Predictors of completion and response to a psychological intervention to promote health behavior adherence in heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: Most individuals with heart failure (HF) struggle to adhere to one or more health behaviors, and interventions to promote adherence are time-intensive and costly. In this analysis, we examined the predictors of engagement and response related to a telephone-delivered health behavior intervention for individuals with HF. METHOD: Using data from two pilot trials (N = 25) of a behavioral intervention for individuals with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I-II HF, we examined predictors of intervention engagement and response using linear and mixed effects regression analyses. Predictors included medical (NYHA class, physical health-related quality of life [HRQoL], and HF symptoms) and intervention (ease and usefulness/utility ratings of the first intervention exercise) characteristics. Outcomes included percentage of sessions completed, accelerometer-measured physical activity, and sodium intake. RESULTS: Lower physical HRQoL and more frequent HF symptoms were associated with completion of more sessions. In contrast, more frequent HF symptoms and higher NYHA class were associated with less physical activity improvement. Finally, participants' ratings of the first session's utility were associated with greater improvements in physical activity at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that while individuals with greater functional impairment are more engaged in a behavioral intervention, they may be less able to increase physical activity in response to the program. Furthermore, the perceived utility of an initial session may predict longer-term behavior change. Larger studies are needed to clarify the presence of additional predictors and determine how they can be used to better tailor health behavior interventions.

A Positive Psychology-Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Promote Positive Affect and Physical Activity in Type 2 Diabetes: The BEHOLD-8 Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is associated with superior health outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), but most T2D patients do not follow physical activity recommendations. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and impact of a novel combined positive psychology-motivational interviewing (PP-MI) intervention to promote physical activity in T2D. METHODS: This controlled clinical trial compared an 8-week, phone-delivered PP-MI intervention to an attention-matched MI-enhanced behavioral counseling condition among 60 participants with T2D and suboptimal moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; <150 min/wk). The primary study outcome was feasibility (proportion of sessions completed) and acceptability (0-10 ease and utility ratings of each session). Secondary outcomes were between-group differences in changes in positive affect (main psychological outcome) and accelerometer-measured physical activity (MVPA and steps per day), using mixed-effects regression models, at 8 and 16 weeks. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of PP-MI sessions were completed, and mean participant ratings of ease/utility were 8.5 to 8.8/10, surpassing a priori benchmarks for feasibility and acceptability. PP-MI participants had small-medium effect size (ES) difference improvements in positive affect compared with MI (8 weeks: estimated mean difference [EMD] = 3.07 [SE = 1.41], p = .029, ES = 0.44; 16 weeks: EMD = 2.92 [SE = 1.73], p = .092, ES = 0.42). PP-MI participants also had greater improvements in MVPA (8 weeks: EMD = 13.05 min/d [SE = 5.00], p = .009, ES = 1.24; 16 weeks: EMD = 7.96 [SE = 4.53], p = .079, ES = 0.75), with similar improvements in steps per day. CONCLUSIONS: The PP-MI intervention was feasible and well accepted. Next-step efficacy studies can more rigorously explore the intervention's effects on physical activity and clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Registration No. NCT03150199.

Disclosure of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Although use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is rising among older adults, many do not discuss these healthcare practices with their primary care practitioners (PCPs). This study sought to determine the prevalence of CAM use and to identify factors associated with CAM disclosure among patients ages 65 and older. Methods: Participants completed an anonymous survey, which evaluated their CAM use over the past year and disclosure of CAM to a PCP. Additional questions queried demographics, patient health, and relationships with one's PCP. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results: One hundred seventy-three participants answered surveys. Sixty percent reported use of at least one form of CAM in the past year. Among those using CAM, 64.4% disclosed use to their PCP. Patients disclosed supplements/herbal products and naturopathy/homeopathy/acupuncture at a higher rate than body work techniques and mind-body practices (71.9% and 66.7% vs. 48% and 50%). The only factor significantly associated with disclosure was trust in one's PCP (odds ratio = 2.97; confidence interval = 1.01-8.73). Conclusions: Clinicians may improve CAM disclosure rates in older adults by inquiring about all types of CAM and continuing to invest in their patient relationships, specifically by building trust.

A Qualitative Examination of Emotional Experiences During Physical Activity Post-metabolic/Bariatric Surgery.

PURPOSE: Physical activity is critical for weight loss maintenance and cardiometabolic disease prevention after metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS), but few patients meet recommended levels. While difficulties meeting physical activity recommendations are common in the general population, those who have undergone MBS may have unique psychological barriers to activity that impede success, including negative associations with physical activity that are related to a long history with obesity, weight stigma, and physical limitations. This qualitative study aimed to better understand the positive and negative emotional experiences of post-MBS patients with regard to physical activity to inform the development of an emotion-focused intervention to increase physical activity after MBS. METHODS: Adults who had MBS in the past 2 years completed semi-structured interviews and psychological/behavioral questionnaires. After transcription, a codebook was developed using inductive and deductive methods. Coded data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Participants were 23 adults (78% female). Contexts that contributed to positive emotions during physical activity included an enjoyable type of exercise, social interaction, mindfulness during exercise, and mastery. Contexts that contributed to negative affect were more unique to the MBS population, including all-or-nothing thinking about exercise, using distraction, depression, negative body image, exercising only for weight loss, and the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: For most participants, emotional factors were relevant in the decision to be physically active and in their ability to maintain their habits. An intervention that encourages factors that lead to positive affect and addresses factors that lead to negative affect could be effective in increasing physical activity following MBS.

Latent growth curve modeling of physical activity trajectories in a positive-psychology and motivational interviewing intervention for people with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is critical for preventing and treating Type 2 diabetes (T2D). It is important to identify different profiles of physical activity change among those participating in behavioral interventions to optimize intervention-person fit. METHODS: This study analyzes longitudinal trajectories of change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a positive psychology (PP) and motivational interviewing (MI) intervention for T2D, using latent growth curve modeling (LGCM). Objective measures of MVPA were collected using accelerometers at three time points: pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and eight weeks post-intervention. LGCM analyses identified subpopulations of participants who responded similarly to the intervention and examined if sociodemographic, medical and psychosocial characteristics were associated with MVPA trajectories. RESULTS: Analyses included 47 participants with complete follow-ups: 49% male, 81% non-Hispanic white, average age 66.1 (SD = 10.1). Overall, 36% of the participants increased MVPA while 57% did not. LGCM identified three profiles with distinct MVPA trajectories. Profile 1 ('Started Low, No Change'; 65.8% of participants) with a starting mean of 4.54 min of MVPA/day and decreased by -3.36 min. Profile 2 ('Moderate-High Start, Minimal Change,' 27.4% of participants) and had a starting mean of 22.86 min/day of MVPA with an average increase of 1.03 min. Profile 3 ('Moderate Start, Ended High'; 6.8% of participants), had a starting mean of 7.33 min MVPA/day, and increased by 28.4 min. Being male, younger, having fewer medical and psychiatric comorbidities were associated with increases in MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: This secondary analysis detected three distinct physical activity profiles during and after a PP-MI intervention. Future interventions can target individuals with characteristics that showed the greatest benefit and add additional supports to people in groups that did not increase physical activity as much. These findings show a need for targeted and sustained behavior change strategies during and after physical activity interventions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier: NCT03001999.

A positive psychology-motivational interviewing program to promote physical activity in type 2 diabetes: The BEHOLD-16 pilot randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The majority of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) do not meet recommended levels of physical activity, despite clear links between physical activity and superior medical outcomes in this population. The objective of this trial was to assess the feasibility and impact of a novel 16-week combined positive psychology-motivational interviewing (PP-MI) program to promote physical activity among inactive persons with T2D. METHODS: This pilot randomized trial compared the 16-week, phone-delivered PP-MI intervention to an attention-matched diabetes counseling condition among 70 persons with T2D and low levels of baseline moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; <150 min/week). The primary study outcomes were feasibility (assessed via rates of session completion) and acceptability (assessed via mean participant ratings [0-10] of the ease and utility of weekly sessions). Key secondary outcomes included between-group differences in improvement in positive affect, other psychological outcomes, and accelerometer-measured physical activity, assessed using mixed effects regression models, at 16 and 24 weeks. RESULTS: Participants completed a mean 11.0 (SD 4.4; 79%) of 14 PP-MI phone sessions, and composite mean ratings of ease/utility were 8.6/10, above our a priori benchmarks for feasibility/acceptability (70% session completion; 7.0/10 mean ratings). PP-MI participants had small to medium effect size (ES) difference improvements in MVPA (ES difference = 0.34) and steps/day (ES difference = 0.76) at 16 weeks, with sustained but smaller effects at 24 weeks (ES difference = 0.22-0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Next-step studies of this PP-MI program in T2D patients can more rigorously explore the intervention's effects on physical activity and clinical outcomes.

Symptom complaints and impact on functioning in youth with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), a genetic connective tissue disorder, involves several body systems which makes symptom management and functioning difficult. The aim of this study was to understand pediatric hEDS patients' symptoms and primary complaints. Additionally, we examined the cumulative impact of symptoms on physical and psychological functioning. Thirty-four youth with hEDS were recruited from a genetics clinic and reported the hardest thing about having hEDS, their pain, fatigue, physical symptoms, functional disability, anxiety, and depression. Physical symptoms (pain and fatigue) and limitations (keeping up with friends) were reported as the most difficult parts of having hEDS. A higher number of somatic symptoms was the strongest predictor of disability, anxiety, and depression. Physical symptoms are subjectively distressing and significantly related to impairments in physical and psychological functioning. Thus, addressing these varied symptoms in treatment may yield better functioning in youth with hEDS.

Exploring the feasibility and impact of positive psychology-motivational interviewing interventions to promote positive affect and physical activity in type 2 diabetes: design and methods from the BEHOLD-8 and BEHOLD-16 clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity among those with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is independently associated with superior medical outcomes, but existing behavioral interventions have not led to widespread increases in activity in this population. A remotely delivered intervention that targets well-being constructs associated with greater activity and assists in the creation of specific physical activity goals has the potential to improve activity and outcomes in T2D. OBJECTIVE: To outline the rationale and methods of two studies designed to assess the impact and optimal duration of a combined positive psychology-motivational interviewing (PP-MI) intervention for inactive persons with T2D. METHODS: We conducted trials studying 8-week (BEHOLD-8;) and 16-week (BEHOLD-16;) phone-delivered interventions, compared to attention-matched control conditions. In a two-step randomization design, participants were allocated randomly first to study (BEHOLD-8 or BEHOLD-16), then to study condition within study. The primary aims in both trials were feasibility (rates of session completion) and acceptability (participant session ratings), with additional aims examining intervention effects on accelerometer-measured physical activity, psychological measures, and health-related metrics (e.g. vital signs). Main analyses, currently being conducted, will utilize mixed effects models between study conditions, and secondary analyses will utilize the same models to compare the 8- and 16-week PP-MI interventions on feasibility and impact. RESULTS: Enrollment and data collection have been completed for both trials (BEHOLD-8: N = 60; BEHOLD-16: N = 70), and data analysis is ongoing to assess feasibility and acceptability within study, as well as the relative feasibility and acceptability of the PP-MI interventions across the two studies. We will also explore impact on clinical outcomes between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This design will address how intervention content (i.e. PP elements vs. no PP elements) and intervention duration (8 weeks vs. 16 weeks) affect feasibility, acceptability, and impact, allowing intervention optimization before a next-step larger clinical trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03150199; NCT03001999.

Emotional Impact on Health Behavior Adherence After Bariatric Surgery: What About Positive Psychological Constructs?

INTRODUCTION: Health behaviors are critical for weight loss maintenance after weight loss surgery (WLS), and emotional factors often play a role in adherence. Positive psychological constructs (e.g., optimism, positive affect) have predicted health outcomes in other medical populations but have been infrequently examined in post-WLS patients. METHODS: This study measured optimism and positive affect in post-WLS patients recruited from online support groups. A hierarchical linear regression analysis tested their association with health behavior adherence, physical activity, and weight loss, controlling for demographic and weight-related covariates. It also tested depression and anxiety symptoms as moderators. RESULTS: In 95 participants, positive affect was associated with better adherence (b = 0.41, p < 0.01) and greater moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (b = 0.20, p < 0.001) controlling for demographic/weight-related covariates, and independently with more weight loss (b = 0.24, p < 0.05). Optimism was independently associated with better adherence (b = 0.32, p < 0.05) and with greater moderate-to-vigorous physical activity controlling for demographic/weight-related covariates (b = 0.16, p < 0.05). These associations no longer reached statistical significance controlling for depression and anxiety symptoms. Anxiety symptoms moderated the relationship between positive affect and adherence (b = 0.06, p < 0.01), and depression (b = 0.15, p < 0.01) and anxiety (b = 0.02, p < 0.05) symptoms each moderated the relationship between optimism and walking, such that there was a stronger relationship between positive psychological constructs and health behaviors for those with higher anxiety or depression scores. CONCLUSIONS: Positive psychological states should be included when assessing emotional factors related to health behaviors in post-WLS patients. Interventions targeting health behaviors may be improved with inclusion of skills to boost positive psychological states.

Antiepileptic drugs and suicide-related outcomes in bipolar disorder: A descriptive review of published data.

INTRODUCTION: In January 2008 the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to healthcare professionals about the potential for an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior associated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Given that AEDs are important for treating bipolar disorder (BD), a better understanding of suicide-related events is necessary. METHODS: A PubMed search was performed using the following search terms: anticonvulsant OR valpro* OR carbamazepine OR lamotrigine OR oxcarbazepine OR topiramate AND bipolar AND suicid*. The objective was to identify published investigations reporting rate and/or risk data of suicide-related outcomes in BD patients treated with AED monotherapy. RESULTS: The search identified 323 reviewable citations, with 13 of these studies (4.0%) being reviewed. Valproate was studied most often, and lithium treatment was frequently used as a reference group. Carbamazepine and lamotrigine had small treatment exposure durations. Suicide attempts and suicide deaths were studied the most; a few trials investigated suicidal thinking and/or hospitalizations for suicidal behavior. Suicide attempt rates occurred in the following order: no treatment > carbamazepine > valproate > lithium, while suicide death rates were: no treatment > valproate > lithium > carbamazepine. For valproate, the risk of suicide attempts and suicide death appeared higher than lithium, but lower than no treatment. DISCUSSION: Investigating suicide-related events for AEDs in BD is difficult; more data are necessary for valproate, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine. An improved understanding of AED treatment and suicide-related events in BD may help pharmacists become more effective at supporting their patients with BD.

Complex psychotropic polypharmacy in bipolar disorder across varying mood polarities: A prospective cohort study of 2712 inpatients.

BACKGROUND: It is common for patients with bipolar disorder (BP) to receive multiple psychotropics, but few studies have assessed demographic and clinical features associated with risk for receiving complex psychotropic polypharmacy. METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study examined 2712 inpatients with a DSM-IV clinical diagnosis of BP to assess associations between complex polypharmacy (defined as ≥4 psychotropics) and demographic and clinical features; associations with risk of rehospitalization were also examined. Logistic regressions were performed with the sample as a whole and with each of four DSM-IV BP subtypes individually. RESULTS: Complex polypharmacy was present in 21.0%. BP-I depressed patients were more likely to receive complex regimens than BP-I manic, BP-I mixed or BP-II patients. In the sample as a whole, variables significantly associated with complex polypharmacy included female, white, psychotic features and a co-diagnosis of borderline personality, post-traumatic stress or another anxiety disorder. The only examined medication not significantly associated with complex polypharmacy was lithium, although only in BP-I depressed and BP-I mixed. Complex polypharmacy was associated with rehospitalization in BP-I mania within 15 and 30days post index hospitalization. LIMITATIONS: All data were from one clinical facility; results may not generalize to other settings and patient populations. CONCLUSIONS: BP-I depression may pose a greater treatment challenge than the other BP subtypes. Lithium may confer an overall advantage compared to other medications in BP-I depressed and BP-I mixed. Further research is needed to guide pharmacotherapy decisions in BP patients.

A nurse practitioner patient care team: implications for pediatric oncology.

The role of the pediatric advanced practice registered nurse continues to evolve within the ever-changing field of health care. In response to increased demand for health care services and because of a variety of changes in the health care delivery system, nurse practitioner patient care teams are an emerging trend in acute care settings. Care provided by nurse practitioner teams has been shown to be effective, efficient, and comprehensive. In addition to shorter hospital stays and reduced costs, nurse practitioner teams offer increased quality and continuity of care, and improved patient satisfaction. Nurse practitioner patient care teams are well suited to the field of pediatric oncology, as patients would benefit from care provided by specialized clinicians with a holistic focus. This article provides health care professionals with information about the use of nurse practitioner patient care teams and implications for use in pediatric oncology.