Objective: To develop a new measurement system, the Traumatic Brain Injury Caregiver Quality of Life (TBI-CareQOL), that can evaluate both general and caregiving-specific aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Design: New item pools were developed and refined using literature reviews, qualitative data from focus groups, and cognitive debriefing with caregivers of civilians and service members/veterans with TBI, as well as expert review, reading level assessment, and translatability review; existing item banks and new item pools were assessed using an online data capture system. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and differential item functioning analyses were utilized to develop new caregiver-specific item banks. Known-groups validity was examined using a series of independent samples t tests comparing caregivers of low-functioning vs high-functioning persons with TBI for each of the new measures, as well as for 10 existing Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures.
Setting: Three TBI Model Systems rehabilitation hospitals, an academic medical center, and a military medical treatment facility.
Participants: Caregivers (N=560) of civilians (n=344) or service members/veterans with TBI (n=216).
Interventions: Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures: The TBI-CareQOL measurement system (including 5 new measures and 10 existing PROMIS measures).
Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and differential item functioning analyses supported the development of 5 new item banks for Feelings of Loss-Self, Feelings of Loss-Person with TBI, Caregiver-Specific Anxiety, Feeling Trapped, and Caregiver Strain. In support of validity, individuals who were caring for low-functioning persons with TBI had significantly worse HRQOL than caregivers that were caring for high-functioning persons with TBI for both the new caregiver-specific HRQOL measures, and for the 10 existing PROMIS measures.
Conclusions: The TBI-CareQOL includes both validated PROMIS measures and newly developed caregiver-specific measures. Together, these generic and specific measures provide a comprehensive assessment of HRQOL for caregivers of civilians and service members/veterans with TBI.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2018.08.175 | DOI Listing |
Biomed Phys Eng Express
January 2025
Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, B68-250 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, CANADA.
Objective: Arterial sampling for PET imaging often involves continuously measuring the radiotracer activity concentration in blood using an automatic blood sampling system (ABSS). We proposed and validated an external delay and dispersion correction procedure needed when a change in flow rate occurs during data acquisition. We also measured the external dispersion constant of [11C]CURB, [18F]FDG, [18F]FEPPA, and [18F]SynVesT-1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
January 2025
Second Hospital of the Air Force Medical University, Xi 'an, China.
Background: This study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) technology paired with Kinesio Taping in patients with persistent nonspecific low back pain, as well as the effect on neuromuscular function and pain self-efficacy.
Methods: A randomized controlled clinical study was conducted to collect clinical data on DNS combined with KT for the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain from November 2023 to April 2024. The inclusion criteria were patients with chronic nonspecific lower back pain, aged between 18 and 30 years old, and without serious underlying medical conditions, such as cardiac disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
J Neurosurg
January 2025
Departments of1Biomedical Engineering.
Objective: Epilepsy is a common neurological disease affecting nearly 1% of the global population, and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type. Patients experience recurrent seizures and chronic cognitive deficits that can impact their quality of life, ability to work, and independence. These cognitive deficits often extend beyond the temporal lobe and are not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJMIR Form Res
January 2025
Brown University, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Providence, RI, United States.
Background: Physician burnout is widespread in health care systems, with harmful consequences on physicians, patients, and health care organizations. Mindfulness training (MT) has proven effective in reducing burnout; however, its time-consuming requirements often pose challenges for physicians who are already struggling with their busy schedules.
Objective: This study aimed to design a short and pragmatic digital MT program with input from clinicians specifically to address burnout and to test its efficacy in physicians.
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Background: Sepsis, a critical global health challenge, accounted for approximately 20% of worldwide deaths in 2017. Although the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score standardizes the diagnosis of organ dysfunction, early sepsis detection remains challenging due to its insidious symptoms. Current diagnostic methods, including clinical assessments and laboratory tests, frequently lack the speed and specificity needed for timely intervention, particularly in vulnerable populations such as older adults, intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and those with compromised immune systems.
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