A Pilot One Group Feasibility, Acceptability, and Initial Efficacy Trial of LISTEN for Loneliness in Lonely Stroke Survivors.

Loneliness is a prevalent problem for adult stroke survivors, and a known contributor to hypertension, secondary stroke, functional decline, poorer quality of life, and mortality in older adults. LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a theoretically based behavioral health intervention designed to target loneliness, in a sample of lonely survivors of ischemic stroke. To assess the feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes) in lonely stroke survivors and to evaluate the initial efficacy of LISTEN for loneliness, depressive symptoms, neurological quality of life, and blood pressure in a sample of lonely survivors of ischemic stroke.

Designing a multifaceted telehealth intervention for a rural population using a model for developing complex interventions in nursing.

Background: Telehealth interventions offer an evidenced-based approach to providing cost-effective care, education, and timely communication at a distance. Yet, despite its widespread use, telehealth has not reached full potential, especially in rural areas, due to the complex process of designing and implementing telehealth programs. The objective of this paper is to explore the use of a theory-based approach, the Model for Developing Complex Interventions in Nursing, to design a pilot telehealth intervention program for a rural population with multiple chronic conditions.

The effectiveness of mI SMART: A nurse practitioner led technology intervention for multiple chronic conditions in primary care.

Aims: Used as integrated tools, technology may improve access and outcomes of care. A new intervention that integrates multiple technologies called mI SMART has been developed, implemented, and evaluated by Nurse Practitioners. The aim of this paper is to present the initial effectiveness of a web-based, structure of sensors and mobile devices designed to overcome the known health determinant of access to care for rural, chronically ill patients by using technology.

Effectiveness of LISTEN on loneliness, neuroimmunological stress response, psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and physical health measures of chronic illness.

Objectives: Loneliness is a biopsychosocial determinant of health and contributes to physical and psychological chronic illnesses, functional decline, and mortality in older adults. This paper presents the results of the first randomized trial of LISTEN, which is a new cognitive behavioral intervention for loneliness, on loneliness, neuroimmunological stress response, psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and measures of physical health.

Methods: The effectiveness of LISTEN was evaluated in a sample population comprising 27 lonely, chronically ill, older adults living in Appalachia.

The use of teledermoscopy in the accurate identification of cancerous skin lesions in the adult population: A systematic review.

Background The use of teledermoscopy in the diagnostic management of pre-cancerous and cancerous skin lesions involves digital dermoscopic images transmitted over telecommunication networks via email or web applications. Teledermoscopy may improve the accuracy in clinical diagnoses of melanoma skin cancer if integrated into electronic medical records and made available to rural communities, potentially leading to decreased morbidity and mortality. Objective and method The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of evidence on the use of teledermoscopy to improve the accuracy of skin lesion identification in adult populations.

Using Multidisciplinary Focus Groups to Inform the Development of mI SMART: A Nurse-Led Technology Intervention for Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Used as integrated tools, technology may improve the ability of healthcare providers to improve access and outcomes of care. Little is known about healthcare teams' preferences in using such technology. This paper reports the findings from focus groups aimed at evaluating a newly developed primary care technology platform.

Using Gene Expression Analysis to Examine Changes in Loneliness, Depression and Systemic Inflammation in Lonely Chronically Ill Older Adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention) on loneliness, depression, physical health, systemic inflammation, and genomic expression in a sample of lonely, chronically ill, older adults.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal randomized trial of LISTEN, a novel intervention based on theories of narrative and cognitive restructuring to target specific aspects of loneliness. Twenty-three older, lonely, chronically ill adults were recruited from a family medicine clinic in West Virginia.

The Use of Video Conferencing for Persons with Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review.

The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of studies that used Video Conferencing (VC) intervention for common chronic conditions. Chronic conditions account for the majority of poor health, disability, and death, and for a major portion of health-care expenditures in the United States. Innovative methods and interventions are needed to enhance care and management, improve access to care, improve patient outcomes, narrow health disparities and reduce health-care costs.

Understanding Genomic Knowledge in Rural Appalachia: The West Virginia Genome Community Project.

Purpose: Rural communities have limited knowledge about genetics and genomics and are also underrepresented in genomic education initiatives. The purpose of this project was to assess genomic and epigenetic knowledge and beliefs in rural West Virginia.

Sample: A total of 93 participants from three communities participated in focus groups and 68 participants completed a demographic survey.

The Feasibility and Acceptability of LISTEN for Loneliness.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the initial feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a new intervention for loneliness. Loneliness is a significant stressor and known contributor to multiple chronic health conditions in varied populations. In addition, loneliness is reported as predictive of functional decline and mortality in large samples of older adults from multiple cultures.

The Development of LISTEN: A Novel Intervention for Loneliness.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the development of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a new intervention for loneliness.

Methods: LISTEN was developed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for intervention development. Extensive literature review revealed that belonging, relating, placing in community, challenges, and meanings of coping were concepts significant to loneliness.

Free Care Is Not Enough: Barriers to Attending Free Clinic Visits in a Sample of Uninsured Individuals with Diabetes.

Free care does not always lead to improved outcomes. Attendance at free clinic appointments is unpredictable. Understanding barriers to care could identify innovative interventions.

Examining Dose of Diabetes Group Medical Visits and Characteristics of the Uninsured.

Type 2 diabetes is a significant problem for the uninsured. Diabetes Group Medical Visits (DGMVs) have been reported to improve outcomes. However, it is not known if the increased workload of the health care team to treat and educate patients at multiple visits has an impact on patient functioning and well-being.

Using mHealth Tools to Improve Rural Diabetes Care Guided by the Chronic Care Model.

Background And Objective: Used as an integrated tool, mHealth may improve the ability of healthcare providers in rural areas to provide care, improve access to care for underserved populations, and improve biophysical outcomes of care for persons with diabetes in rural, underserved populations. Our objective in this paper is to present an integrated review of the impact of mHealth interventions for community dwelling individuals with type two diabetes.

Materials And Methods: A literature search was performed using keywords in PubMed to identify research studies which mHealth technology was used as the intervention.

Diabetes group medical visits and outcomes of care in low-income, rural, uninsured persons.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of Diabetes Group Medical Visits (DGMVs) verses usual care in a sample of low-income patients with diabetes receiving care at a rural free clinic.

Methods: Data were collected through chart review, using direct data entry into Microsoft Access. Participants were included if they met the inclusion criteria: 1) age ≥ 18 years; 2) diagnosis of diabetes; 3) uninsured and received care between May 2007 and August 2009.