Factors associated with functional ability in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy: a prospective longitudinal study.

Purpose: During and after treatment, esophageal cancer (EC) patients experience changes in body mass index (BMI), performance status, nutrition status, symptom distress, and physical fitness. This study aims to evaluate temporal changes and their associated factors in BMI, performance status, nutrition status, symptom distress, physical fitness, and functional ability in EC patients during and after treatment.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study recruited EC patients from a medical center in Northern Taiwan.

Perceived stress and betel quid dependence associated with reasons for betel quid chewing among male chewers: a mixed methods study.

Aims: Social culture concerns and betel quid (BQ) dependence may be the potential reasons for BQ chewing. This study's purpose was to identify the correlates of reasons for male BQ chewing.

Methods: We adopted a mixed-methods design.

Factors associated with shame and stigma among head and neck cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients often suffer from shame and stigma due to treatment limitations or due to societal factors. The purpose of this study was to assess perceived body image, depression, physical and psychosocial function, and self-stigma, as well as to identify factors that predicted shame and stigma in patients with HNC.

Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 178 HNC patients from the outpatient radiation department of a medical center in Northern Taiwan.

Effects of a return to work program on the health and barriers to returning to work in head and neck cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a return to work (RTW) program on perceived health status, barriers to returning to work, fear of cancer progression, social support, physical function, and psychosocial function in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures was conducted. The 70 HNC patients were randomly assigned into two groups: 35 in the experimental group (RTW) and 35 in the control group (usual care).

Factors Influencing Posttraumatic Growth Among Primary Caregivers of Patients with Oncologic Emergencies in Taiwan Intensive Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Study of Patient-Caregiver Dyads.

Purpose: (1) To assess the levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), social support, coping styles, and posttraumatic growth; (2) to identify factors associated with posttraumatic growth; and (3) to compare patient and primary caregiver characteristics by level of posttraumatic growth (no-to-little posttraumatic growth vs. moderate-to-high posttraumatic growth) in the primary caregivers of patients with an oncologic emergency.

Data Sources: A cross-sectional study design was adopted.

Psychological insulin resistance and its impact on self-management in type II diabetes mellitus patients treated with insulin therapy.

Aims: Psychological insulin resistance is a common barrier to initiation and persistence with insulin therapy that affects approximately 42.7% of people living with type II diabetes mellitus, which may negatively impact self-management. This study aimed to assess patients' levels of psychological insulin resistance and to identify factors associated with self-management in patients with type II diabetes mellitus treated with insulin therapy.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in gynaecologic cancer survivors with lower limb lymphedema: a cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Backgrounds: Gynaecological cancer survivors may develop lower limb lymphoedema after surgery, which negatively impacts quality of life. The purposes of this study were (1) to assess the levels of symptom distress, depression, body image, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); (2) to recognize factors associated with HRQoL related in gynaecologic cancer survivors with lower limb lymphoedema.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with convenience sampling of gynaecologic cancer survivors with lower limb lymphoedema.

Effects of a Nurse-led Survivorship Care Program on the Health and Resilience of Primary Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a nurse-led survivorship care program (SCP) on emotional distress, social support, physical health, mental health, and resilience in primary caregivers of patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Data Sources: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. One hundred patient-primary caregiver dyads were randomized into the nurse-led SCP group (experimental) or the usual care group (control).

Factors in oral-related quality of life of betel quid users receiving oral mucosal screening: a cross‑sectional study in Taiwan.

Background: Betel quid (BQ) chewing is associated with poor oral hygiene, psychological impairment, and acute and long-term addictive effects, resulting in worse oral-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The purpose of this study was to characterize the factors associated with OHRQoL among BQ users receiving oral mucosal screening.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted.

United States Federal Emergency Management Agency regional clustering by disaster exposure: a new paradigm for disaster response.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) divides the United States (US) into ten standard regions to promote local partnerships and priorities. These divisions, while longstanding, do not adequately address known hazard risk as reflected in past federal disaster declarations. From FEMA's inception in 1979 until 2020, the OpenFEMA dataset reports 4127 natural disaster incidents declared by 53 distinct state-level jurisdictions, listed by disaster location, type, and year.

Towards an AI-Driven Marketplace for Small Businesses During COVID-19.

With the introduction of new COVID-19 variants such as Delta and Omicron, small businesses have been tasked with navigating a constantly changing business environment. Furthermore, due to supply chain issues, shortages of various critical products negatively affect businesses of all sizes and industries. However, continued innovation in Computer Science, specifically in sub-fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as natural language processing (NLP), has created significant value for businesses through helpful data-driven features.

Return to work in head and neck cancer survivors: its relationship with functional, psychological, and disease-treatment factors.

Purpose: Return to work (RTW) is important for survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC). The purposes of the study were to investigate the RTW ratio among HNC survivors and identify factors significantly affecting RTW in this population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan, with 111 patients with HNC who had completed major treatments within 5 years and were employed before their cancer diagnosis enrolled as participants.

Factors Facilitating or Creating Barriers to Returning to Work in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Within the First 6 Months After Treatment.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients who are unable to return to work after completing treatment might face financial loss and reduced self-esteem. The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing a return to work in HNC cancer patients in the first 6 months after treatment. This cross-sectional study examined HNC patients who completed treatment from the outpatient radiation department of a single cancer center in northern Taiwan.

Factors influencing family function in spousal caregivers of head and neck cancer patients within 6 months posttreatment.

Purpose: Spousal caregiving of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients challenges relationship quality and may negatively impact family function. Our purpose was to identify factors associated with family dysfunction in spousal caregivers (SCs) of HNC patients within the first 6 months after treatment. We explored whether patient or SC characteristics differ by level of family dysfunction.

Factors impacting posttraumatic growth in head-and-neck cancer patients with oncologic emergencies.

Purpose: To identify factors associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) of head-and-neck cancer squamous cancer (HNC) patients with oncologic emergencies (OE) within the first six months post-treatment.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of HNC patients in Taiwan from May 2019 to April 2021 using patient-reported outcomes. Patients were assessed for symptom distress, anxiety, fear of recurrence (FCR), and PTG.

Trajectories of resilience and related factors in primary caregivers of patients with advanced head and neck cancer: A longitudinal cohort study.

Purpose: Primary caregivers (PC) of patients with advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) report stress during caregiving time post-treatment. We sought to identify the trajectories of resilience from initial completion of treatment to 1-year post-treatment in PC of patients with advanced HNC and to determine the factors associated with trajectories of resilience.

Design: In this prospective cohort study with convenience sampling, patient-PC dyads were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan between August 2015 and July 2020.

Comparison of physical and psychosocial function post-treatment among oral cancer patients with low-to-moderate and high nicotine dependence.

Purpose: After suddenly stopping smoking after an initial oral cancer (OC) diagnosis, patients may restart smoking and nicotine dependence. This study sought to identify factors associated with high nicotine dependence in OC patients who restarted smoking post-treatment.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

The impact of physical pain and depression on sleep quality in older adults with chronic disease.

Aims And Objectives: This study's purpose was to identify the correlates of sleep quality in older adults with chronic disease.

Background: Sleep quality is a common problem in older adults that may be affected by physical and mental status.

Design: A cross-sectional correlational design was employed.

Supportive Care and Unmet Needs in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients: Screening and Related Factors.

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer treatment can cause physical and psychological distress and may result in unmet needs. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the levels of gastrointestinal (GI) symptom distress, social support, and supportive care needs; (2) screen the priorities of unmet supportive care needs; and (3) identify the factors associated with supportive care needs among UGI cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. This cross-sectional study examined UGI cancer patients who received treatment from the outpatient chemotherapy department of a single cancer center in northern Taiwan.

The objective structured clinical examination as an assessment strategy for clinical competence in novice nursing practitioners in Taiwan.

Background: The conventional written tests and professional assessment have limitation in fair judgement of clinical competence. Because the examiners may not have total objectivity and may lack standardization throughout the assessment process. We sought to design a valid method of competence assessment in medical and nursing specialties.