A Medication Management Intervention for Patients and Families with SCI and ABI

Medication adherence for people with acquired communication disorders: A systematic review

Conditions such as stroke, dementia and neurodegeneration are major contributors to the incidence of acquired communication disorders in Europe. Pharmacological interventions play a central role in the management and treatment of these conditions, though many patients with an acquired communication disorder may be at a higher risk of medication non-adherence than their peers. The objectives of the current review were to identify, in the context of people with acquired communication disorders: factors that influence medication adherence; current interventions targeting medication adherence; and current measures of medication adherence. This study was conducted and reported in accordance with both PRISMA and SWiM guidelines. Two authors independently screened the results of a literature search, assessed risk of bias and extracted relevant data. Eight studies were identified for inclusion. The results of this review indicate that patient-related factors are most indicative of medication non-adherence in a population with acquired communication disorders, followed by socioeconomic factors and medication-related factors. Despite the recognized importance of medication adherence, no gold standard of assessment or intervention currently exists for this population. Half of the included studies replaced patients with communication difficulties with caregiver proxies, thus reducing opportunities for patients to have agency over their own healthcare. The term "acquired communication disorders" encompasses a range of conditions with diverse aetiologies, presentations and needs, and future research should be tailored to specific patient groups most at risk of medication non-adherence, namely those with aphasia and cognitive-communication impairments. Patients should be empowered to participate in future research to ensure the literature accurately represents their lived experience.

Interventions facilitating the involvement of relatives of patients with acquired brain injury or malignant brain tumour: A scoping review

AIM

To identify and map the evidence on interventions facilitating the involvement of relatives of patients with an acquired brain injury (ABI) or a malignant brain tumour (MBT).

BACKGROUND

An ABI or a MBT are severe diseases that have profound impact on the lives of patients and their relatives. The well-being of the patient may be deteriorated, and relatives may experience a new role and changing caregiving tasks. Involvement of relatives seems essential, and there is a need for identifying interventions facilitating the involvement.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was used in this review and the review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews.

DATA SOURCES

The literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library. Reference lists of included studies, Google Scholar and Web of Science were also searched.

RESULTS

In total, 46 studies were included of which 36 (78%) involved patients with stroke. Median duration of study interventions were 8 weeks, and nurses were involved as providers of the intervention in 23 (50%) studies. Thirty (65%) studies used a multicomponent intervention. Thirty-five unique outcomes were identified using 60 unique outcome measurements.

CONCLUSION

Interventions facilitating the involvement of relatives differed importantly in key characteristics of study interventions, and in relation to the context in which they were used. There was no consensus regarding choice of outcomes and outcome measurements. Our results highlight the complexity of interventions in this field.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

To our knowledge this is the first scoping review examining interventions facilitating the involvement of relatives of patients with an acquired brain injury or a malignant brain tumour. This review suggests a clear definition of 'involvement' in future research and there is a need of development of a core outcome set for use in interventions facilitating the involvement.

REPORTING METHOD

The scoping review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The authors decided to undertake this scoping review without patient and public contribution. However, the protocol was published prior to review conduct and available to the public but we did not receive any comments on it.

Efficacy of BETTER transitional care intervention for diverse patients with traumatic brain injury and their families: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of BETTER (Brain Injury, Education, Training, and Therapy to Enhance Recovery) vs. usual transitional care management among diverse adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) discharged home from acute hospital care and families.

METHODS

This will be a single-site, two-arm, randomized controlled trial (N = 436 people, 218 patient/family dyads, 109 dyads per arm) of BETTER, a culturally- and linguistically-tailored, patient- and family-centered, TBI transitional care intervention for adult patients with TBI and families. Skilled clinical interventionists will follow a manualized protocol to address patient/family needs. The interventionists will co-establish goals with participants; coordinate post-hospital care, services, and resources; and provide patient/family education and training on self- and family-management and coping skills for 16 weeks following hospital discharge. English- and Spanish-speaking adult patients with mild-to-severe TBI who are discharged directly home from the hospital without inpatient rehabilitation or transfer to other settings (community discharge) and associated family caregivers are eligible and will be randomized to treatment or usual transitional care management. We will use intention-to-treat analysis to determine if patients receiving BETTER have a higher quality of life (primary outcome, SF-36) at 16-weeks post-hospital discharge than those receiving usual transitional care management. We will conduct a descriptive, qualitative study with 45 dyads randomized to BETTER, using semi-structured interviews, to capture perspectives on barriers and facilitators to participation. Data will be analyzed using conventional content analysis. Finally, we will conduct a cost/budget impact analysis, evaluating differences in intervention costs and healthcare costs by arm.

DISCUSSION

Findings will guide our team in designing a future, multi-site trial to disseminate and implement BETTER into clinical practice to enhance the standard of care for adults with TBI and families. The new knowledge generated will drive advancements in health equity among diverse adults with TBI and families.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05929833.

The BETTER Traumatic Brain Injury Transitional Care Intervention: A Feasibility Study

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical outcome measures of BETTER (Brain Injury Education, Training, and Therapy to Enhance Recovery), a culturally tailored traumatic brain injury (TBI) transitional care intervention, among diverse younger adult patients with TBI (age 18-64) and their caregivers. Trained clinical interventionists addressed patient/family needs; established goals; coordinated post-hospital care and resources; and provided patient/family training on self- and family-management coping skills. Fifteen dyads enrolled (N = 31, 15 patients, 16 caregivers). All completed baseline data; 74.2% (n = 23; 10 patients, 13 caregivers) completed 8-week data; 83.8% (n = 26; 13 each) completed 16-week data. Approximately 38% (n = 12, 3 patients, 9 caregivers) completed acceptability data, showing positive experiences (mean = 9.25, range 0-10; SD = 2.01). Overall and mental quality of life (QOL) scores did not differ over time but physical QOL scores did improve over time (baseline: 30.3, 8 weeks: 46.5, 16 weeks: 61.6; p = 0.0056), which was considered to be a suitable outcome measure for a future trial. BETTER is a promising intervention with implications to improve TBI care standards. Research is needed to determine efficacy in a randomized trial.

"If you respect me, you are respecting my culture": methods and recommendations for personalizing a TBI transitional care intervention

OBJECTIVE

Despite research, national legislation, and clinical guidelines supporting transitional care, there is minimal benefit from existing transitional care interventions for racial/ethnic minorities with traumatic brain injury (TBI) discharged home from acute hospital care. Existing TBI transitional care interventions are not tailored to address the needs/preferences of patients from various racial/ethnic minority groups. The purpose of this study was to describe use of personalization to tailor a TBI transitional care intervention for various racial/ethnic groups.

DESIGN

Following preliminary intervention manual development, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted using eight focus groups with 40 English-and Spanish-speaking participants (12 patients, 12 caregivers, and 16 providers).

RESULTS

Three personalization-related themes emerged: 1) what is important to me, 2) finding someone to deliver the intervention who can adapt to my needs, and 3) respect over culture. Findings informed personalization strategies within our final manual.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend researchers who wish to use personalization to tailor interventions to consider: 1) allowing stakeholders to dictate what is most important and 2) implementing an iterative intervention development process with input from diverse stakeholders. Findings have implications for informing the development of transitional care interventions to increase the likelihood that interventions are inclusive of needs and preferences of various races/ethnicities.

Racial and ethnic disparities in the enrolment of medicare medication therapy management programs

Objectives

Racial/ethnic disparities have been found in prior literature examining enrolment in Medicare medication therapy management programs. However, those studies were based on various eligibility scenarios because enrolment data were unavailable. This study tested for potential disparities in enrolment using actual MTM enrolment data.

Methods

Medicare Parts A&B claims, Medication Therapy Management Data Files, and the Area Health Resources File from 2013 to 2014 and 2016 to 2017 were analysed in this retrospective analysis. An adjusted logistic regression compared odds of enrolment between racial/ethnic minorities and non-Hispanic Whites (Whites) in the total sample and subpopulations with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidaemia. Trends in disparities were analysed by including interaction terms in regressions between dummy variables for race/ethnic minority groups and period 2016-2017.

Key Findings

Disparities in MTM enrolment were detected between Blacks and Whites with diabetes in 2013-2014 (Odds Ratio = 0.78, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.75-0.81). This disparity improved from 2013-2014 to 2016-2017 for Blacks (Odds Ratio=1.08, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.04-1.11) but persisted in 2016-2017 (Odds Ratio = 0.84, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.81-0.87). A disparity was identified between Blacks and Whites with hypertension in 2013-2014 (Odds Ratio = 0.92, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.89-0.95) but not in 2016-2017. Enrolment for all groups, however, declined between periods. For example, in the total sample, the odds of enrolment declined from 2013-2014 to 2016-2017 by 22% (Odds Ratio=0.78, 95% Confidence Interval=0.75-0.81).

Conclusions

Racial disparities in MTM enrolment were found between Blacks and Whites among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes in both periods and among individuals with hypertension in 2013-2014. As overall enrolment fell between periods, concerns about program enrolment remain.

A scoping review of medication self-management intervention tools to support persons with traumatic spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND

Persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) use multiple medications (polypharmacy) to manage the high number of secondary complications and concurrent conditions. Despite the prevalence of polypharmacy and challenges associated with managing medications, there are few tools to support medication self-management for persons with SCI.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and summarize what is reported in the literature on medication self-management interventions for adults with traumatic SCI.

METHODS

Electronic databases and grey literature were searched for articles that included an adult population with a traumatic SCI and an intervention targeting medication management. The intervention was required to incorporate a component of self-management. Articles were double screened and data were extracted and synthesized using descriptive approaches.

RESULTS

Three studies were included in this review, all of which were quantitative. A mobile app and two education-based interventions to address self-management of SCI, medication management, and pain management, respectively, were included. Only one of the interventions was co-developed with patients, caregivers, and clinicians. There was minimal overlap in the outcomes measured across the studies, but learning outcomes (e.g., perceived knowledge and confidence), behavioural outcomes (e.g., management strategies, data entry), and clinical outcomes (e.g., number of medications, pain scores, functional outcomes) were evaluated. Results of the interventions varied, but some positive outcomes were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an opportunity to better support medication self-management for persons with SCI by co-designing an intervention with end-users that comprehensively addresses self-management. This will aid in understanding why interventions work, for whom, in what setting, and under what circumstances.

Design, methods, and baseline characteristics of the Brain Injury Education, Training, and Therapy to Enhance Recovery (BETTER) feasibility study: a transitional care intervention for younger adult patients with traumatic brain injury and caregivers

OBJECTIVES

We developed a patient- and family-centered traumatic brain injury (TBI) transitional care intervention, called BETTER (Brain Injury Education, Training, and Therapy to Enhance Recovery), to improve quality of life (via SF-36) of younger TBI patients of different racial groups discharged home from acute hospital care and caregivers. We describe our design, methods, and baseline characteristics for our feasibility study.

METHODS

We co-developed BETTER with input from key stakeholders (TBI patients and caregivers, healthcare providers, and interdisciplinary research team members). BETTER is guided by the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory, our team's prior research, as well as literature used to support, educate, and train patients and families recovering from TBI and other conditions. The intervention is delivered by trained clinical interventionists (transitional care managers), beginning 24-72 h pre-discharge to 16 weeks post-discharge. BETTER offers tailored transitional care support to patient/family dyads, including assessing needs; establishing goals; coordinating post-hospital care, services, and resources; and providing patient/family education and training on brain injury coping skills. The majority of the intervention is delivered remotely via phone and remote video conferencing platform (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04584554).

RESULTS

We enrolled 15 dyads (N = 31, 15 patients, 16 caregivers) in this single arm, single center feasibility study. Most patients were men (n = 11, 73.33%), had a mean age of 39.07 (SD: 15.15), and were Black (n = 9, 60%), White (n = 5, 33.3%), or American Indian (n = 1, 0.66%). Injury severities were mild (n = 6, 40%), moderate (n = 4, 26.6%) or severe (n = 5, 33.33%). Most patients were insured (n = 10; 66.7%), had a high school education (n = 6; 40%); and earned $30,000 or less per year (n = 11; 73.3%). Most caregivers were married (n = 9, 56.25%) women (n = 14, 87.5%) with a mean age of 43.38 (SD: 10.45) and were Black (n = 8, 50%), White (n = 7, 43.75%), or American Indian (n = 1, 0.62%). Most caregivers identified as the spouse (n = 7; 43.75%) or parent (n = 6; 37.5%) of the patient.

CONCLUSIONS

BETTER is among the first TBI transitional care intervention to address needs/preferences for younger TBI patients of different racial groups after discharge home from acute hospital care and families. Findings can be used to inform future work.