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Whisenant M, Weathers SP, Li Y, Aldrich E, Ownby K, Thomas J, Ngo-Huang A, Bruera E, Milbury K. Simulation-based caregiving skills training for family members of high-grade glioma patients. Neurooncol Pract 2024; 11:432-440. [PMID: 39006525 PMCID: PMC11241359 DOI: 10.1093/nop/npae025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Because family caregivers of patients with a high-grade glioma experience high levels of distress and feel unprepared to perform the complex caregiving tasks associated with the disease and its treatment, we pilot-tested a caregiving skills intervention that integrates hands-on caregiving with coping skill training. Methods In this single-arm trial, caregivers participated in a 4-session research nurse-led intervention involving simulation-based caregiving skills training at the hospital and psychoeducation delivered via videoconference. We collected measures of patients' and caregivers' psychological symptoms; caregivers' caregiving self-efficacy and role adjustment; and patients' cancer-related symptoms (MDASI) at baseline and again postintervention. We tracked feasibility data. Results We approached 29 dyads of which 10 dyads (34%) consented. All patients (mean age: 60 years, 89% male) and caregivers (mean age: 58 years, 80% female, 80% spouses) completed the baseline and 7 dyads completed the follow-up assessments (attrition was related to patient's hospice transfer). Seven caregivers completed all 4 sessions and rated the program as beneficial. Paired t-tests revealed a significant improvement in caregiving self-efficacy at 6 weeks postintervention (t = -3.06, P = .02). Although improvements in caregiver role adjustment and patient and caregiver symptoms were not observed, no decreases in symptom burden or role adjustment were found during the follow-up period. Conclusions This novel supportive care program appears to be safe, feasible, acceptable, and perceived as useful for caregivers of patients with high-grade glioma. Based on feasibility indicators and a signal of intervention efficacy, a randomized controlled trial is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan Whisenant
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shiao-Pei Weathers
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yisheng Li
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ellen Aldrich
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kristin Ownby
- Cizik School of Nursing, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica Thomas
- Cizik School of Nursing, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - An Ngo-Huang
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, & Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Eduardo Bruera
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, & Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kathrin Milbury
- Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Harisinghani A, Dhand A, Steffensen EH, Skotko BG. Sustainability of personal social networks of people with Down syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS. PART C, SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2024; 196:e32064. [PMID: 37740458 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.32064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Research continues to demonstrate that the characteristics of one's social network could have an impact on the development of Alzheimer's disease. Given the predisposition of people with Down syndrome to develop Alzheimer's disease, analysis of their social networks has become an emerging focus. Previous pilot research demonstrated that the personal networks of people with DS could be quantitatively analyzed, with no difference between self-report and parent-proxy report. This manuscript focuses on a 12-month follow-up period with the same original participants (24 adults with Down syndrome). Their social networks demonstrated sustainability, but not improvement, as reported by people with DS (mean network size: 8.88; mean density: 0.73; mean constraint: 0.44; mean effective size: 3.58; mean max degree: 6.04; mean degree: 4.78) and their proxies (mean network size: 7.90; mean density: 0.82; mean constraint: 53.13; mean effective size: 2.87; mean max degree: 5.19; mean degree: 4.30). Intentional and continued efforts are likely needed in order to improve the social network measures of people with Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Harisinghani
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amar Dhand
- Department of Neurology, Division of Hospital Medicine, Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ellen Hollands Steffensen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Brian G Skotko
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Yuan M, Tincher IM, Sachdeva B, Abukhadra S, Rojas DA, DeForge C, Agarwal S. Lower perceived social support is significantly associated with elevated levels of psychological distress in racially and ethnically diverse close family members of cardiac arrest survivors. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.02.25.24303342. [PMID: 38463987 PMCID: PMC10925359 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.25.24303342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Background Poor perceived social support has been associated with worse psychological distress in close family members after their loved one's hospitalization with prolonged mechanical ventilation, but never been tested after cardiac arrest. Methods Close family members of consecutive cardiac arrest patients hospitalized at an academic tertiary care center were recruited before hospital discharge, and perceived social support was assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Indicators of psychological distress were administered via telephone at 1 month after cardiac arrest. Multivariate linear regressions were used to estimate the associations between MSPSS total score and total Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) score (primary outcome) and total PTSD (PCL-5) and generalized anxiety (GAD-2) scores, after adjusting for previously known covariates. Results Of 102 close family members (mean age 52 ± 15 years, 70% female, 40% non-Hispanic white, 21% Black, 33% Hispanic/Latinx, 22% with pre-existing psychiatric illness) with complete data, the mean PHQ-8 total score at a median duration of 28.5 days (interquartile range 10-63 days) from cardiac arrest was 7± 6, and the mean MSPSS score was 69 ± 15. Lower perceived social support was significantly associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms in univariate (β=-0.11; p<0.01) and after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and previous psychiatric history (β=-0.11; p<0.01). Similar inverse associations were seen with 1 month PTSD and generalized anxiety symptoms as secondary outcomes. Conclusions Close family members of cardiac arrest survivors' perception of poor social support during hospitalization is associated with increased levels of depressive symptoms at 1 month. Longitudinal studies understanding the temporal associations between social support and psychological distress are warranted.
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Riley C, Venkatesh S, Dhand A, Doshi N, Kavak K, Levit E, Perrone C, Weinstock-Guttman B, Longbrake E, De Jager P, Xia Z. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Personal Networks and Neurological Outcomes of People With Multiple Sclerosis: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Case-Control Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e45429. [PMID: 38319703 PMCID: PMC10879979 DOI: 10.2196/45429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively affected the social fabric. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the associations between personal social networks and neurological function in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and controls in the prepandemic and pandemic periods. METHODS During the early pandemic (March-December 2020), 8 cohorts of pwMS and controls completed a questionnaire quantifying the structure and composition of their personal social networks, including the health behaviors of network members. Participants from 3 of the 8 cohorts had additionally completed the questionnaire before the pandemic (2017-2019). We assessed neurological function using 3 interrelated patient-reported outcomes: Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), Multiple Sclerosis Rating Scale-Revised (MSRS-R), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function. We identified the network features associated with neurological function using paired 2-tailed t tests and covariate-adjusted regressions. RESULTS In the cross-sectional analysis of the pandemic data from 1130 pwMS and 1250 controls during the pandemic, having a higher percentage of network members with a perceived negative health influence was associated with worse disability in pwMS (MSRS-R: β=2.181, 95% CI 1.082-3.279; P<.001) and poor physical function in controls (PROMIS Physical Function: β=-5.707, 95% CI -7.405 to -4.010; P<.001). In the longitudinal analysis of 230 pwMS and 136 controls, the networks of all participants contracted, given an increase in constraint (pwMS-prepandemic: mean 52.24, SD 15.81; pwMS-pandemic: mean 56.77, SD 18.91; P=.006. Controls-prepandemic: mean 48.07, SD 13.36; controls-pandemic: mean 53.99, SD 16.31; P=.001) and a decrease in network size (pwMS-prepandemic: mean 8.02, SD 5.70; pwMS-pandemic: mean 6.63, SD 4.16; P=.003. Controls-prepandemic: mean 8.18, SD 4.05; controls-pandemic: mean 6.44, SD 3.92; P<.001), effective size (pwMS-prepandemic: mean 3.30, SD 1.59; pwMS-pandemic: mean 2.90, SD 1.50; P=.007. Controls-prepandemic: mean 3.85, SD 1.56; controls-pandemic: mean 3.40, SD 1.55; P=.01), and maximum degree (pwMS-prepandemic: mean 4.78, SD 1.86; pwMS-pandemic: mean 4.32, SD 1.92; P=.01. Controls-prepandemic: mean 5.38, SD 1.94; controls-pandemic: mean 4.55, SD 2.06; P<.001). These network changes were not associated with worsening function. The percentage of kin in the networks of pwMS increased (mean 46.06%, SD 29.34% to mean 54.36%, SD 30.16%; P=.003) during the pandemic, a change that was not seen in controls. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that high perceived negative health influence in the network was associated with worse function in all participants during the pandemic. The networks of all participants became tighter knit, and the percentage of kin in the networks of pwMS increased during the pandemic. Despite these perturbations in social connections, network changes from the prepandemic to the pandemic period were not associated with worsening function in all participants, suggesting possible resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Riley
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Amar Dhand
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nandini Doshi
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | | | - Elle Levit
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | | | | | - Philip De Jager
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zongqi Xia
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Podury A, Jiam NT, Kim M, Donnenfield JI, Dhand A. Hearing and sociality: the implications of hearing loss on social life. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1245434. [PMID: 37854291 PMCID: PMC10579609 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1245434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing is essential to the formation of social relationships and is the principal afferent of social life. Yet hearing loss, which is one of the most prevalent forms of sensory disability worldwide and is critical for social development, has received little attention from the social interventionalist perspective. The purpose of this mini-review is to describe the basic neurobiological principles of hearing and to explore the reciprocal relationships between social support, hearing loss, and its psychosocial comorbidities. We also discuss the role of social enrichment in sensorineural recovery and identify open questions within the fields of hearing physiology and social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Podury
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nicole T. Jiam
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Minsu Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Amar Dhand
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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White K, Tate S, Zafonte R, Narayanan S, Mehl MR, Shin M, Dhand A. SocialBit: protocol for a prospective observational study to validate a wearable social sensor for stroke survivors with diverse neurological abilities. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e076297. [PMID: 37640467 PMCID: PMC10462953 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social isolation has been found to be a significant risk factor for health outcomes, on par with traditional risk factors. This isolation is characterised by reduced social interactions, which can be detected acoustically. To accomplish this, we created a machine learning algorithm called SocialBit. SocialBit runs on a smartwatch and detects minutes of social interaction based on vocal features from ambient audio samples without natural language processing. METHODS AND ANALYSIS In this study, we aim to validate the accuracy of SocialBit in stroke survivors with varying speech, cognitive and physical deficits. Training and testing on persons with diverse neurological abilities allows SocialBit to be a universally accessible social sensor. We are recruiting 200 patients and following them for up to 8 days during hospitalisation and rehabilitation, while they wear a SocialBit-equipped smartwatch and engage in naturalistic daily interactions. Human observers tally the interactions via a video livestream (ground truth) to analyse the performance of SocialBit against it. We also examine the association of social interaction time with stroke characteristics and outcomes. If successful, SocialBit would be the first social sensor available on commercial devices for persons with diverse abilities. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study has received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of Mass General Brigham (Protocol #2020P003739). The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly White
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samuel Tate
- Department of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ross Zafonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shrikanth Narayanan
- Department of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Matthias R Mehl
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Min Shin
- Department of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amar Dhand
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Skotko BG, Krell K, Haugen K, Torres A, Nieves A, Dhand A. Personal social networks of people with Down syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2023; 191:690-698. [PMID: 36437642 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Studies in the neurotypical population have demonstrated that personal social networks can mitigate cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer disease. To assess whether these benefits can also be extended to people with Down syndrome (DS), we studied whether and how personal networks can be measured in this population. We adapted a personal networks instrument previously created, validated, and implemented for the neurotypical population. We created two versions of the survey: one for participants with DS, ages 25 and older, and another for their study partners, who spent a minimum of 10 h/wk in a caregiver role. Participants with DS gave concordant data to those of study partners. Their personal networks included a median network size of 7.50, density 0.80, constraint 46.00, and effective size 3.07. Personal networks were composed of 50% kin, 80% who live within 15 miles, and 80% who eat a healthy diet. In this proof-of-principle study, we demonstrated that the personal networks of people with DS can be quantitatively analyzed, with no statistical difference between self-report and parent-proxy report. Future research efforts can now evaluate interventions to enhance personal networks for preventing Alzheimer disease in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian G Skotko
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kavita Krell
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kelsey Haugen
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amy Torres
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amber Nieves
- Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Hospital Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amar Dhand
- Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Hospital Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Riley CS, Venkatesh S, Dhand A, Doshi N, Kavak K, Levit EE, Perrone C, Weinstock-Guttman B, Longbrake EE, De Jager PL, Xia Z. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Personal Networks and Neurological Outcomes of People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2022:2022.08.17.22278896. [PMID: 36203554 PMCID: PMC9536025 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.17.22278896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the social fabric of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Objective To evaluate the associations between personal social network environment and neurological function in pwMS and controls during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare with the pre-pandemic baseline. Methods We first analyzed data collected from 8 cohorts of pwMS and control participants during the COVID-19 pandemic (March-December 2020). We then leveraged data collected between 2017-2019 in 3 of the 8 cohorts for longitudinal comparison. Participants completed a questionnaire that quantified the structure and composition of their personal social network, including the health behaviors of network members. We assessed neurological disability using three interrelated patient-reported outcomes: Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), Multiple Sclerosis Rating Scale â€" Revised (MSRS-R), and Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Physical Function. We identified the network features associated with neurologic disability using paired t-tests and covariate-adjusted regressions. Results In the cross-sectional analysis of the pandemic data from 1130 pwMS and 1250 control participants, higher percent of network members with a perceived negative health influence was associated with greater neurological symptom burden in pwMS (MSRS-R: Beta[95% CI]=2.181[1.082, 3.279], p<.001) and worse physical function in controls (PROMIS-Physical Function: Beta[95% CI]=-5.707[-7.405, -4.010], p<.001). In the longitudinal analysis of 230 pwMS and 136 control participants, the networks of both pwMS and controls experienced an increase in constraint (pwMS p=.006, control p=.001) as well as a decrease in network size (pwMS p=.003, control p<.001), effective size (pwMS p=.007, control p=.013), maximum degree (pwMS p=.01, control p<.001), and percent contacted weekly or less (pwMS p<.001, control p<.001), suggesting overall network contraction during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also an increase in percentage of kin (p=.003) in the networks of pwMS but not controls during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared to the pre-pandemic baseline. These changes in personal social network due to the pandemic were not associated with worsening neurological disability during the pandemic. Conclusions Our findings suggest that perceived negative health influences in personal social networks are associated with worse disability in all participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the perturbation in social environment and connections during the pandemic, the stability in neurological function among pwMS suggests potential resilience.
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