Length of Time to Clinical Improvement After Orthopedic Oncology Surgery in Patients With Metastatic Cancer: A Multi-Institution Patient-Reported Outcome Study.

Background: Currently, there is a paucity of data that describes the length of time required to realize improvement in pain and function following surgery for patients with metastatic cancer to bone.

Methods: One hundred patients with impending or completed pathologic fractures due to metastatic cancer to bone were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Outcomes were measured with a Computer Adaptive Test of Patient Reported Outcomes for Pain Interference and Physical Function domains, to determine the time required to achieve a Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) in the tested domains.

Caregiver-implemented intervention to increase use of positive airway pressure for adults with Down syndrome and sleep apnea.

Many individuals with Down syndrome are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a medical condition that substantially affects health and quality of life. The most common treatment for OSA is positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Few studies have examined interventions to improve PAP therapy adherence for adults with developmental disabilities or have recruited the assistance of caregivers to improve adherence with this therapy in the home.

Assessing and teaching job-related social skills to adults with neurodevelopmental disorders in Italy.

Social challenges in the work place can serve as an obstacle to regular employment for many individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD). Nonetheless, few studies have focused on interventions to improve job-related social skills or included residents of countries outside of the United States. This study replicated and extended prior research by evaluating the acquisition of job-related social skills with three individuals with NDD residing in Italy.

A comparative effectiveness trial of functional behavioral assessment methods.

Clinicians report primarily using functional behavioral assessment (FBA) methods that do not include functional analyses. However, studies examining the correspondence between functional analyses and other types of FBAs have produced inconsistent results. In addition, although functional analyses are considered the gold standard, their contribution toward successful treatment compared with other FBA methods remains unclear.