The effectiveness of live music intervention on psychological distress among adolescent and young adult patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of live music to decrease psychological distress in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHOD: A quasi-experimental study was conducted. Sixty patients undergoing HSCT were divided into two groups, receiving either 4 week of live music (n = 31) or standard care (n = 29). Psychological distress, anxiety, the severity of symptom clusters and symptom interference were measured. RESULTS: When compared with the immediately and 1 month after intervention, patients in LM intervention group had significantly lower psychological distress and anxiety level than wait-list group. AYA undergoing HSCT reported significantly milder general symptom cluster and neurological symptom cluster at T3 than at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Live music intervention showed a positive effect on relieving psychological distress and anxiety in AYA patients undergoing HSCT. However, further researches are warranted to explore the effects of live music intervention on symptom cluster.

The role of sleep quality and perceived stress on depressive symptoms among tertiary hospital nurses: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses in tertiary hospitals are at high risk for depression. Understanding sleep quality and perceived stress may contribute to nurses' mental health and health-related nursing productivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sleep quality and perceived stress on depressive symptoms among nurses in tertiary hospitals. METHODS: A total of 2,780 nurses (overall response rate = 91.1%) were recruited through a cross-sectional survey in 23 tertiary hospitals in China. Questionnaires included the Self-Rating Depression Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale. Variables that were significant in Chi-square tests were further entered into binary logistic stepwise regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 60.3% (n = 1,676), of which 97.4% (n = 1,633) were female, and 77.8% were younger than 35 years (n = 1,304). Nurses who had moderate, poor, severe sleep quality and poor perceived pressure were more likely to be depressed. Master's degree, 6-10 years of work, and physical activity were protective factors, while the opposite was the case for shift work and high dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of nurses working in tertiary care hospitals reported depressive symptoms, and lower sleep quality and higher perceived stress were more associated with this. Perceived stress is an interesting concept, which may provide a new entry point for the well-known idea that there is a relationship between poor sleep quality and depression. It is possible to reduce depressive symptoms among public hospital nurses by providing information on sleep health and stress relief.

Relationships between depression, self-efficacy, and professional values among Chinese oncology nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Many factors are related to oncology nurses' professional values. However, the evidence on the relevance of professional values among oncology nurses in China remains sparse. This study aims to investigate the relationship between depression, self-efficacy, and professional values among Chinese oncology nurses and analyze the mediating effect of self-efficacy on this association. METHODS: It was a multicenter cross-sectional study designed with the STROBE guidelines. An anonymous online questionnaire recruited 2530 oncology nurses from 55 hospitals in six provinces of China between March and June 2021. Measures included self-designed sociodemographic and fully validated instruments. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to explore the associations between depression, self-efficacy, and professional values. Bootstrapping analysis by the PROCESS macro was used to examine the mediating effect of self-efficacy. RESULTS: The total scores of depression, self-efficacy, and professional values of Chinese oncology nurses were 52.75 ± 12.62, 28.39 ± 6.33, and 101.55 ± 20.43, respectively. About 55.2% of Chinese oncology nurses were depressed. Chinese oncology nurses' professional values were generally intermediate. Their professional values were negatively related to depression and positively correlated with self-efficacy, while depression was negatively related to self-efficacy. Moreover, self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between depression and professional values, accounting for 24.8% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: Depression negatively predicts self-efficacy and professional values, and self-efficacy positively predicts professional values. Meanwhile, depression in Chinese oncology nurses has an indirect effect on their professional values through self-efficacy. Nursing managers and oncology nurses themselves should develop strategies aimed at relieving depression and improving self-efficacy to strengthen their positive professional values.

Effects of rational emotive behavior therapy on alexithymia, anxiety, depression and sleep quality of older people in nursing homes: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Alexithymia, a subclinical cognitive-affective impairment, is prevalent in older people and increases the risk of mental disorders. There is a vast alexithymia treatment gap, with majority of older people in nursing homes lacking access to adequate mental health care. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) on alexithymia, anxiety, depression and sleep quality of older people in nursing homes. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with two groups (the control group and intervention) from March to November 2021. This study enrolled 86 participants, two of whom were lost to follow-up; 42 received usual care (control group) and 42 received REBT based on usual care (intervention group) in nursing homes. The older people in both groups were evaluated at baseline (T0), within one-week post-intervention (T1), and at 3-month follow-up (T3). Generalized estimating equations were used by SPSS version 26 to assess the differential change in the outcomes between the two groups. RESULTS: The intervention group shows significantly greater improvement in alexithymia than the control group at both T1 (ß = -8.167, 95%CI= -10.965, -5.368, P < 0.001) and T2 (ß=-4.119, 95%CI= -7.171, -1.067, P = 0.008). The two groups showed significant differences at both T1 and T2 in both difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings. Compared to the control group, the intervention group shows a significant improvement in sleep quality at T2 (ß = -2.048, 95%CI=-4.004, -0.091, P = 0.040). The two groups showed significant differences at both T1 and T2 in both sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction. For depression and anxiety, no significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: REBT showed to be an effective method for improving alexithymia and sleep quality of older people in nursing homes. However, it failed to significantly alleviate anxiety and depression at least in a short-term trial. Refining this intervention may have a broader, more substantial impact on future research.

Sexual dysfunction and activity avoidance in female kidney transplant patients.

Sexual dysfunction is common after kidney transplantation and has an adverse effect on patients' quality of life. This paper aims to evaluate the female sexual function, activity avoidance, and kidney function among a convenience sample of patients who had a kidney transplant. A cross-sectional study was conducted that included 250 patients had undergone a kidney transplant procedure >3 months ago, from multiple transplant centers and answered a self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire, the female version of the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-13. A correlation was found between sexual function and activity avoidance (r = .361, p < .001, n = 250) as well as between activity avoidance and kidney function (r = .198, p = .012, n = 250). Less education, having no child, post-transplant time for <36 months, and smoking (active and passive) were risk factors for female sexual dysfunction after kidney transplantation. The results suggest that physicians that the importance of recognize the relationship between fear of sexual activity and sexual function and that they should provide patients with more education and guidance on post-transplant sexual behaviors.

Sarcopenia as a predictor of mortality among the critically ill in an intensive care unit: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The evidence of sarcopenia based on CT-scan as an important prognostic factor for critically ill patients has not seen consistent results. To determine the impact of sarcopenia on mortality in critically ill patients, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the association between sarcopenia and mortality. METHODS: We searched studies from the literature of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library from database inception to June 15, 2020. All observational studies exploring the relationship between sarcopenia based on CT-scan and mortality in critically ill patients were included. The search and data analysis were independently conducted by two investigators. A meta-analysis was performed using STATA Version 14.0 software using a fixed-effects model. RESULTS: Fourteen studies with a total of 3,249 participants were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of sarcopenia among critically ill patients was 41 % (95 % CI:33-49 %). Critically ill patients with sarcopenia in the intensive care unit have an increased risk of mortality compared to critically ill patients without sarcopenia (OR = 2.28, 95 %CI: 1.83-2.83; P < 0.001; I2 = 22.1 %). In addition, a subgroup analysis found that sarcopenia was associated with high risk of mortality when defining sarcopenia by total psoas muscle area (TPA, OR = 3.12,95 %CI:1.71-5.70), skeletal muscle index (SMI, OR = 2.16,95 %CI:1.60-2.90), skeletal muscle area (SMA, OR = 2.29, 95 %CI:1.37-3.83), and masseter muscle(OR = 2.08, 95 %CI:1.15-3.77). Furthermore, critically ill patients with sarcopenia have an increased risk of mortality regardless of mortality types such as in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.99, 95 %CI:1.45-2.73), 30-day mortality(OR = 2.08, 95 %CI:1.36-3.19), and 1-year mortality (OR = 3.23, 95 %CI:2.08 -5.00). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia increases the risk of mortality in critical illness. Identifying the risk factors of sarcopenia should be routine in clinical assessments and offering corresponding interventions may help medical staff achieve good patient outcomes in ICU departments.

Early estimated glomerular filtration rate and depression in kidney transplantation recipients: a longitudinal study.

Depression is a common psychological problem in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients and affects long-term graft outcomes. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as a commonly used indicator of renal function plays a vital role in follow-up detection after KT. The aim of this study is to observe the change of early eGFR within 3 months after KT and to explore the correlation between eGFR and depression before and after transplantation. The Self-rating Depression Scale was used to evaluate depression. Among 135 patients with KT, 128 patients completed the longitudinal study. We used a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance to analyze eGFR and a generalized estimating equation model to examine the relationship between depression and eGFR in KT recipients with pre-transplant and 30, 60, 90 days post-transplant. The mean eGFR of KT recipients at four time-points was 5.97 ± 4.83, 72.84 ± 26.06, 79.06 ± 26.45 and 81.79 ± 25.62, respectively. The results demonstrated that eGFR kept steady at 60 days and 90 days post-transplant; depression was significantly associated with eGFR. Earlier identification and treatment of depression in KT recipients may be essential to promote their recovery of early renal function.

Effectiveness and feasibility of online fertility preservation decision aids for young female patients with cancer: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer diagnosis and treatment can impair fertility, and younger female patients with cancer have a particularly strong need for fertility preservation. Fertility preservation decision aids are thought to help patients make proactive and informed treatment decisions. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of online fertility preservation decision aids for young female patients with cancer. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO and CHINAL, along with three grey literature sources (Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), will be searched from each database's establishment to 30 November 2022. Two trained reviewers will independently screen the articles, and the data extraction and methodological quality of eligible randomised controlled trials and quasiexperimental studies will be assessed. A meta-analysis will be performed using Review Manager V.5.4 (Cochrane Collaboration) software, and heterogeneity will be assessed using I² statistics. If a meta-analysis is not possible, a narrative synthesis will be done. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Since this systematic review is based on published data, no ethical approval is required. The study's findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022363287.

A self-administered immersive virtual reality tool for assessing cognitive impairment in patients with cancer.

Objective: This study was aimed at exploring the feasibility and validity of a self-administered immersive virtual reality (VR) tool designed to assess cognitive impairment in patients with cancer. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey study, an immersive tool was used to rate the previously recommended core assessment domains of cancer-related cognitive impairment-comprising attention, verbal learning memory, processing speed, executive function and verbal fluency-via an interactive VR scenario. Results: A total of 165 patients with cancer participated in this study. The participants' mean age was 47.74 years (SD â€‹= â€‹10.59). Common cancer types included lung, liver, breast and colorectal cancer, and most patients were in early disease stages (n â€‹= â€‹146, 88.5%). Participants' performance in the VR cognition assessment showed a moderate to strong positive correlation with their paper-and-pencil neurocognitive test results (r â€‹= â€‹0.34-0.76, P â€‹< â€‹0.001), thus indicating high concurrent validity of the immersive VR cognition assessment tool. For all participants, the mean score for the VR-based cognition assessment was 5.41 (SD â€‹= â€‹0.70) out of a potential maximum of 7.0. The mean simulation sickness score for the VR-based tool, as rated by the patients, was 0.35 (SD â€‹= â€‹0.19), thereby indicating that minimal simulation sickness occurred during the VR-assisted cognition assessment. Conclusions: Given its demonstrated validity, and the patients' high presence scores and minimal sickness scores, this VR-based cognition assessment tool is a feasible and acceptable instrument for measuring cognitive impairment in patients with cancer. However, further psychometric assessments should be implemented in clinical settings.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of sexual healthcare and its influencing factors among oncology nurses: a multicenter study.

Background: The provision of sexual healthcare plays an integral role in the field of oncology nursing. However, limitations in the knowledge, attitude, and practice perspectives of oncology nurses require detailed study. Aim: In this study the authors sought to describe the knowledge, attitude, and practice of oncology nurses regarding sexual healthcare from a nationwide perspective and to explore the factors that influence them. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using stratified random sampling of certified oncology nurses from 55 hospitals in 6 provinces in Central South China. In total, 2530 nurses participated and completed the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice questionnaire of Sexual Health Care (KAP of SHC), the Nurses Clinic Communication Competency Scale, the Nurses Professional Values Scale, and the General Self-efficacy Scale. Multivariate linear regression was used to explore influencing factors. Outcomes: The primary variable was the knowledge, attitude, and practice of sexual healthcare provision. Secondary variables included professional value, clinical communication competency, self-efficacy, and demographic factors. Results: The median KAP of SHC score was 139 (possible range 72 to 288). Attitude of SHC scored highest, followed by knowledge and practice scores. Professional values were positively associated with knowledge (odds ratio [OR] = 0.057; 95% CI: 0.023-0.091; P < .01) and attitude (OR = 0.319; 95% CI: 0.268-0.370, P < .01) of SHC. Clinical communication competency was only positively related to the attitude of SHC (OR = 3.960; 95% CI: 2.701-5.218, P < .01). Self-efficacy was positively related to KAP and the knowledge (OR = 0.616; 95% CI: 0.506-0.725, P < .01), attitude (OR = 0.187; 95% CI: 0.052-0.322, P < .01), and practice (OR = 0.840; 95% CI: 0.735-0.944, P < .01) of SHC. Clinical Implications: Knowledge assistance, attitude training, and practice coaching resources must be on the agenda to optimize professional practice for oncology nurses. Strengths and Limitations: This study provides data based on the Knowledge, Attitude, Belief and Practice (KABP) model in a nationwide sample of oncology nurses. In addition, the relationship between self-efficacy and KAP of SHC has been explored for the first time. The limitations are that this study may have some bias and did not take into account mediating relationships. Conclusions: Oncology nurses exhibit moderate levels of KAP of SHC. It is noteworthy that self-efficacy and position are the only 2 factors that influenced all aspects of KAP of SHC.

Conceptualizing problems with symptoms, function, health behavior, health-seeking skills, and financial strain in breast cancer survivors using hierarchical clustering.

PURPOSE: Determine whether a diverse set of problems experienced by breast cancer survivors (BCS) following curative treatment can be formulated into a reduced number of clusters, potentially simplifying the conceptualization of these problems. METHOD: Female BCS were recruited from four cancer hospitals in China. The Chinese translation of the Cancer Survivor Profile (CSPro) was used to measure 18 common problem areas, as supported by epidemiological and phenomenological research. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) was used to measure quality of life, as a validation of any observed groupings. Hierarchical clustering using multiple distance criteria and aggregation methods to detect patterns of problems was used. RESULTS: A total of 1008 BCS (mean 46.51 years old) living in both urban and rural areas were investigated. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified two major clusters of problems. One set was classified as "functional limitations," while the other cluster was labeled "multi-problems." Those who fell into the multi-problem cluster experienced poorer quality of life. CONCLUSION: Eighteen non-medical problems were broken down into two major clusters: (1) limitations in higher level functions required of daily life and (2) limitations in health care-seeking skills, problems with certain symptoms, unhealthy behaviors, and financial problems related to cancer. The breakdown of problem areas into these two clusters may help identify common mechanisms. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: In the future, the search for common clusters and the mechanisms for the many problems that breast cancer survivors and other cancer survivors can experience following primary treatment may improve how we help manage these problems in the future.

The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Interventions in Rehabilitation Management of Breast Cancer Survivors: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) can present with various physical and psychological symptoms and functional deficits that impact their quality of life. Virtual reality (VR) technology is being used in breast cancer rehabilitation management to improve the emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being of BCSs. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of VR-based interventions on health-related outcomes in BCSs. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of VR-based interventions in the rehabilitation management of BCSs. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL with Full Text, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and CBM, from inception to May 25, 2021. The inclusion criteria of the selected studies were as follows: (1) adults diagnosed with breast cancer; (2) any type of VR-based interventions (immersive and nonimmersive virtual environment); (3) comparison of traditional rehabilitation methods; (4) outcomes including pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, cognitive function, shoulder range of motion (ROM), hand grip strength, lymphedema, cybersickness symptoms, fear of movement, bleeding, effusion, and flap necrosis, both during and after treatment; and (5) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case-controlled trials, and quasi-experimental studies. The Cochrane Collaboration Tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Review Manager version 5.3 (Cochrane Collaboration) was used to conduct the meta-analysis. The mean difference (MD) and SDs with 95% CIs were used to calculate continuous variables. RESULTS: Twelve articles were included in this systematic review, of which 10 contributed information to the meta-analysis. A total of 604 participants were analyzed. The statistical analysis showed significant results for flexion (standard mean difference [SMD] 1.79; 95% CI 0.55 to 3.03; P=.005), extension (SMD 1.54; 95% CI 0.83 to 2.25; P<.001), abduction (MD 17.53; 95% CI 14.33 to 20.72; P<.001), adduction (MD 15.98; 95% CI 14.02 to 17.94; P<.001), internal rotation (MD 7.12; 95% CI 5.54 to 8.70; P<.001), external rotation (SMD 0.96; 95% CI 0.62 to 1.29; P<.001), anxiety (MD -6.47; 95% CI -7.21 to -5.73; P<.001), depression (MD -4.27; 95% CI -4.64 to -3.91; P<.001), pain (MD -1.32; 95% CI -2.56 to -0.09; P=.04), and cognitive function (MD 8.80; 95% CI 8.24 to 9.36; P<.001). The meta-analysis indicated little to no difference in hand grip strength (MD 1.96; 95% CI -0.93 to 4.85; P=.18). CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this review noted a weak but consistent positive association between VR-based interventions and outcomes. However, these results must be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of controlled trials analyzed, small sample sizes, and poor methodological quality. Well-designed, large, high-quality trials may have a significant impact on our confidence in the results. Future studies should identify specific aspects that improve the clinical impact of VR-based interventions on major outcomes in BCSs in the clinical setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42021250727; https://tinyurl.com/2p89rmnk.

Symptom clusters and their predictors in patients with lung cancer and treated with programmed cell death protein 1 immunotherapy.

Objective: The aims of this study were to examine the symptom severity and interference among patients with lung cancer treated with PD-1 immunotherapy, explore whether those symptoms were clustered together, and identify factors associated with symptom clusters. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected by demographic and clinical characteristic questionnaires and the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Lung Cancer Module. Symptom clusters were identified using exploratory factor analysis, and stepwise linear regression was applied to analyze the factors affecting the symptom clusters. Results: A total of 148 patients with lung cancer treated with PD-1 immunotherapy participated in this study. The overall symptom burdens of these patients were mainly at a mild level. The patient symptom clusters identified in this study were a general cluster, a treatment-related cluster, a pulmonary cluster, a gastrointestinal cluster, and a neural cluster. The patients' Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score (ߠ​= â€‹-2.758, P â€‹< â€‹0.001) and having a history of chemotherapy (ߠ​= â€‹4.384, P â€‹= â€‹0.001) were significant predictors of the general cluster. Their KPS scores (ߠ​= â€‹-1.202, P â€‹< â€‹0.001) and having a history of chemotherapy (ߠ​= â€‹-1.957, P â€‹= â€‹0.001) were significant predictors of the pulmonary cluster. Their monthly income (ߠ​= â€‹-0.316, P â€‹= â€‹0.030) and KPS scores (ߠ​= â€‹-0.357, P â€‹= â€‹0.045) were significant predictors of the gastrointestinal cluster. Having a history of chemotherapy (ߠ​= â€‹1.868, P â€‹< â€‹0.001) was the predictor of the neural cluster. Conclusions: The symptom burdens of patients with lung cancer and treated with PD-1 immunotherapy were at a mild level and appeared to be clustered. In addition, because the symptoms that comprise a cluster are interrelated, the diagnosis and management of each symptom in a cluster should not be performed in isolation, and each symptom in a cluster should be treated either simultaneously or in an orderly manner.

Factors to predict the knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing interruptions among nurses: A nationwide cross-sectional survey.

AIM: To identify the knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing interruptions and related factors among nurses in China. BACKGROUND: Nursing interruptions are extremely common and have introduced major security risks and harm to hospitalized patients. However, nursing interruptions' factors are not well known. DESIGN: A nationwide cross-sectional descriptive survey. METHODS: A multistratified random sampling method was used to obtain nurses from five provinces in China. We collected data by online questionnaires (the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire of Nursing Interruptions, the Chinese Revised Safety Attitude Questionnaire and the Coping Adaptation Processing Scale). We used the Mann-Whitney test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman's linear correlation analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression to analyze the data. A STROBE checklist was used to report the results. RESULTS: Of the 14500 questionnaires distributed, 14302 (98.6 %) were returned. The mean score was 79.69 (SD 17.73) and the level was medium. Having attended nursing interruptions training and attended nursing safety training, safety attitude, coping ability and position were positive factors, while age and marital status were negative factors (F=1068.226, p < 0.001, R2 =0.374, adjusted R2 =0.373). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese nurses expressed a moderate level of knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing interruptions. Safety attitude, having attended nursing interruptions training, coping ability, having attended nursing safety training, position, age and marital status were predictors. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing managers should pay attention to the influencing factors of clinical nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice of nursing interruptions and take effective individualized training for clinical nurses with different ages, positions and marital status to improve their coping ability, so as to ensure nursing safety and improve nursing quality.

A Mobile-based Virtual Reality Speech Rehabilitation App for Patients With Aphasia After Stroke: Development and Pilot Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke has the highest disability-adjusted life-years lost in any disease, and approximately one-third of the patients get aphasia. Computers and tablets are innovative and aid in intensive treatments in speech rehabilitation for patients with aphasia. However, mechanical training limits the help to patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a framework for an integrated virtual reality (VR) app to provide speech rehabilitation for patients with aphasia. METHODS: The content was generated through an in-depth literature review and discussion with experienced rehabilitation physicians and occupational therapists. We then conducted a 2-round Delphi study with 15 experts from hospitals and universities to rate the content using a 5-point Likert scale. The app was developed by an interdisciplinary team involving VR, medical science of rehabilitation, and therapeutic rehabilitation. Pilot usability testing of this novel app was conducted among 5 patients with aphasia, 5 healthy volunteers, 5 medical staff, and 2 VR experts. RESULTS: We designed 4 modules of speech rehabilitation: oral expression, auditory comprehension, cognition, and comprehensive application. Our VR-based interactive and intelligent app was developed to provide an alternative option for patients with aphasia. Pilot usability testing revealed user satisfaction with the app. CONCLUSIONS: This study designed and tested a novel VR-based app for speech rehabilitation specifically adapted to patients with aphasia. This will guide other studies to develop a similar program or intelligent system in a clinical setting.

The prevalence of thyroid nodules and its factors among Chinese adult women: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of thyroid nodules in Chinese adult women. To analyze the relationships between lifestyle, metabolic syndrome and thyroid nodules. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in the tertiary hospital from 2017 to 2019. Included participants underwent thyroid color Doppler ultrasonography, lipids examination, and dietary evaluation. Results: Totally 2,784 participants were included, and 933 participants were found to have thyroid nodule(s) by B-ultrasound. The prevalence of thyroid nodules was 33.3%. Women in 50-59 years (OR: 1.746, 95% CI [1.356-2.249]), older than 60 (2.147 [1.540-2.993]) and occupations with mainly manual work (1.780 [1.367-2.317]) were risk factors for thyroid nodules, while moderate dietary diversity (0.624 [0.476-0.817]) and normal triglycerides level (0.739 [0.604-0.905]) were protective factors. Conclusion: Women over 50 and those whose jobs are mainly manual should enhance screening, follow-up and health management of thyroid nodules. Higher dietary diversity is protective measures against thyroid nodules for adult women and should consider dietary balance and the food varieties, not just increased quantities.

Effect of Light Therapy on Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

CONTEXT: Light therapy is a non-pharmacological therapy that is currently being studied in cancer-related symptoms and is certificated as a low-risk intervention by FDA. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common symptom reported by cancer patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of light therapy for CRF in cancer patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of four electronic databases targeted randomized clinical trials evaluating light therapy for CRF (CRD42020215446), from inception to May 2021. The primary outcome was changes of CRF scores; secondary outcomes included depression, sleep, and quality of life (QoL). We quantitatively pooled outcomes using meta-analysis with random-effects models and assessed methodological bias. RESULTS: We identified thirteen RCTs representing 551 cancer patients, encompassing breast (n = 5), ovarian or endometrial (n = 1), multiple myeloma (n = 1), lung (n = 1), or combined (n = 5) cancers. The comparison groups included dim light (n = 12) and waiting list (n = 1). Duration of intervention ranged from 1 to 12 weeks. Light intensities ranged from 417.9 to 12,000 lux. Light therapy was associated with a significant improvement in CRF (SMD = 0.45, P = 0.007), depression (SMD = -0.26, P = 0.03) and sleep difficulty (SMD = -2.46, P = 0.0006); a statistically non-significant trend was observed for QoL (SMD = 0.33, P = 0.09). Funnel plots for CRF suggest not significant publication bias. CONCLUSION: Light therapy could be a feasible and effective option for improving CRF in cancer patients. Larger sample, rigor trials design and a standard protocol of intervention are needed to draw more conclusive conclusions.

Metacognitions associated with reproductive concerns: A cross-sectional study of young adult female cancer survivors in China.

Objective: Cancer and its treatments affect patients' fertility potential. This study examined the prevalence of reproductive concerns and their relationship with metacognitions among Chinese young adult female cancer survivors (YAFCS). Methods: A total of 318 YAFCS (aged 18-39) completed an online survey from March to December 2021. Participants reported sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive concerns and metacognitions. Reproductive concerns were measured using the Reproductive Concerns after Cancer scale (RCAC), and metacognitions were measured by the Short Form of Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30). We used Pearson correlation analysis to examine associations between metacognitions and reproductive concerns across multiple domains and multivariable linear regression to determine the influencing factors of reproductive concerns. Results: The mean score of reproductive concern among YAFCS was 49.97 ± 12.52. A total of 57.9% of participants reported a high level of concern regarding at least one dimension of reproductive concerns, and they were most concerned about their child's health and least concerned about partner disclosure of fertility status. We also found a moderate association between RCAC and MCQ-30 scores (r = 0.408, p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, metacognitions, especially negative metacognitive beliefs had an impact on reproductive concerns among YAFCS (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher reproductive concerns were associated with higher metacognitions among YAFCS, especially with negative metacognitive beliefs. Oncology professionals should pay attention to assessing reproductive concerns in patients who want to have children or who have no children. Moreover, metacognitive beliefs may be an intervention target for alleviating reproductive concerns among YAFCS.

Physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among young, early mature and late mature people: A cross-sectional study of 76,223 in China.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to screen for depressive symptoms in a large sample of Chinese population, and explore the effects of demographic and lifestyle factors on depressive symptoms based on the brain maturity. METHOD: Adults from 8 health management centers in 6 provinces completed an online health self-report questionnaire. Finally, a total of 76,223 valid questionnaires were collected. RESULT: A total of 76,223 participants were included in this study, including 44,167 (57.9%) males and 32,056 (42.1%) females. The percentage of clinically relevant depressive symptoms among young, early mature and late mature participants was 13.5%, 18.5% and 27.3%, respectively. Among young participants, being female was a risk factor for depressive symptoms, while having a bachelor's or graduate degree, being married, smoking, and moderate alcohol consumption were protective factors. And among early mature participants, female, married and other marital status, BMI of 24-27.9 were risk factors, post-graduate education or above, smoking, moderate alcohol consumption and meeting exercise standard were protective factors. Among late mature participants, Compared with junior high school, all other degrees were protective factors, as was meeting physical activity standards, excessive alcohol consumption was a risk factor. CONCLUSION: This study analyzed the association among young, early mature and late mature participants respectively, and proposed strategies for improving healthy lifestyle of Chinese people. Our findings support the need for individualized recommendations to improve mental health based on brain maturity.

Exploring the employment readiness and return to work status of breast cancer patients and related factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the employment status, employment readiness, and other factors affecting the ease or difficulty with which breast cancer patients effect their return to work (RTW). METHODS: This study adopted a mixed-method design, recruiting participants from among breast cancer patients in a cancer hospital in Hunan from December 2018 to June 2019. We approached 300 individuals, 192 of whom ultimately participated in this study. The quantitative part of the study involved several scales: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), the Work Ability Index (WAI), and the Lam Assessment of Employment Readiness (LASER). The qualitative part involved a set of open-ended questions and written responses collected from 41 participants who had already returned to work at the time of data collection. Their written responses mainly concerned factors influencing RTW. RESULTS: Forty-one breast cancer patients had returned to work. The results reported a median total Cognitive Symptom Checklist score of 9.00 (6.00, 15.25), a median WAI score of 5.00 (3.50, 9.75), a median BFI score of 26.00 (14.75, 42.00), a median total PHQ-9 score of 8.00 (5.25, 17.00), and a LASER score of 50.35 ± 11.90. Multiple regression analysis showed that the participants' cancer stage, cognitive limitations, depression, fatigue, and work ability were significant predictors of employment readiness (P < 0.05). Exploring the qualitative data, we found that higher skill levels, better social support, and a flexible work schedule facilitated RTW; stress, lack of confidence in one's work skills, depression, and fatigue are all possible barriers to RTW. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that breast cancer patients have a low level of employment readiness. Nurses and other healthcare providers can develop relevant interventions to promote employment readiness and ultimately achieve RTW in this study population.