ABSTRACT
To evaluate the impact of a community health worker intervention (CHW) (referred to as Personalized Support for Progress (PSP)) on all-cause health care utilization and cost of care compared with Enhanced Screening and Referral (ESR) among women with depression. A total of 223 patients (111 in PSP and 112 in ESR randomly assigned) from three women's health clinics with elevated depressive symptoms were enrolled in the study. Their electronic health records were queried to extract all-cause health care encounters along with the corresponding billing information 12 months before and after the intervention, as well as during the first 4-month intervention period. The health care encounters were then grouped into three mutually exclusive categories: high-cost (> US$1000 per encounter), medium-cost (US$201-$999), and low-cost (≤ US$200). A difference-in-difference analysis of mean total charge per patient between PSP and ESR was used to assess cost differences between treatment groups. The results suggest the PSP group was associated with a higher total cost of care at the baseline; taking this baseline difference into account, the PSP group was associated with lower mean total charge amounts (p = 0.008) as well as a reduction in the frequency of high-cost encounters (p < 0.001) relative to the ESR group during the post-intervention period. Patient-centered interventions that address unmet social needs in a high-cost population via CHW may be a cost-effective approach to improve quality of care and patient outcomes.
Subject(s)
Community Health Workers , Depression , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/therapy , Female , Health Care Costs , Humans , Referral and ConsultationABSTRACT
Suicide prevention in clinical settings requires coordination among multiple clinicians with expertise in different disciplines. We aimed to understand the benefits and challenges of a team approach to suicide prevention in primary care, with a particular focus on Veterans. The Veterans Health Administration has both a vested interest in preventing suicide and it has rapidly and systematically adopted team-based approaches for primary care interventions, including suicide prevention. We conducted eight focus groups and eight in-depth interviews with primary care providers (PCPs), behavioral health providers and nurses located in six regions within one Veterans Administration Catchment Area in the northeast of the US. Transcripts were analyzed using simultaneous deductive and inductive content analysis. Findings revealed that different clinicians were thought to have particular expertise and roles. Nurses were recognized as being well positioned to identify subtle changes in patient behavior that could put patients at risk for suicide; behavioral health providers were recognized for their skill in suicide risk assessment; and PCPs were felt to be an integral conduit between needed services and treatment. Our findings suggest that clinician role-differentiation may be an important by-product of team-based suicide prevention efforts in VHA settings. We contextualize our findings within both a processual and relational interprofessional framework and discuss implications for the implementation of team-based suicide prevention.
Subject(s)
Patient Care Team/organization & administration , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Suicide Prevention , Adult , Cooperative Behavior , Female , Focus Groups , Hospitals, Veterans , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Male , Qualitative Research , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Older patients with advanced cancer who are 100% certain they will be cured pose unique challenges for clinical decision making, but to the authors' knowledge, the prevalence and correlates of absolute certainty about curability (ACC) are unknown. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected in a geriatric assessment trial. ACC was assessed by asking patients, "What do you believe are the chances that your cancer will go away and never come back with treatment?" Response options were 100% (coded as ACC), >50%, 50/50, <50%, 0%, and uncertain. The willingness to bear adversity in exchange for longevity was assessed by asking patients to consider trade-offs between survival and 2 clinical outcomes that varied in abstractness: 1) maintaining quality of life (QOL; an abstract outcome); and 2) specific treatment-related toxicities (eg, nausea/vomiting, worsening memory). Logistic regression was used to assess the independent associations between willingness to bear adversity and ACC. RESULTS: Of the 524 patients aged 70 to 96 years, approximately 5.3% reported that there was a 100% chance that their cancer would be cured (ACC). ACC was not found to be significantly associated with willingness to bear treatment-related toxicities, but was more common among patients who were willing to trade QOL for survival (adjusted odds ratio, 4.08; 95% CI, 1.17-14.26). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who were more willing to bear adversity in the form of an abstract state, namely decreased QOL, were more likely to demonstrate ACC. Although conversations regarding prognosis should be conducted with all patients, those who are willing to trade QOL for survival may especially benefit from conversations that focus on values and emotions.
Subject(s)
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/psychology , Geriatric Assessment/methods , Hope , Neoplasms/psychology , Neoplasms/therapy , Patient Preference/psychology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cancer Survivors/psychology , Cohort Studies , Communication , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Nausea/chemically induced , Physician-Patient Relations , Prognosis , Quality of Life , Vomiting/chemically inducedABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ensuring older patients with advanced cancer and their oncologists have similar beliefs about curability is important. We investigated discordance in beliefs about curability in patient-oncologist and caregiver-oncologist dyads. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used baseline data from a cluster randomized trial assessing whether geriatric assessment improves communication and quality of life in older patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers. Patients were aged ≥70 years with incurable cancer from community oncology practices. Patients, caregivers, and oncologists were asked: "What do you believe are the chances the cancer will go away and never come back with treatment?" Options were 100%, >50%, 50/50, <50%, and 0% (5-point scale). Discordance in beliefs about curability was defined as any difference in scale scores (≥3 points were severe). We used multivariate logistic regressions to describe correlates of discordance. RESULTS: Discordance was present in 60% (15% severe) of the 336 patient-oncologist dyads and 52% (16% severe) of the 245 caregiver-oncologist dyads. Discordance was less common in patient-oncologist dyads when oncologists practiced longer (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-0.97) and more common in non-Hispanic white patients (AOR 5.77, CI 1.90-17.50) and when patients had lung (AOR 1.95, CI 1.29-2.94) or gastrointestinal (AOR 1.55, CI 1.09-2.21) compared with breast cancer. Severe discordance was more common when patients were non-Hispanic white, had lower income, and had impaired social support. Caregiver-oncologist discordance was more common when caregivers were non-Hispanic white (AOR 3.32, CI 1.01-10.94) and reported lower physical health (AOR 0.88, CI 0.78-1.00). Severe discordance was more common when caregivers had lower income and lower anxiety level. CONCLUSION: Discordance in beliefs about curability is common, occasionally severe, and correlated with patient, caregiver, and oncologist characteristics. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Ensuring older patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers have similar beliefs about curability as the oncologist is important. This study investigated discordance in beliefs about curability in patient-oncologist (PO) and caregiver-oncologist (CO) dyads. It found that discordance was present in 60% (15% severe) of PO dyads and 52% (16% severe) of CO dyads, raising serious questions about the process by which patients consent to treatment. This study supports the need for interventions targeted at the oncologist, patient, caregiver, and societal levels to improve the delivery of prognostic information and patients'/caregivers' understanding and acceptance of prognosis.
Subject(s)
Caregivers/psychology , Geriatric Assessment , Neoplasms/therapy , Oncologists/psychology , Physician-Patient Relations , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Communication , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/mortality , Neoplasms/psychology , Prognosis , Quality of Life , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Socioeconomic disadvantage is extremely common among women with depressive symptoms presenting for women's health care. While social stressors related to socioeconomic disadvantage can contribute to depression, health care tends to focus on patients' symptoms in isolation of context. Health care providers may be more effective by addressing issues related to socioeconomic disadvantage. It is imperative to identify common challenges related to socioeconomic disadvantage, as well as sources of resilience. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 20 women's health patients experiencing depressive symptoms and socioeconomic disadvantage about their views of their mental health, the impact of social stressors, and their resources and skills. A Consensual Qualitative Research approach was used to identify domains consisting of challenges and resiliencies. We applied the socioecological model when coding the data and identified cross-cutting themes of chaos and distress, as well as resilience. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating context in the health care of women with depression and socioeconomic disadvantage.
Subject(s)
Depression/psychology , Poverty/psychology , Psychological Distress , Resilience, Psychological , Vulnerable Populations/psychology , Adult , Female , Humans , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
Background: This study's objectives were to describe community oncologists' beliefs about and confidence with geriatric care and to determine whether geriatric-relevant information influences cancer treatment decisions. Methods: Community oncologists were recruited to participate in 2 multisite geriatric oncology trials. Participants shared their beliefs about and confidence in caring for older adults. They were also asked to make a first-line chemotherapy recommendation (combination vs single-agent vs no chemotherapy) for a hypothetical vignette of an older patient with advanced pancreatic cancer. Each oncologist received one randomly chosen vignette that varied on 3 variables: age (72/84 years), impaired function (yes/no), and cognitive impairment (yes/no). Other patient characteristics were held constant. Logistic regression models were used to identify associations between oncologist/vignette-patient characteristics and treatment decisions. Results: Oncologist response rate was 61% (n=305/498). Most oncologists agreed that "the care of older adults with cancer needs to be improved" (89%) and that "geriatrics training is essential" (72%). However, <25% were "very confident" in recognizing dementia or conducting a fall risk or functional assessment, and only 23% reported using the geriatric assessment in clinic. Each randomly varied patient characteristic was independently associated with the decision to treat: younger age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.01; 95% CI, 2.73-9.20), normal cognition (aOR, 5.42; 95% CI, 3.01-9.76), and being functionally intact (aOR, 3.85; 95% CI, 2.12-7.00). Accounting for all vignettes across all scenarios, 161 oncologists (52%) said they would offer chemotherapy. All variables were independently associated with prescribing single-agent over combination chemotherapy (older age: aOR, 3.22; 95% CI 1.43-7.25, impaired cognition: aOR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.36-7.20, impaired function: aOR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.12-5.72). Oncologists' characteristics were not associated with decisions about providing chemotherapy. Conclusion: Geriatric-relevant information, when available, strongly influences community oncologists' treatment decisions.
Subject(s)
Clinical Decision-Making , Geriatric Assessment , Neoplasms/epidemiology , Oncologists , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Community Health Services , Female , Health Care Surveys , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/therapy , Odds RatioABSTRACT
Integrated medical and psychiatric hospital units hold great promise for improving the value and quality of care for patients with severe mental illness and concomitant acute medical needs. It is important to explore the utility of providing a range of multidisciplinary inpatient services to meet patients' complex needs. Within this context, services typically provided by psychologists have received little research attention. To address this gap in the literature, this study assessed inpatient clinicians' perceptions of the need for specific behavioural services on a medical psychiatric unit, exploring their overlap with established psychological services. Results indicate the potential utility of specific psychological services, including psychological assessments, direct psychosocial interventions, and psychoeducational training. While reimbursement and billing barriers still exist for psychologists to be routinely incorporated into hospital settings, the movement towards value-based care could provide the opportunity to think about the value added. Embedding evidence-based psychological services has the potential to promote high quality, well-rounded care that aligns with the established mission of multidisciplinary teamwork on integrated medical and psychiatric inpatient units.
Subject(s)
Chronic Disease/therapy , Delivery of Health Care, Integrated/organization & administration , Inpatients , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Psychology , Attitude of Health Personnel , Cooperative Behavior , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on depression and social support in Eastern populations, especially women in rural China. Our research investigated depression among women in rural China, and studied the relationships between social support and depression. METHODS: We recruited women ages 16 years and older from north Sichuan. Participants completed socio-demographic measures, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Duke Social Support Index. The analysis method included descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: The final sample included 1,898 participants with a mean age of 48.6 years, and the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms was 12.4%. Results suggest being unemployed, having poorer perceived health/economic status, and lower social support were positively associated with depression. Younger age and greater social support were negatively associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights on the psychological health of women in rural China and potential directions for future research. These issues are especially pertinent during this time of rapid economic transformation and outmigration in rural China.
Subject(s)
Depression , Rural Population/statistics & numerical data , China/epidemiology , Demography , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Psychological Techniques , Social Support , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Aging-related concerns can increase the risk of treatment toxicities among older adults considering adjuvant chemotherapy. We previously demonstrated that older adults with cancer who reported feeling older than their chronological age (i.e., self-perceived age) were more likely to have aging-related concerns identified during a geriatric assessment. We explored how decisions about adjuvant chemotherapy vary with or are related to older adults' self-perceived age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a multi-phased feasibility pilot using semi-structured interviews that were conducted to explore the patient decision-making process for adjuvant chemotherapy. Interviews incorporated questions about chronological and perceived age as factors for decision-making. Patient eligibility for the study included (1) age ≥ 70 years and older, (2) a diagnosis of breast, colon, or lung cancer and considering adjuvant chemotherapy, and (3) able to read size 18 font in English. Interview data were analyzed using constant comparative method. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were enrolled. The mean chronological age was 78 years (range 71-91). The average perceived age of patients was 57 years (range 21-80). Eleven patients chose to receive treatment while ten patients did not. Aging-related themes illustrated that self-perceived age plays an important role when patients make decisions about adjuvant chemotherapy. More specifically, patients who reported their self-perceived age as younger than their chronological age also reported better perceived health status and chose to receive adjuvant chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: Patients' experiences of aging and self-perceived age may have different implications for decision-making.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects , Aging , Health Status , Age FactorsABSTRACT
Prior interventions have repeatedly failed to decrease the prescription and receipt of treatments and procedures that confer more harm than benefit at the End-of-Life (EoL); new approaches to intervention are needed. Ideally, future interventions would be informed by a social-ecological conceptual model that explains EoL healthcare utilization patterns, but current models ignore two facts: (1) healthcare is an inherently social activity, involving clinical teams and patients' social networks, and (2) emotions influence social activity. To address these omissions, we scaffolded Terror Management Theory and Socioemotional Selectivity Theory to create the Transtheoretical Model of Irrational Biomedical Exuberance (TRIBE). Based on Terror Management Theory, TRIBE suggests that the prospect of patient death motivates healthcare teams to conform to a biomedical norm of care, even when clinicians believe that biomedical interventions will likely be unhelpful. Based on Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, TRIBE suggests that the prospect of dwindling time motivates families to prioritize emotional goals, and leads patients to consent to disease-directed treatments they know will likely be unhelpful, as moral emotions motivate deference to the perceived emotional needs of their loved ones. TRIBE is unique among models of healthcare utilization in its acknowledgement that moral emotions and processes (e.g., shame, compassion, regret-avoidance) influence healthcare delivery, patients' interactions with family members, and patients' outcomes. TRIBE is especially relevant to potentially harmful EoL care in the United States, and it also offers insights into the epidemics of overtreatment in healthcare settings worldwide. By outlining the role of socioemotional processes in the care of persons with serious conditions, TRIBE underscores the critical need for psychological innovation in interventions, health policy and research on healthcare utilization.
Subject(s)
Terminal Care , Transtheoretical Model , Humans , United States , Terminal Care/psychology , Family/psychology , Delivery of Health Care , DeathABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with poor outcomes and is generally incurable. Therefore, understanding preferences of older adults with AML is critical. We sought to assess whether best-worst scaling (BWS) can be used to capture attributes considered by older adults with AML when making initial treatment decisions and longitudinally, as well as assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and decisional regret over time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a longitudinal study for adults ≥60 years with newly diagnosed AML, we collected: (1) attributes of treatment most important to patients using BWS, (2) HRQoL using EQ-5D-5L, (3) decisional regret using the Decisional Regret Scale, and (4) treatment worthiness using the "Was it worth it?" questionnaire. Data was collected at baseline and over six months. A hierarchical Bayes model was used to allocate percentages out of 100%. Due to small sample size, hypothesis testing was performed at α = 0.10 (2-tailed). We analyzed how these measures differed by treatment choice (intensive vs. lower intensity treatment). RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 76 years (n = 15). At baseline, the most important attributes of treatment to patients were response to treatment (i.e., chance that the cancer will respond to treatment; 20.9%). Compared to those who received lower intensity treatment (n = 7) or best supportive care (n = 2), those who received intensive treatment (n = 6) generally ranked "alive one year or more after treatment" (p = 0.03) with higher importance and ranked "daily activities" (p = 0.01) and "location of treatment" (p = 0.01) with less importance. Overall, HRQoL scores were high. Decisional regret was mild overall and lower for patients who chose intensive treatment (p = 0.06). DISCUSSION: We demonstrated that BWS can be used to assess the importance of various treatment attributes considered by older adults with AML when making initial treatment decisions and longitudinally throughout treatment. Attributes of treatment important to older patients with AML differed between treatment groups and changed over time. Interventions are needed to re-assess patient priorities throughout treatment to ensure care aligns with patient preferences.
Subject(s)
Decision Making , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Humans , Aged , Longitudinal Studies , Patient Preference , Quality of Life , Bayes Theorem , Emotions , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In a single-arm pilot study, we assessed the feasibility and usefulness of an innovative patient-centered communication tool (UR-GOAL tool) that addresses aging-related vulnerabilities, patient values, and prognostic awareness for use in treatment decision making between older adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), their caregivers, and oncologists. METHODS: Primary feasibility metric was retention rate; >50% was considered feasible. We collected recruitment rate, usefulness, and outcomes including AML knowledge (range 0-14) and perceived efficacy in communicating with oncologists (range 5-25). Due to the pilot nature and small sample size, hypothesis testing was performed at α = 0.10. RESULTS: We included 15 patients (mean age 76 years, range 64-88), 12 caregivers, and 5 oncologists; enrollment and retention rates for patients were 84% and 73%, respectively. Patients agreed that the UR-GOAL tool helped them understand their AML diagnosis and treatment options, communicate with their oncologist, and make more informed decisions. From baseline to post-intervention, patients and caregivers scored numerically higher on AML knowledge (patients: +0.6, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.1, p = 0.05) and perceived greater efficacy in communicating with their oncologists (patients: +1.5, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.2, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that it is feasible to incorporate the UR-GOAL tool into treatment decision making for older patients with AML, their caregivers, and oncologists.
Subject(s)
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Oncologists , Humans , Aged , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Pilot Projects , Caregivers , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/diagnosis , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy , Communication , Patient-Centered CareABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Women Veterans experience a broad range of stressors (e.g., family, relationship, and financial) and high rates of mental health and physical health conditions, all of which contribute to high levels of stress. Personalized Support for Progress (PSP), an evidence-based intervention, is well suited to support women Veterans with high stress as it involves a card-sort task to prioritize concerns as well as pragmatic and emotional support to develop and implement a personalized plan addressing those concerns. Our aims were to explore the population and context for delivery and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of PSP delivered by a peer specialist to complement existing services in a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Women's Wellness Center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled pilot trial compared treatment as usual plus PSP to treatment as usual and used the a priori Go/No-Go criteria to establish success for each outcome. We interviewed staff regarding the population and delivery context at a VHA Women's Wellness Center and analyzed interviews using a rapid qualitative approach. For the rapid qualitative analysis, we created templated summaries of each interview to identify key concepts within each a priori theme, reviewed each theme's content across all interviews, and finally reviewed key concepts across themes. We evaluated feasibility using recruitment and retention rates; acceptability via Veteran satisfaction, working relationship with the peer, and staff satisfaction; and utility based on the proportion of Veterans who experienced a large change in outcomes (e.g., stress, mental health symptoms, and quality of life). The Syracuse VA Human Subjects Institutional Review Board approved all procedures. RESULTS: Staff interviews highlight that women Veterans have numerous unmet social needs and concerns common among women which increase the complexity of their care; call for a supportive, consistent, trusting relationship with someone on their health care team; and require many resources (e.g., staff such as social workers, services such as legal support, and physical items such as diapers) to support their needs (some of which are available within VHA but may need support for staffing or access, and some of which are unavailable). Feasibility outcomes suggest a need to modify PSP and research methods to enhance intervention and assessment retention before the larger trial; the recruitment rate was acceptable by the end of the trial. Veteran acceptability of PSP was high. Veteran outcomes demonstrate promise for utility to improve stress, mental health symptoms, and quality of life for women Veterans. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high acceptability and promising outcomes for utility, changes to the design to enhance the feasibility outcomes which failed to meet the a priori Go/No-Go criteria are warranted. These outcomes support future trials of PSP within VHA Women's Wellness Centers.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often occur suddenly and may lead to a range of emotional responses. Understanding patients' experiences and emotional states allows clinicians to tailor care to patients' needs. Previous studies have largely focused on patients' experiences at diagnosis and after remission has been achieved among those who received intensive chemotherapy. In this study, we evaluated experiences of older patients with AML who had received or were receiving treatments of varying intensity, in both outpatient and inpatient settings, and who were at different stages in their treatment course at the time of our interviews. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a single center qualitative study which aimed to understand factors influencing older patients' treatment decision-making and the findings were previously reported. This analysis specifically explored older patients' experiences at various stages after AML diagnosis. We purposively sampled patients based on treatment intensity and stage of treatment (undergoing induction treatment, post-remission treatment, or post-allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant). We recruited fifteen patients aged ≥60 years with AML. The sample size was determined based on reaching data saturation for the primary study aim. For this analysis, data saturation was reached by the fourteenth manuscript. In-depth semi-structured interviews that had been recorded and transcribed were re-analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to explore patients' experiences. Coding was performed using Atlas.ti. We identified themes with the aim of capturing the most commonly shared experiences. RESULTS: Mean age of the fifteen patients was 72.1 years; all had received one or more treatments including intensive induction therapy (10/15), lower-intensity treatment (7/15), and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (3/15). Patients experienced strong negative emotional responses, including shock, that were barriers to processing information and meaningful communication. Patients also shared their perspectives on communication with healthcare professionals (including thoughts on adequacy of information provided) and coping strategies. DISCUSSION: Understanding older patients' experiences, including emotional responses and barriers to communication and decision making, at AML diagnosis and throughout the illness trajectory allows clinicians to address patients' supportive care needs during this difficult period.
Subject(s)
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Humans , Aged , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy , Qualitative Research , Communication , EmotionsABSTRACT
Research findings suggest that older adults prefer counseling for depression treatment; however, few older adults use counseling services. In this article we present the results of our analysis of semistructured interviews with 102 older adults to explore conceptualizations of counseling and impediments to use among African American and White older adults. We found that older adults believe counseling is beneficial; however, use was hindered in multiple ways. Older adults were skeptical about establishing a caring relationship with a professional. African American older adults did not mention social relationships to facilitate depression care, whereas White older adults described using personal relationships to navigate counseling services. African American older men were least familiar with counseling. Our findings suggest that African American and White older adults share a strong cultural model of counseling as beneficial; however, significant impediments exist and affect older adults differentially based on ethnicity.
Subject(s)
Black or African American/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/ethnology , White People/psychology , Aged , Baltimore , Counseling , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Depressive Disorder/ethnology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Female , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Male , Primary Health Care/methods , Professional-Patient Relations , Psychotherapy , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Primary care occupies a strategic position in the evaluation and treatment of depression in late life, yet many older patients do not initiate or adhere to treatments available in primary care. AIM: To explore how primary care providers describe the process of discussing depression care with older adults. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 providers involved with intervention studies of depression management for older adults. We used the constant comparative method to identify themes related to negotiating the treatment of depression with older adults. RESULTS: Providers felt that older patients often attribute depression to non-medical causes. They talked about the challenges and described the need to 'convince' them of the medical model of depression. CONCLUSION: How primary care physicians surmise patients' views of depression may influence the discussion of depression in practice. As medication is most often provided for depression treatment, some may feel compelled to convince their patients of biomedical explanations while others may avoid treating depression altogether.
Subject(s)
Aging/psychology , Attitude of Health Personnel , Depression/etiology , Depression/therapy , Primary Health Care , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Negotiating , Primary Health Care/methods , Professional-Patient RelationsABSTRACT
Family and intimate partner violence and abuse (FIPV) is a critical public health problem with repercussions for mental and physical health. FIPV exposure also is associated with social difficulties such as low socioeconomic status, legal issues, poor access to employment and education, housing instability, and difficulty meeting other basic needs. As a biopsychosocial problem, one discipline alone cannot adequately address FIPV. While individuals who experience FIPV traditionally seek respite, care and safety through domestic violence shelters, social services or courts, they also often present to health care settings. Building on the medical-legal partnership model with critical input from a community advisory board of individuals with lived experiences of FIPV, we implemented a person-centered approach in the health care context to cohesively integrate legal, safety, social, psychological and physical health needs and concerns. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Healing through Health, Education, Advocacy and Law (HEAL) Collaborative for individuals who have experienced psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect related to child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and/or elder abuse, and review our real-world challenges and successes. We describe our interprofessional team collaboration and our pragmatic biopsychosocial framework for bringing together: professional and stakeholder perspectives; psychological, medical, legal, and personal perspectives; and clinical, evidence-based, and educational perspectives. There is no doubt that creating a program with biopsychosocial components like HEAL requires professionals appreciating each other's contributions and the need to begin working from a common goal. Furthermore, such a program could not be successful without the contributions of individuals with the lived experience we seek to treat, coupled with the external health care clinicians' input. We describe lessons learned to date in an effort to ease the burden for those seeking to implement such a program. Lessons include HEAL's more recent clinical adaptions to serve patients both in-person and via telehealth in the wake of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Women are often the victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Though China has established its first statute against domestic violence, the service developments for victims fall behind. It is important to assess community members' perceptions of what causes IPV to create interventions to prevent and address IPV. This study completed the Short Explanatory Model Interview (SEMI) among a subset sample from a large epidemiology study in rural Sichuan China. The social ecological model was applied to analyze qualitative interviews. Among 339 participants, the average age was 46.01 ± 12.42 years old. There were 31.86% of them had been educated, 14.75% of them had migrant worker partners, and 49.26% of them had experienced violence from their partners in the last year. There were 252 participants attributed IPV to individual factors, and they primarily discussed the social characteristics, behaviors, personalities or even health problems of the husband or the wife in the vignette. Under this theme, there were 86 participants blaming the victim for being anxious, social disconnectedness or lazy; and there were 166 participants blaming to the perpetrator being abusive, irresponsibility, lack of understanding, and cheating. There were 44 women believed the cause was relational, in which there were 41 participants attributed the problem to the broken relationship between the couple and three participants attributed to the lack of support. There were 28 participants believed the cause was communal and societal, such as being poor, family problems, fate, and believed IPV was a common scene. There were 15 participants could not identify the cause of IPV. These participants usually provided very brief responses and barely had insight on violent behaviors or confidence in discussing the cause. Our findings offer a direction for understanding the rural Chinese women's beliefs about the etiology of IPV to better develop interventions which must consider raising a public awareness campaign about the risk factors of IPV and focus on reducing self-blame among victims.
ABSTRACT
Most of current scales for assessing intimate partner violence (IPV) were developed for Western populations. The Chinese Risk Assessment Tool for Victims (CRAT-V) was a new scale evaluating the risk of IPV, which was developed based on Chinese populations in the context of Chinese culture. To determine whether the CRAT-V could add further value to research involving IPV and violence against women in rural China, we sought to implement the CRAT-V and to explore its factor structure among a rural population in the mainland of China. This study included women from rural Sichuan Province of China, who aged 16 years and older, had been living locally for at least 2 years, and reported that they were married or in a relationship in the preceding year. A total of 670 participants completed the CRAT-V during the field survey. We utilized exploratory factor analysis to validate the fact structure of CRAT-V. The Cronbach's alpha of the CRAT-V was 0.90, indicating good reliability. The CRAT-V reported that 45.07% (302/670) of participants were in risk of IPV, and the risk was higher in women who were 16 to 29 years old, having 7 years and higher education, and living in stem families. The CRAT-V fit a 5-factor model including healthy relationship, jealous feeling, jealous reaction, stressful living condition, and sexual abuse. Our findings provided support for using the CRAT-V as a culturally sensitive measure to predict the risk of experiencing IPV in China, and lend insights into factors that may contribute to timely IPV prevention and intervention.
Subject(s)
Intimate Partner Violence , Rural Population , Adolescent , Adult , China/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Prevalence , Reproducibility of Results , Risk Factors , Sexual Partners , Young AdultABSTRACT
Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can promote person-centered biopsychosocial health care by measuring outcomes that matter to patients, including functioning and well-being. Data support feasibility and acceptability of PRO administration as part of routine clinical care, but less is known about its effects on population health, including detection of unmet healthcare needs. Our objectives were to examine differences in rates of clinically significant depression across sociodemographic groups and clinical settings from universal depression screens in a large health system, estimate the number of patients with untreated depression detected by screenings, and examine associations between biopsychosocial PROs-physical, psychological, and social health. Methods: We analyzed data from over 200,000 adult patients who completed depression screens-either PROMIS (Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) or PHQ-2/9-as part of routine outpatient care. Results: Depression screens were positive in 14.2% of the sample, with more positive screens among younger vs. older adults, women vs. men, non-White vs. White, and Hispanics vs. non-Hispanics. These same sociodemographic indicators, as well as completing screening in primary care (vs. specialty care) were also associated with greater likelihood of detected depression in the medical record. Discussion: Universal screening for depression symptoms throughout a large health system appears acceptable and has the potential to detect depression in diverse patient populations outside of behavioral health. Expanded delivery of PROs to include physical and social health as well as depression should be explored to develop a clinically-relevant model for addressing patients' biopsychosocial needs in an integrated fashion across the health system.