the patients with breast cancer receiving chemo- or radio-therapy: A protocol for systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Background:Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. When treated by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, there are various non-pharmacological adjuvant therapies (NPATs) recommended for helping the patients with breast cancer alleviate multiple side effects induced by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and improve quality of life (QoL). However, the existing evidence does not suggest the therapy with the best effectiveness among a variety of NPATs. This study is to compare the effectiveness of different NPATs on QoL in the patients with breast cancer using Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA).Methods and analysis:We will conduct a comprehensive search strategy in the relevant databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, World Health Organization (WHO), International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) search portal (http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Default.aspx), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang Data). The random or quasi-random controlled trails that compare different NPATs in patient with breast cancer who received the chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy will be included. We only focus on the outcome of QoL which can be assessed by a series of tools. The risk of bias for included studies will be appraised using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. The standard pairwise meta-analysis and a Bayesian NMA will be conducted.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval and patient consent are not required since this is an NMA based on published studies. We will submit our NMA to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.PROSPERO registration number:CRD42017078143.