Social worlds of Appalachian women caregivers of older relatives living with dementia.

Rationale: Over 11 million people in the United States provide care for an older family member with dementia, with this responsibility primarily falling on daughters and wives. In Appalachia, a mountainous region in the U.S characterized by close families, family members were crucial to ensuring that care needs were met for people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dementia Care in Rural Appalachia: Multilevel Analysis of Individual- and County-Level Factors.

Background And Objectives: Home- and community-based services (HCBS) are underutilized, despite offering significant health benefits to both care recipients and caregivers. Drawing upon Andersen's extended behavioral model of health services use, we examined individual- and county-level factors influencing HCBS utilization for dementia care in rural Appalachia.

Research Design And Methods: We analyzed data from telephone interviews with 123 dementia family caregivers in rural Appalachian counties (Mage = 64.

Family Caregivers' Management of Behavioral Expressions of Dementia.

Background And Objectives: Behavioral expressions of dementia are often stressful for family caregivers to manage as they strive to ensure their relative's needs are met. Guided by Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, we identified specific behaviors that disrupt daily routines and challenge the achievement of caregiving goals, and the approaches and strategies caregivers employ to address them.

Research Design And Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 30 family caregivers in rural Appalachia caring for a relative living with dementia.

Ultra-processed food intake, gut microbiome, and glucose homeostasis in mid-life adults: Background, design, and methods of a controlled feeding trial.

Background: Aging is associated with gut dysbiosis, low-grade inflammation, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Prediabetes, which increases T2D and cardiovascular disease risk, is present in 45-50% of mid-life adults. The gut microbiota may link ultra-processed food (UPF) with inflammation and T2D risk.

Parental Impressions and Perspectives of Efficacy in Prenatal Counseling for Single Ventricle Congenital Heart Disease.

Although commonly performed, optimal techniques, strategies, and content to achieve the most effective prenatal counseling have not been explored. We investigate the efficacy of prenatal counseling via survey feedback of parents of children with prenatally diagnosed single ventricle. Grades of counseling using a Likert scale (1-5) were solicited to assess: (1) overall impression of quantity of counseling, (2) explanation of the heart defect, (3) preparation for heart surgery, (4) preparation for hospital course and care, (5) preparation for complications and outcomes of a Fontan circulation, and (6) preparation for neurological, school-related, or behavioral problems.