A Specific Mobile Health Application for Older HIV-Infected Patients: Usability and Patient's Satisfaction.

Background: HIV infection is an increasingly complex chronic disease associated with numerous medical, psychological, and social problems. The life expectancy of affected patients has increased considerably. Medical apps could also play a role in prevention and management of comorbid conditions in the HIV-infected population. Objectives: To determine the usefulness of an app designed specifically for HIV-infected patients aged 60 years or older and to assess changes in patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and quality of health care. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted, including 100 patients (50 per group): (1) an experimental group comprising patients using the app + routine medical care (app group) and (2) with routine medical care (control group). The usability of the app and patient satisfaction were evaluated in the app group at week 48. Quality of life, adherence to treatment, and clinical parameters were compared between both groups at 48 weeks, as well as the number of face-to-face visits. Results: We found that 52.2% and 73.8% of patients in the app group used the app at weeks 24 and 48, respectively. Patients used the app for a mean of 23.7 (±2.84) days over the 48 weeks. The most visited screens were health counseling and medical records (24.8% and 22.2%, respectively). At week 48, 85.2% of patients thought that the app was useful and 91.4% would recommend the app to friends or relatives. The app was well valued by participants (4.79 [±0.21] of 5.00) and 64.6% thought that the app improved their health care.

Peer counselling versus role-playing: Two training methods of therapeutic skills in clinical psychology.

BACKGROUND: Training programmes for clinical psychologists should include evidence-based teaching methods that enable trainees to learn therapeutic skills. Here we compared the perceived utility of role-playing vs. peer counselling. In peer counselling, one student recounts a personal experience to the other, who thus has the opportunity to act as the therapist in relation to a real situation. Given that sharing such personal experiences may provoke discomfort in students, we also examined this aspect. METHOD: Trainees (n=202) were given both role-play and peer counselling activities as a way of practising empathy and active listening. After completing the skills training programme they completed a questionnaire to assess the extent to which each method had helped them to develop their self-awareness and to acquire these therapeutic skills. RESULTS: In general, peer counselling was considered more useful than role-playing for enhancing self-awareness and personal growth, as well as for learning these professional skills. Regarding the discomfort experienced by students, our data suggest that any initial reluctance to share personal experiences is outweighed by the personal and professional benefits obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that experiential learning involving emotionally charged situations is an effective way of teaching therapeutic skills to clinical and health psychology trainees.

Defining the role of the nurse in population-based cancer screening programs.

Nurses are pivotal in cancer prevention and early detection, but the nurse's role in cancer screening programs has been described only in very general terms without specification of activities needed to develop the role. To identify the set of activities that compose the role of the cancer screening nurse, the authors of the current article performed a critical descriptive literature review to document nursing involvement in cancer screening, covering articles published from 2000-2012. A total of 726 potentially relevant studies were identified, and 22 of those were included in the review. Nurses carry out follow-up, coordinate treatment, ensure continuity throughout the process, provide up-to-date and pertinent information to facilitate patient knowledge and choice, work to ensure coordination among the various levels of care, provide ongoing training, lead research and publications concerning daily practice, and collaborate in investigation oriented toward early detection. The literature revealed that the nurse's role in cancer screening involves case management as the main activity as well as, exceptionally, carrying out diagnostic tests.