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Leong CA, Summers A, Grote V, Jackson K, Dowling G, Snowberg K, Cotten P, Cheung E, Yang D, Addington EL, Moskowitz JT. Randomized controlled trial of a positive emotion regulation intervention to reduce stress in family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease: protocol and design for the LEAF 2.0 study. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:289. [PMID: 38539083 PMCID: PMC10976670 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04817-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be stressful, resulting in poorer emotional and physical health among family caregivers. Although supportive resources for caregivers are available, distance, caregiver health, and the daily demands of caregiving are barriers to access. Based on research demonstrating the importance of positive emotions in coping with stress, our previous trial showed that dementia caregivers who participated in facilitated, web-based delivery of a positive emotion regulation intervention called LEAF (Life Enhancing Activities for Family caregivers) experienced increased positive emotion and decreased depression and anxiety. Building on this evidence, the LEAF 2.0 study aims to test whether web-based, self-guided delivery can confer similar benefits for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. METHODS This paper presents the design and methods for LEAF 2.0, a 3-arm web-based randomized controlled trial (N = 500) in which family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are randomized to (1) the LEAF intervention facilitated remotely via the web (N = 200), (2) the LEAF intervention self-guided online (N = 200), or (3) an emotion reporting control (N = 100), which then crosses over to the intervention after approximately 6 months, half to the facilitated arm and half to the self-guided arm. We aim to (1) compare the effect of the facilitated and self-guided LEAF positive emotion interventions to an emotion reporting control condition on AD caregiver well-being (positive emotion, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress) and secondary outcomes (caregiving burden, caregiving self-efficacy, positive aspects of caregiving, quality of care, and AD patient quality of life); (2) assess whether effects are mediated by improvements in positive emotion or other aspects of caregiver well-being; and (3) test whether caregiver age or gender or the care recipient's dementia severity moderates the effects of the intervention. DISCUSSION If demonstrated to be effective, LEAF can be widely disseminated and ultimately have a significant impact on the stress experienced by AD caregivers and the well-being of people living with Alzheimer's disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03610698.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Leong
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA.
| | - Amanda Summers
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA
| | - Veronika Grote
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA
| | - Kathryn Jackson
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA
| | | | | | - Paul Cotten
- Unversity of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Elizabeth L Addington
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA
| | - Judith T Moskowitz
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois USA, USA
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Jonsdottir J, Santoyo-Medina C, Kahraman T, Kalron A, Rasova K, Moumdjian L, Coote S, Tacchino A, Grange E, Smedal T, Arntzen EC, Learmonth Y, Pedulla L, Quinn G, Kos D. Changes in physiotherapy services and use of technology for people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023; 71:104520. [PMID: 36724646 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104520] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has led to reorganization or reduction of neurorehabilitation services for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The aim of this study was to explore the changes in the organizational framework and technology usage in physiotherapy services for PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This international cross-sectional survey study was designed, developed, and disseminated by RIMS European Network for Best Practice and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation. Physiotherapists from nine countries (Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey) who provided physiotherapy services to PwMS, were invited to complete an online survey to compare physiotherapy delivery to PwMS prior to and during the pandemic period. RESULTS The survey was completed by 215 physiotherapists. Accessibility, the average number, length and perceived effectiveness of physiotherapy sessions provided to PwMS were significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.001). Physiotherapists increased the advice of mobile apps, recorded videos for rehabilitation and exercise websites during the pandemic (p<0.001) while the use of telerehabilitation and virtual reality technology did not change. CONCLUSION There was of a reduction in the number, duration and perceived effectiveness of rehabilitation sessions for people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic while use of remote technologies for physiotherapy did not change. To ensure the continuity of physiotherapy for PwMS with complex healthcare needs also during pandemics, the provision of guidelines and training in telehealth technologies in professional education becomes crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carme Santoyo-Medina
- Neurology-Neuroimmunology Department & Neurorehabilitation Unit, Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia (Cemcat), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C/ Josep Trueta sn, 08195 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Turhan Kahraman
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Alon Kalron
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Israel; Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Kamila Rasova
- Department of Rehabilitation, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lousin Moumdjian
- UMSC Hasselt, Pelt, Belgium; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium; IPEM Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Susan Coote
- Centre of Physical Activity for Health, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland; Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland and Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, Ireland.
| | - Andrea Tacchino
- Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM), Genova, Italy.
| | - Erica Grange
- CRRF "Mons. L. Novarese", Moncrivello (VC), Italy
| | - Tori Smedal
- Department of Physiotherapy, Haukeland University Hospital, Helse Bergen, Bergen, Norway,; Department of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Competence Centre, Haukeland University Hospital, Helse Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | - Yvonne Learmonth
- Discipline of Exercise Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Centre for Healthy Ageing, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, Australia.
| | - Ludovico Pedulla
- Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM), Genoa, Italy.
| | - Gillian Quinn
- Physiotherapy Department, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daphne Kos
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 1501-3001, Belgium; National MS Center, Melsbroek, Belgium.
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Noguchi KS, Nguyen L, Mehdipour A, Wiley E, Saunders S, Moncion K, Reid JC, Bakaa N, Garcia Diaz L, Van Damme J, D'Amore C, Kumurenzi A, Lu Z, Knobl E, Beauchamp MK, Macedo LG, Vrkljan B, Moll SE, Carlesso LC, Letts LJ, Kho ME, Richardson J. Undertaking Rehabilitation Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Emergent Strategies From a Trainee-Faculty Workshop. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2022; 3:881606. [PMID: 36188942 PMCID: PMC9397764 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2022.881606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyday rehabilitation research. Many academic institutions have halted in-person human research including rehabilitation sciences. Researchers are faced with several barriers to continuing their research programs. The purpose of this perspective article is to report the results of an interdisciplinary workshop aimed at understanding the challenges and corresponding strategies for conducting rehabilitation research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Twenty-five rehabilitation researchers (17 trainees and eight faculty) attended a 2-h facilitated online workshop in to discuss challenges and strategies they had experienced and employed to conduct rehabilitation research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Rehabilitation researchers reported challenges with (1) pandemic protocol adjustments, (2) participant accessibility, and (3) knowledge dissemination, along with corresponding strategies to these challenges. Researchers experienced disruptions in study outcomes and intervention protocols to adhere to public health guidelines and have suggested implementing novel virtual approaches and study toolkits to facilitate offsite assessment. Participant accessibility could be improved by engaging community stakeholders in protocol revisions to ensure equity, safety, and feasibility. Researchers also experienced barriers to virtual conferences and publication, suggested opportunities for smaller networking events, and revisiting timeframes for knowledge dissemination. Conclusion This perspective article served as a catalyst for discussion among rehabilitation researchers to identify novel and creative approaches that address the complexities of conducting rehabilitation research during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Julie Richardson
- School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Feinstein A, Amato MP, Brichetto G, Chataway J, Chiaravalloti ND, Cutter G, Dalgas U, DeLuca J, Farrell R, Feys P, Filippi M, Freeman J, Inglese M, Meza C, Motl R, Rocca MA, Sandroff BM, Salter A. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an international rehabilitation study in MS: the CogEx experience. J Neurol 2022; 269:1758-1763. [PMID: 34741240 PMCID: PMC8570234 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Pandemic restrictions have led to changes in therapy plans and disrupted rehabilitation services for people with multiple sclerosis. CogEx is an international, multicentre MS dual-intervention (cognitive rehabilitation, aerobic exercise) randomized, controlled rehabilitation trial confined to people with progressive disease. The primary outcome is cognition (processing speed).There are 11 treatment sites in six countries with participants required to make 27 site visits over 12 weeks. Collectively, the large, in-person demands of the trial, and the varying international policies for the containment of COVID-19, might disproportionately impact the administration of CogEx. During the first lockdown, all centres closed on average for 82.9 (SD = 24.3) days. One site was required to lockdown on two further occasions. One site remained closed for 16 months. Ten staff (19.2%) were required to quarantine and eight staff (15.4%) tested positive for COVID. 10 of 264 (3.8%) participants acquired COVID-19. All survived. The mean duration of enrollment delay has been [236.7 (SD = 214.5) days]. Restarting participants whose interventions were interrupted by the pandemic meant recalculating the intervention prescriptions for these individuals. While the impact of the pandemic on CogEx has been considerable, all study sites are again open. Participants and staff have shown considerable flexibility and resilience in keeping a complex, international endeavour running. The future in general remains uncertain in the midst of a pandemic, but there is cautious optimism the study will be completed with sufficient sample size to robustly evaluate our hypothesis and provide meaningful results to the MS community on the impact of these interventions on people with progressive MS.Trial registration: The trial was registered on September 20th 2018 at www.clinicaltrials.gov having identifier NCT03679468. Registration was performed before recruitment was initiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Feinstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, M5R 3B6, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, FG 16, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.
| | - Maria Pia Amato
- Department NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Florence, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Brichetto
- Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM), Via Operai 40, 16149, Genoa, Italy
- AISM Rehabilitation Service, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society, Genoa, Italy
| | - Jeremy Chataway
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
- National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospitals, Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Nancy D Chiaravalloti
- Kessler Foundation, East Hanover, NJ, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Gary Cutter
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Ulrik Dalgas
- Exercise Biology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Dalgas Avenue 4, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - John DeLuca
- Kessler Foundation, East Hanover, NJ, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Rachel Farrell
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
- National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospitals, Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Peter Feys
- REVAL. Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurophysiology Service, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Jennifer Freeman
- Faculty of Health, School of Health Professions, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
| | - Matilde Inglese
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Ospedale Policlinico San Martino-IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cecilia Meza
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, M5R 3B6, Canada
| | - Rob Motl
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Maria Assunta Rocca
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Brian M Sandroff
- Kessler Foundation, East Hanover, NJ, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Amber Salter
- Department of Neurology, Section on Statistical Planning and Analysis, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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