Augmented reality versus standard tests to assess cognition and function in early Alzheimer's disease.

Augmented reality (AR) apps, in which the virtual and real world are combined, can recreate instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and are therefore promising to measure cognition needed for IADL in early Alzheimer's disease (AD) both in the clinic and in the home settings. The primary aim of this study was to distinguish and classify healthy controls (HC) from participants with AD pathology in an early AD stage using an AR app. The secondary aims were to test the association of the app with clinical cognitive and functional tests and investigate the feasibility of at-home testing using AR. We furthermore investigated the test-retest reliability and potential learning effects of the task. The digital score from the AR app could significantly distinguish HC from preclinical AD (preAD) and prodromal AD (proAD), and preAD from proAD, both with in-clinic and at-home tests. For the classification of the proAD group, the digital score (AUCclinic_visit = 0.84 [0.75-0.93], AUCat_home = 0.77 [0.61-0.93]) was as good as the cognitive score (AUC = 0.85 [0.78-0.93]), while for classifying the preAD group, the digital score (AUCclinic_visit = 0.66 [0.53-0.78], AUCat_home = 0.76 [0.61-0.91]) was superior to the cognitive score (AUC = 0.55 [0.42-0.68]). In-clinic and at-home tests moderately correlated (rho = 0.57, p < 0.001). The digital score was associated with the clinical cognitive score (rho = 0.56, p < 0.001). No learning effects were found. Here we report the AR app distinguishes HC from otherwise healthy Aß-positive individuals, both in the outpatient setting and at home, which is currently not possible with standard cognitive tests.

Correction: Ethical challenges of using remote monitoring technologies for clinical research: A case study of the role of local research ethics committees in the RADAR-AD study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285807.].

Ethical challenges of using remote monitoring technologies for clinical research: A case study of the role of local research ethics committees in the RADAR-AD study.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical research with remote monitoring technologies (RMTs) has multiple advantages over standard paper-pencil tests, but also raises several ethical concerns. While several studies have addressed the issue of governance of big data in clinical research from the legal or ethical perspectives, the viewpoint of local research ethics committee (REC) members is underrepresented in the current literature. The aim of this study is therefore to find which specific ethical challenges are raised by RECs in the context of a large European study on remote monitoring in all syndromic stages of Alzheimer's disease, and what gaps remain. METHODS: Documents describing the REC review process at 10 sites in 9 European countries from the project Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse-Alzheimer's Disease (RADAR-AD) were collected and translated. Main themes emerging in the documents were identified using a qualitative analysis approach. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged after analysis: data management, participant's wellbeing, methodological issues, and the issue of defining the regulatory category of RMTs. Review processes differed across sites: process duration varied from 71 to 423 days, some RECs did not raise any issues, whereas others raised up to 35 concerns, and the approval of a data protection officer was needed in half of the sites. DISCUSSION: The differences in the ethics review process of the same study protocol across different local settings suggest that a multi-site study would benefit from a harmonization in research ethics governance processes. More specifically, some best practices could be included in ethical reviews across institutional and national contexts, such as the opinion of an institutional data protection officer, patient advisory board reviews of the protocol and plans for how ethical reflection is embedded within the study.

Awareness of age-related changes in Norwegian individuals 50+. Short form questionnaire validation.

Background: A questionnaire assessing awareness of positive and negative age-related changes (AARC gains and losses) was developed in the US and Germany, and validated for the UK and Brazilian populations. In this study, we validated the short-form measure (AARC-10 SF) in the Norwegian population aged 50 and over. In addition, the relationship between cognitive variables and AARC was examined. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of data from 1,510 participants in the ongoing online PROTECT Norge study were used to explore and confirm the two-factor structure of AARC gains and AARC losses; reliability; measurement invariance across different population groups defined by sex, education level, employment, and in middle age, early old age, and advanced old age. We explored the relationship between AARC and demographic variables (defined in the same way as the population groups). Results: We confirmed the two-factor structure (gains and losses) of the Norwegian translation of the AARC-10 SF. We did not find mutual correlations between related items in gains and losses, except for the physical health item from the gains dimension, which was positively correlated with all items of the losses dimension. Age, sex, marital status, employment, and university education predicted AARC gains and losses. Conclusion: The Norwegian translation of the AARC-10 SF captures individuals' positive and negative self-perceptions of age-related changes in their mental, physical, and cognitive health.

Self-management and HeAlth Promotion in Early-stage dementia with e-learning for carers (SHAPE): study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: With an increasing number of people with dementia worldwide and limited advancement in medical treatments, the call for new and cost-effective approaches is crucial. The utility of self-management has been proven in certain chronic conditions. However, very little work has been undertaken regarding self-management in people with dementia. METHODS: The SHAPE trial will include 372 people with mild to moderate dementia to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an educational programme combining approaches of self-management, health promotion, and e-learning for care partners. The study is a multi-site, single-randomised, controlled, single-blinded trial with parallel arms. The intervention arm is compared with treatment as usual. The intervention comprises a 10-week course delivered as group sessions for the participants with dementia. The sessions are designed to develop self-management skills and to provide information on the nature of the condition and the development of healthy behaviours in a supportive learning environment. An e-learning course will be provided for care partners which covers similar and complementary material to that discussed in the group sessions for the participant with dementia. DISCUSSION: This trial will explore the effect of the SHAPE group intervention on people with mild to moderate dementia in terms of self-efficacy and improvement in key health and mental health outcomes and cost-effectiveness, along with carer stress and knowledge of dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04286139, registered prospectively February 26, 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04286139.

Health Care Personnel's Perspective on Potential Electronic Health Interventions to Prevent Hospitalizations for Older Persons Receiving Community Care: Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: The use of electronic health (eHealth) interventions is suggested to help monitor and treat degenerative and chronic diseases through the use of sensors, alarms, and reminders and can potentially prevent hospitalizations for home-dwelling older persons receiving community care. It is increasingly recognized that the health care personnel's acceptance of a technological application remains a key challenge in adopting an intervention, thus interventions must be perceived to be useful and fit for purpose by the actual users. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify and explore the perspectives of managers and health care personnel in community care regarding the use of eHealth interventions in terms of prevention of hospitalizations for home-dwelling older persons receiving community care. METHODS: A case study with a qualitative approach was carried out in community care in a Norwegian municipality, comprising individual interviews and focus group interviews. A total of 5 individual interviews and 2 focus group interviews (n=12) were undertaken to provide the health care personnel's and managers' perspective regarding the use of eHealth interventions, which could potentially prevent hospitalizations for home-dwelling older persons receiving community care. Data were analyzed by way of systematic text condensation, as described by Malterud. RESULTS: The data analysis of focus group interviews and individual interviews resulted in 2 categories: potential technological applications and potential patient groups. Discussions in the focus groups generated several suggestions and wishes related to technical applications that they could make use of in their day-to-day practice. The health care personnel warranted tools and measures to enhance and document their clinical observations in contact with patients. They also identified patient groups, such as patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or dehydration or urinary tract infections, for whom hospitalizations could potentially have been prevented. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that the health care personnel in community care warrant various technological applications that have the potential to improve quality of care and resource utilization in the studied municipality. We have identified needs and important matters in practice, which are paramount for acceptance and adoption of an intervention in community care.

Characteristics and predictors for hospitalizations of home-dwelling older persons receiving community care: a cohort study from Norway.

BACKGROUND: Older persons are substantial consumers of both hospital- and community care, and there are discussions regarding the potential for preventing hospitalizations through high quality community care. The present study report prevalence and factors associated with admissions to hospital for community-dwelling older persons (> 67 years of age), receiving community care in a Norwegian municipality. METHODS: This was a cohort study of 1531 home-dwelling persons aged ≥67 years, receiving community care. We retrospectively scrutinized admissions to hospital for the study cohort over a one-year period in 2013. The frequency of admissions was evaluated with regard to association with age (age groups 67-79 years, 80-89 years and ≥ 90 year) and gender. The hospital admission incidence was calculated by dividing the number of admissions by the number of individuals included in the study cohort, stratified by age and gender. The association between age and gender as potential predictors and hospitalization (outcome) was first examined in univariate analyses followed by multinomial regression analyses in order to investigate the associations between age and gender with different causes of hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified a total of 1457 admissions, represented by 739 unique individuals, of which 64% were women, and an estimated mean age of 83 years. Mean admission rate was 2 admissions per person-year (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.89-2.11). The admission rate varied with age, and hospital incidents rates were higher for men in all age groups. The overall median length of stay was 4 days. The most common reason for hospitalization was the need for further medical assessment (23%). We found associations between increasing age and hospitalizations due to physical general decline, and associations between male gender and hospitalizations due to infections (e.g., airways infections, urinary tract infections). CONCLUSIONS: We found the main reasons for hospitalizations to be related to falls, infections and general decline/pain/unspecified dyspnea. Men were especially at risk for hospitalization as they age. Our study have identified some clinically relevant factors that are vital in understanding what health care personnel in community care need to be especially aware of in order to prevent hospitalizations for this population.

What are the key contextual factors when preparing for successful implementation of assistive living technology in primary elderly care? A case study from Norway.

OBJECTIVE: To identify contextual factors at different organisational levels to guide the implementation of an assistive living technology intervention in Norwegian primary home care. DESIGN: A single embedded case study design was carried out in an urban municipality in Western Norway to get an overview of key contextual factors from the municipality's perspective. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The data collection was based on a triangulation of methods involving document analysis, semi-structured individual interviews and focus group interviews to get a broad insight when preparing for an intervention. Data were collected on three levels of the healthcare system: (1) national policy documents and regulations (macro), (2) five individual interviews with senior managers and municipal strategy documents (meso) and (3) two focus group interviews with nurses and nurse managers in direct patient care (micro). The Model for Understanding Success in Quality framework was used as a guide in the data analysis. RESULTS: The main contextual factors identified were external motivators and project sponsorship (macro level); leadership, workforce focus and maturity (meso level);and motivation to change and maturity (micro level). Strategies developed in policy documents affected upper management in the municipality, but healthcare personnel at the micro level were not so familiar with strategies and emphasis on assistive living technologies. Healthcare personnel in our study were motivated to use technological solutions, but lack of data infrastructure and resource availability hindered this. CONCLUSIONS: Aligning interests across multiple stakeholders remain a challenge when planning for an assistive living technology intervention in primary care. In the studied municipality, integration of technological solutions into healthcare services was more a vision than a reality because of a low level of organisational readiness.

The landscape of pain management in people with dementia living in care homes: a mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to explore the current landscape of pain management in people with dementia living in care home settings. Pain is extremely common in this patient group, yet there is very limited guidance for healthcare professionals. METHODS: Triangulation of stakeholder consultation and quality review of pain management guidance were performed. A review of existing pain management guidance was conducted using published quality criteria adapted for the field. Three focus group discussions were held with care home staff and two focus group discussions and an online survey with family carers. Data were subjected to thematic analysis to identify themes and sub-themes. Outcomes were reviewed by an expert panel, which gave recommendations. RESULTS: Fifteen existing guidelines were identified, of which three were designed for use in dementia and none were tailored for care home settings. Thematic analysis revealed six major themes in current pain management in dementia: importance of person-centredness, current lack of pain awareness in staff, communication as a core element, disparities in staff responsibility and confidence, the need for consistency of care and current lack of staff training. In addition to the needs for practice, the expert panel identified promising pharmacological treatment candidates, which warrant clinical evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study clearly articulate a need for an evidence-based pain management programme for care homes, which is informed by stakeholder input and based within a conceptual framework for this setting. There are novel opportunities for clinical trials of alternative analgesics for use in this patient group. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigating the use of patient involvement and patient experience in quality improvement in Norway: rhetoric or reality?

BACKGROUND: Patient involvement in health care decision making is part of a wider trend towards a more bottom-up approach to service planning and provision, and patient experience is increasingly conceptualized as a core dimension of health care quality.The aim of this multi-level study is two-fold: 1) to describe and analyze how governmental organizations expect acute hospitals to incorporate patient involvement and patient experiences into their quality improvement (QI) efforts and 2) to analyze how patient involvement and patient experiences are used by hospitals to try to improve the quality of care they provide. METHODS: This multi-level case study combines analysis of national policy documents and regulations at the macro level with semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation of key meetings and shadowing of staff at the meso and micro levels in two purposively sampled Norwegian hospitals. Fieldwork at the meso and micro levels was undertaken over a 12-month period (2011-2012). RESULTS: Governmental documents and regulations at the macro level demonstrated wide-ranging expectations for the integration of patient involvement and patient experiences in QI work in hospitals. The expectations span from systematic collection of patients' and family members' experiences for the purpose of improving service quality through establishing patient-oriented arenas for ongoing collaboration with staff to the support of individual involvement in decision making. However, the extent of involvement of patients and application of patient experiences in QI work was limited at both hospitals. Even though patient involvement was gaining prominence at the meso level - and to a lesser extent at the micro level - relevant tools for measuring and using patient experiences in QI work were lacking, and available measures of patient experience were not being used meaningfully or systematically. CONCLUSIONS: The relative lack of expertise in Norwegian hospitals of adapting and implementing tools and methods for improving patient involvement and patient experiences at the meso and micro levels mark a need for health care policymakers and hospital leaders to learn from experiences of other industries and countries that have successfully integrated user experiences into QI work. Hospital managers need to design and implement wider strategies to help their staff members recognize and value the contribution that patient involvement and patient experiences can make to the improvement of healthcare quality.