Does the role of family meetings important at the end-of-life? A retrospective national study in Taiwan.

Background: Numerous studies have pointed out the benefits of family meetings, but it is unclear who uses family meetings and what the effects are on use of the end-of-life care.

Aim: The purposes of this study were to explore which characteristics are associated with the use of the family meeting and what effects the family meeting has on end-of-life care.

Design: A retrospective observational study using 2012-2017 data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance claims database, cancer registry, and death registry.

Exploring the characteristics and antecedents of clinically significant long COVID: A longitudinal cohort study.

Background: A significant number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors are experiencing long COVID, with symptoms lasting beyond three months. While diverse long COVID symptoms are established, there are gaps in understanding its long-term trends, intensity, and risk factors, requiring further investigation.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the long COVID characteristics and associated factors by following COVID-19 survivors for one year post-infection and comparing them with healthy counterparts.

Nurses' knowledge of and attitude toward postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and the associated factors.

Background: Postoperative pain control is pivotal for surgical care; it facilitates patient recovery. Although patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) has been available for decades, inadequate pain control remains. Nurses' knowledge of and attitude toward PCA may influence the efficacy on clinic application.

Factors Associated With Levels of Public Engagement in Protective Behaviors During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic: Causal-Comparative Study Based on the Health Belief Model.

Background: While the challenges of COVID-19 are still unfolding, the enhancement of protective behavior remains a top priority in global health care. However, current behavior-promoting strategies may be inefficient without first identifying the individuals with lower engagement in protective behavior and the associating factors.

Objective: This study aimed to identify individuals with and potential contributing factors to low engagement in protective behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pediatric palliative care utilization by decedent children: A nationwide population-based study, 2002-2017.

Purpose: This study aimed (1) to describe how trends in pediatric palliative care (PPC) utilization changed from 2002 to 2017, and (2) to examine factors predicting PPC utilization among decedent children in Taiwan.

Design: This retrospective, correlational study retrieved 2002-2017 data from three national claims databases in Taiwan.

Methods: Children aged 1 through 18 years who died between January 2002 and December 2017 were included.

Scale Validation of the Mandarin-Language Supportive Care Needs Survey-Adolescent Form.

Objectives: To (1) modify the Mandarin-language 34-item Supportive Care Needs Survey-Adult Form into the Adolescent Form and (2) examine the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Form.

Data Sources: A multiphase, iterative scale validation process was used in this methodological study. Participants who were 13 to 18 years old and receiving cancer treatment in inpatient or outpatient settings, or receiving follow-up care in outpatient settings, were recruited using a convenience sampling method.

Examining the Role of Resilience, Posttraumatic Growth, and Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer: A Serial Multiple Mediator Model Approach.

Objectives: It is unclear how resilience and posttraumatic growth help women with breast cancer face cancer-related symptom distress. This study included both resilience and posttraumatic growth as mediators in a serial multiple mediator model to examine changes in the relationship between symptom distress and quality of life among women with breast cancer.

Data Sources: We conducted the descriptive, cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Medical clowning influences the emotions of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: Medical clowning for children has been found to be effective at enhancing parents' psychological well-being during preoperative preparation, but has not been found during cancer treatment. This study aimed to examine whether and how medical clowning influenced the emotions of parents of children undergoing cancer treatment.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 96 parents of children receiving inpatient cancer treatment were recruited, from June 2018 through April 2020.

The impacts of the scope of benefits expansion on hospice care among adult decedents: a nationwide longitudinal observational study.

Objectives: Compared to aggressive treatment for patients at the end stage of life, hospice care might be more likely to satisfy such patients' need and benefits and improve their dignity and quality of life. Whether the reimbursement policy expansion affect the use of hospice care among various demographics characteristics and health status was unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the impacts of reimbursement policy expansion on hospice care use, and to investigate the effects on people with various demographics characteristics and health status.

The Moderated Mediating Effects of Nutrition and Physical Activity Between Fatigue and Quality of Life in Childhood Cancer Survivors.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between nutrition, physical activity, fatigue, and quality of life (QoL) among childhood cancer survivors. The specific purpose was to examine whether nutrition mediated and physical activity moderated the relationship between fatigue and QoL in this population.

Methods: A pooled sample of 120 childhood cancer survivors was recruited at pediatric oncology wards and ambulatory settings between August 2020 and May 2021.

Sleep changes in Taiwanese first graders before and after school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: The objective of this study was (1) to examine sleep changes in first graders before and after school closure and (2) to examine the association between parental work rearrangement and children's sleep change during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design And Methods: This was an observational study. The children's sleep habit questionnaire was completed by 103 parents of first-graders before and after school closure.

Conceptualizing Health Communication and its Impact on Patient Outcomes in Oncology Outpatient Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Objectives: Informed by the dual process theory of supportive message, the aim of this study is to systematically describe symptom communication, including its relationship with patient outcomes.

Data Sources: This is a mixed-methods study with an exploratory design. By examining symptom communication that occurred in oncology and hospice outpatient clinics, the qualitative phase employed conversation analysis to validate a typology of interaction patterns.

Naoxintong Capsule for Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke: A Multicenter, Randomized, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: To examine whether the combination of Naoxintong Capsule with standard care could further reduce the recurrence of ischemic stroke without increasing the risk of severe bleeding.

Methods: A total of 23 Chinese medical centers participated in this trial. Adult patients with a history of ischemic stroke were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using a block design to receive either Naoxintong Capsule (1.

Communication in Oncology Outpatient Clinic Settings: Congruence of Quality of Life Assessment between Patient-Physician and Patient-Caregiver Dyads.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the congruence of HRQOL reports between patient-physician and patient-caregiver dyads and to determine the association of variables, if any, with the congruence between dyads.

Methods: This correlational study with a cross-sectional design first approached physicians who provided care for patients with advanced cancer at the participating institution. Then, participating physicians' patients and their caregivers were recruited.

Factors associated with walking performance among adolescents undergoing cancer treatment: A correlational study.

This study aimed to describe and compare the differences in walking performance between adolescent patients in inpatient wards and outpatient units, and to identify factors that influence walking performance among adolescents receiving cancer treatment. The cross-sectional study with correlational research design recruited 32 adolescents with cancer between February 2015 and March 2017 in two teaching hospitals in Taiwan. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate regression analyses were used.

The effect of a multidisciplinary lifestyle modification program for obese and overweight children.

Background/purpose: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents has been recognized as a public health threat worldwide. This study aimed to assess the effect of a stepwise lifestyle intervention in children and adolescents.

Methods: We developed a multidisciplinary clinic aimed at providing lifestyle interventions for obese children and adolescents.

Sleep pattern regularity and measures of infant weight and length during the first 6 months.

Purpose: To examine the association between sleep pattern regularity and measures of weight and length in infants.

Design And Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in a university-affiliated children's hospital in northern Taiwan. A total of 316 healthy infants recruited during their 6-month well-child checkups had their weight and recumbent length measured, and wore an actigraph on the ankle for a week.

Explore the correlation between cerebral vessel characteristics with cognitive impairment among elder individuals: a community study from China.

Background: Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) may help screen vascular cognitive impairment. A recently estimated CSVD score system was suggested to capture the overall CSVD burden. The study aimed to detect the association between systemic evaluation score of cerebral vascular imaging parameters with cognitive functions.

The effectiveness of a medical clowning program on improving emotional status among hospitalized children undergoing cancer treatment: A quasi-experimental study.

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of one-time medical clowning on improving short-term positive emotions among hospitalized children undergoing cancer treatment, and to analyze whether age moderates this effect.

Design: In this quasi-experimental research study, we recruited a pooled sample of 96 children who were undergoing cancer treatment in pediatric oncology/hematology wards at three university-affiliated medical centers in Taiwan from June 2018 through April 2020.

Methods: Children's demographic characteristics, symptom distress, quality of life, and pretest emotional status were collected at T1.

Factors influencing the protective behavior of individuals during COVID-19: a transnational survey.

To slow the spread of infectious disease, it is crucial to understand the engagement of protective behavior among individuals. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine individuals' protective behaviors and the associated factors across countries during COVID-19. This causal-comparative study used a self-developed online survey to assess individuals' level of engagement with six protective behaviors.

Leukoaraiosis is associated with clinical symptom severity, poor neurological function prognosis and stroke recurrence in mild intracerebral hemorrhage: a prospective multi-center cohort study.

Leukoaraiosis (LA) results from ischemic injury in small cerebral vessels, which may be attributable to decreased vascular density, reduced cerebrovascular angiogenesis, decreased cerebral blood flow, or microcirculatory dysfunction in the brain. In this study, we enrolled 357 patients with mild intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) from five hospitals in China and analyzed the relationships between LA and clinical symptom severity at admission, neurological function prognosis at 3 months, and 1-year stroke recurrence. Patients were divided into groups based on Fazekas scale scores: no LA (n = 83), mild LA (n = 64), moderate LA (n = 98) and severe LA (n = 112).

Associations Between Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life for Children With Cancer: A Correlational Study.

Background: Fatigue, sleep disturbance, and physical inactivity have been increasingly recognized as health issues that negatively affect quality of life (QoL) for children with cancer. Existing studies focus either on children receiving treatment or in survivorship, but not on both populations in a study. This causes difficulty in examining differences of these issues between treatment statuses and identifying associations of these issues with QoL.

Feasibility, Process, and Effects of Short-Term Calorie Reduction in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: An Integrative Review.

Recent preclinical studies have shown the potential benefits of short-term calorie reduction (SCR) on cancer treatment. In this integrative review, we aimed to identify and synthesize current evidence regarding the feasibility, process, and effects of SCR in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, and Embase were searched for original research articles using various combinations of Medical Subject Heading terms.

Physical activity self-efficacy mediates the effect of symptom distress on exercise involvement among adolescents undergoing cancer treatment.

The objective of this study was to examine whether physical activity self-efficacy mediated the adverse effect of symptom distress on exercise involvement among adolescents undergoing cancer treatment. A secondary data analysis approach was used to analyse a pooled sample of 97 adolescents who were undergoing cancer treatment in paediatric oncology/haematology wards and ambulatory settings in northern Taiwan. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the mediation relationship among physical activity self-efficacy, symptom distress and exercise involvement.

[The Long-Term Care Experiences and Care Needs of Parents Caring for Children With Adrenoleukodystrophy].

Background: Children suffering from adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) requires life-long care. Little is known about the care needs of parents of ALD children at different stages of their disease.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the long-term care experiences and care needs of parents caring for their ALD children.