Multi-site, multi-country randomized clinical trial of an acute traumatic brain injury caregiver transition assistance program in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Latin America experience high levels of disability and extremely poor functional outcomes, and their informal caregivers play a key role in their rehabilitation and care. OBJECTIVE: To improve TBI rehabilitation through stronger informal caregiving, this study developed and evaluated an evidence-based and culturally appropriate Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for informal caregivers of individuals with TBI in Latin America, specifically targeting the time period before and after the transition from hospital to home. METHODS: A sample of 89 people with a new TBI and their primary informal caregiver (n = 178) was recruited from two hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico, and in Cali, Colombia. Caregivers were randomly assigned to either the TAP group or to a control group receiving the standard care provided by the hospital. Caregivers completed measures of depression and burden, and individuals with TBI completed measures of depression and self-perceived burden on caregivers before hospital discharge and at 2- and 4-month follow ups. RESULTS: Caregivers in the TAP group reported significantly lower burden than those in the control group and marginally lower depression. Individuals with TBI whose caregivers had been in the TAP group reported significantly lower depression than those whose caregivers had been in the control group, and a non-significant but lower self-perceived burden on their caregivers. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the TAP has strong potential to benefit both TBI caregivers and individuals with TBI during the transition from acute TBI hospitalization to home in Latin America, generally showing small-or medium-sized effects on key outcomes.

Suicidal ideation after acute traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal actor-partner interdependence model of patients and caregivers in Latin America.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with depression, anxiety, and even suicidality in individuals with TBI and in caregivers. Moreover, emotional functioning in individuals with TBI is linked with caregiver functioning. However, no known studies to date have examined linkages in suicidal ideation in individuals with TBI and family caregivers. This is especially important in Latin America, where TBI rates are high, and where cultural norms influence family caregiving. This study examined associations among self-reported suicidal ideation in individuals with TBI and their primary caregivers over time in Mexico and Colombia. Research Method/Design: A total of 109 individuals and their primary caregivers completed measures during hospitalization for TBI and at 2- and 4-months posthospitalization. The primary outcome was Item 9 from the Spanish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, assessing for thoughts of death or suicide in the previous 2 weeks. RESULTS: Patients and caregivers reported high levels of suicidal ideation (18.3%-22.4% and 12.4%-15.7%, respectively) at each time point, and suicidal ideation at one time point strongly predicted ideation at the next. When patients endorsed suicidal ideation in the hospital, their caregivers tended to endorse suicidal ideation 2 months later. Although unaccounted for variables could be driving these relationships, they may also provide possible evidence of causal preponderance between patient and caregiver suicidal ideation post-TBI. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians and rehabilitation specialists can use these findings to inform suicide risk assessment by expanding these practices to caregivers of patients who endorsed suicidal ideation. Interventions after TBI should incorporate caregivers given this study showed significant interdependence of suicidality between patients and caregivers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Pilot Study of a Newly Developed Intervention for Families Facing Serious Injury.

Background: There is a need to develop interventions that address the entire family after spinal cord injury (SCI), especially in Latin America, where rehabilitation resources are limited and little is known about family adjustment to SCI. Objective: To evaluate the short-term (post-intervention) and longer term (6-month) effectiveness of the newly developed, 8-session manualized family intervention for individuals with SCI and their family members compared to a control group. Methods: In this clinical demonstration project, longitudinal self-report data were collected from 8 individuals with SCI and their family members in Colombia, South America. The 8 families were randomly assigned to either the SCI intervention group or the waitlist control group. The intervention group included 10 individuals from 4 different families, with a mean age of 41.40 years (SD = 14.18). The control group was composed of 13 individuals from 4 different families with a mean age of 44.38 years (SD = 14.76). All participants completed Spanish versions of instruments that assessed depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), burden (Zarit Burden Interview), and perceived problem-solving skills (Problem-Solving Inventory). Results: Results provide preliminary evidence that symptoms of depression, anxiety, and burden as well as problem-solving appraisals improved significantly for individuals who participated in the intervention, whereas no change in symptoms was observed among those in the waitlist control group. Conclusions: Findings suggest that this newly developed intervention for families facing SCI can be beneficial; however, this pilot study represents only the first step in the examination of the efficacy and effectiveness of this intervention.

Sintomas depressivos e de ansiedade e apoio social estão associados de modo independente à qualidade de vida específica da doença em pacientes colombianos com artrite reumatoide / Depressive and anxiety symptoms and social support are independently associated with disease-specific quality of life in Colombian patients with rheumatoid arthritis

RESUMOObjetivo:Analisar a relação entre a qualidade de vida (QV) específica da doença e fatores sociodemográficos, clínicos e psicossociais em pacientes colombianos com artrite reumatoide (AR).Métodos:Recrutaram-se 103 pacientes com AR em centros ambulatoriais de Neiva, na Colômbia. Eles responderam ao Disease Activity Scale 28 (DAS-28), QOL-RA, Escala de Autoavaliação da Depressão de Zung, Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado (Idate), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 (Isel-12) e Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R).Resultados:Escores mais baixos de QOL-RA estiveram associados a uma pior condição socioeconômica (CSE; r = 0,26, p < 0,01), maior probabilidade de usar opioides (t = -2,51, p < 0,05), maior probabilidade de doença pulmonar comórbida (t = -2,22, p < 0,05) e pontuações inferiores nas subescalas do ISEL-12 (r's = 0,41-0,31, p's < 0,001). Uma menor pontuação no QOL-RA esteve associada a escores mais elevados no DAS-28 (r = -0,28, p < 0,01), Escala Analógica Visual (EVA; r = -0,35, p < 0,001), Escala de Autoavaliação da Depressão de Zung (r = -0,72, p < 0,001), Idate-Estado (r = -0,66, p < 0,001), Idate-Traço (r = -0,70, p < 0,001), SCL-90R Índice de Gravidade Global (r = -0,50, p < 0,001), SCL-90R Total de Sintomas Positivos (r = -0,57, p < 0,001) e todas as subescalas do SCL-90R (r's = -0,54 a -0,21, p's < 0,01). Um modelo de regressão linear múltipla indicou que a CSE (B = 2,77, p < 0,05), a Escala de Autoavaliação da Depressão de Zung (B = -0,53, p < 0,001), o Idate-Estado (B = -0,26, p < 0,05) e o Isel-12 Pertencimento (B = 1,15, p < 0,01) estavam independentemente associados à pontuação no QOL-RA, mesmo quando controlados por associações significativas.Conclusões:Mais sintomas depressivos e de ansiedade estiveram independentemente associados a uma menor QV específica da doença, enquanto a percepção aumentada de ter pessoas com quem fazer atividades (pertencimento, apoio social) e CSE mais elevados estiveram independentemente associados a uma maior QV específica da doença. Os fatores psicossociais impactam na QV na AR acima e além da atividade da doença. É necessária pesquisa adicional acerca dos benefícios da avaliação psicossocial do paciente com AR e da prestação de cuidados abrangentes para melhorar a QV.

ABSTRACTObjective:To examine the relationship between disease-specific quality of life (QOL) and socio-demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors in Colombian patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).Methods:One hundred and three RA patients recruited from ambulatory centers in Neiva, Colombia were administered the Disease Activity Scale 28 (DAS-28), QOL-RA, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 (ISEL-12), and Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R).Results:Lower QOL-RA was associated with lower socio-economic status (r = 0.26, p < 0.01), higher likelihood of using opioids (t = -2.51, p< 0.05), higher likelihood of comorbid pulmonary disease (t = -2.22, p < 0.05), and lower ISEL-12 sub-scales (r's = 0.41-0.31, p's < 0.001). Lower QOL-RA was associated with higher DAS-28 (r = -0.28, p < 0.01), Visual Analog Scale (VAS; r = -0.35, p < 0.001), Zung Depression (r = -0.72, p < 0.001), STAI-State (r = -0.66, p < 0.001), STAI-Trait (r = -0.70, p < 0.001), SCL-90R Global Severity Index (r = -0.50, p < 0.001), SCL-90R Positive Symptom Total (r = -0.57, p < 0.001), and all SCL-90R sub-scales (r's = -0.54 to -0.21, p's < 0.01). A multivariate linear regression model indicated that SES (B = 2.77, p < 0.05), Zung Depression (B = -0.53, p < 0.001), STAI-State (B = -0.26, p < 0.05), and ISEL-12 Belonging (B = 1.15, p< 0.01) were independently associated with QOL-RA, controlling for significant associations.Conclusions:More depressive and anxiety symptoms were independently associated with lower disease-specific QOL, while higher perceptions of having people to do activities with (belonging social support) and higher SES were independently associated with higher disease-specific quality of life. Psychosocial factors impact QOL in RA above and beyond disease activity. Additional research into the benefits of psychosocial assessment of RA patients and provision of comprehensive care to improve QOL is warranted.

Factors influencing acceptance of disability in individuals with spinal cord injury in Neiva, Colombia, South America.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to determine the level of acceptance of disability as measured by the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS) within a sample of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from Neiva, Colombia and to examine the influence of sociodemographic variables, injury characteristics, and level of depression on ADS score. METHODS: The ADS was administered to 40 adults with SCI from Nieva, Colombia who were recruited from an organization that connects individuals with disabilities to resources. Most (92.5%) participants were men, with a mean age of 34.75 years and approximately 12 years since injury. Fifty-five percent of subjects were diagnosed with paraplegia and the remainder with tetraplegia. Descriptive, linear model and multiple regression analyses were used to describe the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. RESULTS: The mean total ADS score of this sample was 171.5, indicating overall low disability acceptance. After controlling for level of depression and time since injury, gender was significantly related to ADS score such that women reported higher acceptance of disability. After controlling for gender and time since injury, level of depression was significantly related to ADS score. CONCLUSION: Acceptance of disability is a serious problem in this group of SCI survivors in Neiva, Colombia, especially among women and individuals with higher levels of depression. Because acceptance of disability is likely a problem for many individuals living with disability in the developing world, future researchers should investigate what interventions (e.g. counseling, pharmacological intervention, social service programs) can be implemented to improve acceptance of disability in this population.

Family needs and psychosocial functioning of caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury from Colombia, South America.

OBJECTIVE: 1) To determine the most frequent needs in a group of family caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury in Neiva Colombia; 2) to describe caregivers' psychosocial functioning; and 3) to examine the relationship between caregiver needs and caregiver psychosocial functioning. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS: 37 caregivers completed a caregiver needs questionnaire composed of 27 questions (1-5 scale) and 9 sub-scales (emotional, information, economic, community, and household support, respite, physical health, sleep, and psychological health). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to measure caregiver depression, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) measured stress, the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List Short Version (ISEL-12) measured social support, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was used to assess satisfaction with life. RESULTS: Information, economic, emotional, community support, and respite needs were most frequently reported among this group of Colombian caregivers. Forty-three percent of the family caregivers reported some level of depression, 68% reported being overwhelmed by their caretaking responsibilities, and 43% reported dissatisfaction with their lives. Information, emotional, economic, physical, sleep, and psychological needs were positively correlated with depression and burden. Those with more household, physical, sleep, economic, and psychological needs had less satisfaction with life and social support. Caregivers with more community and respite needs had less social support, while those with more emotional needs had less satisfaction with life. Caregivers with more respite needs had more burden and those with more household needs had more depression. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the sample reports some level of burden, depression, or being dissatisfied with life. Psychosocial functioning was related to various family needs. Further longitudinal research is needed to determine whether caregivers with more needs report worse psychosocial functioning or if those with worse psychosocial functioning report more needs.