Virtual reality-based simulation intervention for enhancing the empathy of informal caregivers of people with dementia: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Dementia is a long-term and progressive syndrome that not only influences the person with dementia (PWD) but also the caregiver. However, informal caregivers are not always empathic and understand the symptoms of dementia, leading to destructive caregiving relationships and poor quality of caregiving. VR-based simulation interventions can provide a more realistic and memorable learning experience for caregivers to walk in PWDs' shoes. This review aimed to provide practitioners and researchers with insights on developing and/or adopting an effective VR-based simulation intervention for enhancing the empathy of informal caregivers of PWD. A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies were searched from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library updating. Standard JBI critical appraisal instruments were used for the quality appraisal. A convergent segregated approach was used to synthesize and integrate the data. A total of seven studies were included. Inconsistent quantitative results were reported on the effects of VR-based simulation on empathy enhancement. Significant effects were reported on knowledge of dementia and emotion-focused coping strategies. Two themes were generated from the qualitative studies, including "Informal caregivers gained better insight into problems encountered by older people with dementia" and "Thinking from the perspective of older people with dementia, leading to changes in attitudes and behaviours towards dementia". The qualitative synthesized evidence showed that informal caregivers gained better insight into problems encountered by PWD, but the quantitative synthesized results are inconsistent. Yet, informal caregivers experienced a change in attitude by thinking from the perspective of PWD.

Intergenerational reciprocity and WHO function ability domains predict loneliness in older Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVES: To examine loneliness in old age and whether intergenerational reciprocity and WHO functional ability predicted loneliness. METHODS: Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study Wave 4 (2018) database (CHARLS), logistic regression models were adopted to investigate the relationships. RESULTS: The prevalence of loneliness was 28% in older people in China. Corresponding to the five domains of functional abilities, providing financial support to adult children (adj. OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-0.99), self-perceived health (adj. OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.19-1.41), having a retirement pension (adj. OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.57-0.93), the ability to decide on taking medications (adj. OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10-1.58), as well as being able to get up from a chair (adj. OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.3), and having paid work (adj. OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.54-0.95) were associated with less loneliness. On the contrary, infrequent contact (once a month) with adult children (adj. OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.38), troubling body pain (adj. OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.10-1.23) and falling since the last interview (adj. OR .23, 95% CI 1.04-1.45) were positively associated with loneliness. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, functional abilities of meeting basic needs, making decisions, being mobile and contributing to the support of adult children and society were protective factors for experiencing loneliness in late life. We need to rethink interventions for addressing loneliness in the context of healthy ageing and specific cultural values, taking into account not only providing services to older adults but also supporting them to gain values by contributing to society.

Identifying Preferred Appearance and Functional Requirements of Aged Care Robots Among Older Chinese Immigrants: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Older Chinese immigrants constitute the largest older Asian ethnic population in New Zealand. Aging in a foreign land can be complex, presenting increasing challenges for gerontology scholars, practitioners, and policy makers. Older Chinese immigrants are more susceptible to experiencing loneliness and social isolation compared to native older people, primarily due to language, transportation, and cultural barriers. These factors subsequently impact their physical and mental health. With advancements in robotic technology, aged care robots are being applied to support older people with their daily living needs. However, studies on using robots with older immigrants living in the community are sparse. Their preferences for the appearance and function of aged care robots are unclear, which impacts the acceptance and usability of robots, highlighting the need for a user-centered design approach. Objective: This study aims to explore older Chinese immigrants' needs and preferences toward the appearance and function of aged care robots and to examine their relationships with the demographic characteristics of participants. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used in this study, which was undertaken between March and May 2020. A total of 103 participants completed a web-based survey. Results: The average age of participants was 68.7 (SD 5.5) years. The results suggest that 41.7% (n=43) of the 103 participants preferred a humanlike adult appearance, while 32% (n=33) suggested an animallike appearance. These participants reported higher scores in both rigorousness and friendliness compared to others who preferred different robot appearances. Participants expressed a greater preference for the functions of housework assistance (n=86, 83.5%), language translation (n=79, 76.7%), health monitoring (n=78, 75.7%), facial expressions (n=77, 74.8%), news reading (n=66, 64.1%), and security monitoring (n=65, 63.1%). These preferences were found to be significantly associated with marital status, financial status, and duration of immigration. Conclusions: To support immigrant populations to age well in a foreign country and address the growing shortage of health and social professionals, it is important to develop reliable robotic technology services that are tailored based on the needs and preferences of individuals. We collected and compared the perspectives of immigrant and nonimmigrant participants on using robots to support aging in place. The results on users' needs and preferences inform robotic technology services, indicating a need to prioritize older Chinese immigrants' preference toward aged care robots that perform housework assistance, language translation, and health and safety monitoring, and robots with humanlike features.

Social engagement and depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between age-related hearing loss and cognitive status.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the third leading cause of years lived with disability. Connections among ARHL, depressive symptoms, social engagement and cognitive status are increasingly reported but the underlying mechanisms leading to these relationships are largely unknown. Exploring these mechanisms is a worthy goal, especially in older adults. This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of social engagement and depressive symptoms on the relationship between ARHL and cognitive status. METHODS: Structural equation modeling (SEM) with path analysis were performed with data from a cross-sectional study conducted in 11 community centers in 2021, which assessed older adults' intrinsic and sensory capacities using the WHO ICOPE framework. Demographic information, health profile, a binary measure of hearing capacity, depressive symptoms, social engagement, and cognitive status of participants were gathered. RESULTS: A total of 304 participants were included. ARHL was positively associated with depressive symptoms (ß = 0.18, p = 0.009) and negatively related to social engagement (ß = -0.13, p = 0.026). Social engagement was positively associated with cognitive status (ß = 0.17, p = 0.005) and negatively associated with depressive symptoms (ß = -0.23, p < 0.001). Greater depressive symptoms were negatively associated with the participants' cognition (ß = -0.13, p = 0.009). Both social engagement (ß = -0.02, p = 0.029) and depressive symptoms (ß = -0.02, p = 0.032) mediated the negative associations between ARHL and cognitive status. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing hearing loss, depressive symptoms, and enhancing social engagement should be investigated as a potential means of minimizing cognitive decline. Well-designed studies are needed to comprehensively inform the clinical practice development, particularly large prospective studies that will facilitate further elucidate possible causal mechanisms behind these observed associations.

Constructing the concept of healthy ageing and examining its association with loneliness in older adults.

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization (WHO) has defined healthy ageing by highlighting five functional ability domains to (meet basic needs, make decisions, be mobile, build and maintain relationships, and contribute to society), which also emphasized the importance of addressing loneliness as priorities within United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing initiative. However, the level and determinants of healthy ageing and its association with loneliness are rarely examined. This study aimed to construct a healthy ageing index to verify the WHO healthy ageing framework, measure five domains of functional ability of older adults and examine the relationship between functional ability domains and loneliness. METHODS: A total of 10,746 older adults from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included. A healthy ageing index ranging from 0 to 17 was constructed using 17 components related to functional ability domains. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to determine the association between loneliness and healthy ageing. The STROBE guidelines with the RECORD statement for observational studies using routinely collected health data were observed. RESULTS: The factor analysis verified the five functional ability domains for healthy ageing. After adjusting for confounders, being mobile, building and maintaining relationships, and learning, growing and making decisions were significantly associated with lesser loneliness among participants. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy ageing index of this study can be utilized and further modified with respect to large-scale research with relevant healthy ageing topics. Our findings will support healthcare professionals to provide patient-centered care when identifying their comprehensive abilities and needs.

Chinese late-life immigrants' loneliness and social isolation in host countries: An integrative review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: To synthesise current international empirical evidence on loneliness and social isolation in Chinese late-life immigrants. BACKGROUND: Loneliness causes adverse health consequences in Chinese late-life immigrants leading to increased utilisation of often increasingly limited healthcare resources. However, little is known about how Chinese late-life immigrants perceive and experience loneliness and social isolation in their host countries. DESIGN: An integrative review methodology. METHODS: Using a systematic search strategy, Google scholar and databases, such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CHNAHL, Medline and open access Theses were searched. No limitation was placed on publication date. Peer-reviewed studies published from the database inception to May 6, 2021 in the English language were included. The review process is reported according to PRISMA. RESULTS: Eight articles met the criteria and were included in this review. Two themes resulting from the data synthesis process were identified. Firstly, 'disrupted social relations after late-life immigration' and secondly 'moving away from filial expectations'. CONCLUSION: Loneliness and social isolation are commonly experienced by Chinese late-life immigrants when residing in host countries. Understanding and identification of the sources of loneliness and social isolation among late-life immigrants are essential prompts for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, to engage sensitively with Chinese late-life immigrants. Nurses culturally relevant care delivery in a variety of settings may best serve recipients' social and health related needs. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This integrated review informs the planning of health and social services for addressing Chinese late-life immigrants' experiences of loneliness and social isolation. Focused attention on cultural responsiveness is an important component of providing quality and safe nursing care. This review of the recent evidence on socially-rooted health concerns affected by both immigration and ageing will help advance nursing practice in providing culturally responsive care interventions.

The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Applications on Enhancing the Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Health Care Students: Systematic Review With Meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) applications are gaining popularity in health care education. They provide an uninterrupted, scaled environment capable of simulating the full magnitude of sensory stimuli present in busy health care settings and increase students' competence and confidence by providing them with accessible and repeatable learning opportunities in a fail-safe environment. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of IVR teaching on the learning outcomes and experiences of undergraduate health care students compared with other teaching methods. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus were searched (last search on May 2022) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies published in English between January 2000 and March 2022. The inclusion criteria were studies involving undergraduate students majoring in health care, IVR teaching, and evaluations of students' learning outcomes and experiences. The methodological validity of the studies was examined using the Joanna Briggs Institute standard critical appraisal instruments for RCTs or quasi-experimental studies. The findings were synthesized without a meta-analysis using vote counting as the synthesis metric. A binomial test with P<.05 was used to test for statistical significance using SPSS (version 28; IBM Corp). The overall quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. RESULTS: A total of 17 articles from 16 studies totaling 1787 participants conducted between 2007 and 2021 were included. The undergraduate students in the studies majored in medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, pharmacy, biomedicine, radiography, audiology, or stomatology. The IVR teaching domains included procedural training (13/16, 81%), anatomical knowledge (2/16, 12%), and orientation to the operating room setting (1/16, 6%). The quality of the 75% (12/16) of RCT studies was poor, with unclear descriptions of randomization, allocation concealment, and outcome assessor blinding procedures. The overall risk of bias was relatively low in the 25% (4/16) of quasi-experimental studies. A vote count showed that 60% (9/15; 95% CI 16.3%-67.7%; P=.61) of the studies identified similar learning outcomes between IVR teaching and other teaching approaches regardless of teaching domains. The vote count showed that 62% (8/13) of the studies favored using IVR as a teaching medium. The results of the binomial test (95% CI 34.9%-90%; P=.59) did not show a statistically significant difference. Low-level evidence was identified based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. CONCLUSIONS: This review found that undergraduate students had positive learning outcomes and experiences after engaging with IVR teaching, although the effects may be similar to those of other forms of virtual reality or conventional teaching methods. Given the identification of risk of bias and low level of the overall evidence, more studies with a larger sample size and robust study design are required to evaluate the effects of IVR teaching. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42022313706; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=313706.

Primary Care Physicians' and Patients' Perspectives on Equity and Health Security of Infectious Disease Digital Surveillance.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic facilitated the rapid development of digital detection surveillance (DDS) for outbreaks. This qualitative study examined how DDS for infectious diseases (ID) was perceived and experienced by primary care physicians and patients in order to highlight ethical considerations for promoting patients' autonomy and health care rights. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposefully selected group of 16 primary care physicians and 24 of their patients. The group was reflective of a range of ages, educational attainment, and clinical experiences from urban areas in northern and southern China. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated. Two researchers coded data and organized it into themes. A third researcher reviewed 15% of the data and discussed findings with the other researchers to assure accuracy. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: ambiguity around the need for informed consent with usage of DDS; importance of autonomous decision making; potential for discrimination against vulnerable users of DDS for ID; risk of social inequity and disparate care outcomes; and authoritarian institutions' responsibility for maintaining health data security. The adoption of DDS meant some patients would be reluctant to go to the hospital for fear of either being discriminated against or forced into quarantine. Certain groups (older people and children) were thought to be vulnerable to DDS misappropriation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate the paramount importance of establishing national and international ethical frameworks for DDS implementation. Frameworks should guide all aspects of ID surveillance, addressing privacy protection and health security, and underscored by principles of social equity and accountability.Annals "Online First" article.

Interventions addressing functional abilities of older people in rural and remote areas: a scoping review of available evidence based on WHO functional ability domains.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages healthy ageing strategies to help develop and maintain older people's functional abilities in five domains: their ability to meet basic needs; learn, grow, and make decisions; be mobile; build and maintain relationships, and contribute to society. This scoping review reports the available evidence-based interventions that have been undertaken with people ≥ 50 years of age in rural and remote areas and the outcomes of those interventions relevant to enhancing functional ability. METHODS: The scoping review was undertaken following the JBI methodology. A literature search was carried out to identify published intervention studies for enhancing functional ability in older people living in rural and remote settings. The databases searched included CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest Central, PubMed, EBSCOHost, APA PsycInfo, Carin.info, and the European Network for Rural Development Projects and Practice database. Gray literature sources included government reports, websites, policy papers, online newsletters, and studies from a bibliographic hand search of included studies. RESULTS: Literature published from January 2010 to March 9, 2021 were included for review. A total of 67 studies were identified, including quasi-experimental studies (n = 44), randomized controlled trials (n = 22), and a descriptive study. Five main types of interventions were conducted in rural and remote areas with older people: Community Services, Education and Training, Exercise and Physical Activity, Health Promotion Programmes, and Telehealth. Health Promotion Programmes (n = 28, 41.8%) were the most frequently reported interventions. These focused primarily on improving the ability to meet basic needs. About half (n = 35, 52.2%) of the included studies were linked to the ability to learn, grow, and make decisions, and 40% of studies (n = 27) were relevant to the ability to be mobile. Only a very limited number of intervention studies were geared towards outcomes such as maintaining relationships (n = 6) and contributing to society (n = 3). CONCLUSION: Interventions for enhancing functional ability focused primarily on the ability to meet basic needs. We identified the need for health-related interventions in rural and remote areas to consider all five functional ability domains as outcomes, particularly to strengthen the psychosocial wellbeing of older people and enhance their sense of purpose through their contributions to society.

Intrapersonal and interpersonal level factors influencing self-care practices among Hong Kong individuals with COVID-19-A qualitative study.

Background: The unprecedented crisis during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong placed a significant burden on the health care system. Therefore, the Hong Kong government advocated that individuals with no or mild COVID-19 symptoms should self-care at home. This study aimed to understand intrapersonal and interpersonal level factors that shaped self-care practices among home-quarantined individuals with COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic. Methods: This study used convenience and snowball sampling whereby a total of 30 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted between March and April 2022. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Factors reported at the intrapersonal level included socioeconomic status and housing conditions, information and knowledge about COVID-19, long COVID, and psychological adjustments brought about by home quarantine. Factors identified at the interpersonal level included caregiving responsibilities, family relationships, and social support. Conclusions: Findings from this study identified a combination of intra and interpersonal level factors influenced an individual's self-care practices as a result of pandemic-induced quarantine. It was particularly concerning for those individuals in socially and economically deprived groups, where access to services was challenging. This study also raised awareness of the ineffectual and insufficient knowledge individuals held of self-medication and overall COVID-19 management. A key recommendation is developing family-based resilience programmes to support and empower vulnerable families to better cope with the realities of self-quarantine.

Diagnostic Evaluation of Depression Screening Tools in Asian New Zealanders.

This study aimed to compare the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey Mental Component Score (SF-12 MCS) for the effectiveness as screening tools for depression in Asian New Zealanders. A national, representative New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) data set was used. In total, 1,277 participants were included in the analyses. The sensitivity and specificity values, as well as the areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROC), for the K10 and the SF-12 MCS scores were examined. The AUROCs for K10 and SF-12 MCS were 0.787 (95% CI [0.736, 0.837]) and 0.725 (95% CI [0.656, 0.793]), respectively. A less than optimal sensitivity and positive predictive value of K10 support the need to reexamine the optimal cut-off point according to the results of the Youden index. Strengthening the K10 predictive accuracy will increase the practical application among Asian populations.

Age-friendly interventions in rural and remote areas: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: In 2007, the World Health Organization published a guide on age-friendly cities. However, little is known about interventions that have been implemented to promote age-friendly communities in rural and remote areas. This paper presents the findings from a scoping review undertaken to locate available evidence of interventions, strategies, and programs that have been implemented in rural and remote areas to create age-friendly communities. METHODS: This scoping review used the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. RESULTS: A total of 219 articles were included in this review. No intervention studies were referred to as 'age-friendly'. However, there were interventions (mostly healthcare-related) that have been implemented in rural and remote areas with older people as participants. There were also non-evaluated community programs that were published in the grey literature. This review identified the common health interventions in older people and the indirect relevance to the WHO age-friendly framework domains in rural and remote contexts. CONCLUSIONS: The eight age-friendly domains were not explicitly utilised as a guide in the development of interventions for older people in rural and remote settings. Implementation of age-friendly interventions in rural and remote areas requires a multisectoral approach that is tailored to address the specific needs of individual communities. Age-friendly interventions also need to consider socio-ecological factors to adequately and holistically address community needs and ensure long-term sustainability.

Feeling a deep sense of loneliness: Chinese late-life immigrants in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVES: To explore Chinese late-life immigrants' perceptions of loneliness and social isolation. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive methodology underpinned this study. In-depth individual interviews were conducted in Mandarin with purposively recruited participants. The twenty-three participants in the study had all emigrated from China, were 65-80 years old on arrival and had lived in New Zealand for between 2.5 and 16 years. An inductive thematic analytic process was undertaken. The COREQ checklist was followed to ensure study rigour. RESULTS: Three themes, 'high value placed on meeting family obligations', 'feeling a deep sense of imbalanced intergenerational reciprocity' and 'moving away from filial expectations', were identified. Confucianist values of 'women's domestic duty of caring for grandchildren', 'filial piety', and 'saving face' to be accepted and respected by others negatively attributed to participants' understandings and experiences of loneliness. To plan for increasing frailty and to avoid family conflict while ameliorating potential loneliness, some participants reluctantly discarded prior customary filial piety expectations in favour of formal aged care options. CONCLUSIONS: Participants' profound sense of loneliness was seen to be attributed to their deeply rooted cultural values and backgrounds from having lived for a significant period of time in China. Loneliness occurred as a result of the resettlement process in later life. These experiences highlight the importance of using cultural framing that takes into account beliefs and adaptations to host societies anticipated during the process of late-life immigration.

Nurse visit utilization and blood pressure control: A multi-cohort study in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to retrospectively examine the contribution of nurses to population health outcomes with reference to nurse visits and blood pressure measurement in primary health settings. DESIGN: A retrospective study was conducted using New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) from 2012 to 2017. SAMPLE: Adult population who are 18 years old and over living in New Zealand. MEASUREMENTS: Age, gender, and ethnicity, the service utilization of primary health care nurse visit and blood pressure measurement were extracted from the NZHS (2012-2017) to compare with the service utilization of primary health care nurses by different demographic groups. RESULTS: Females who have treated hypertension shows higher utilization of nurse visit than males. From 2015 to 2017, the participants in this cohort have visited a primary health care nurse at least more than once within a year. With blood pressure control, the overall pooled results show the impact of visiting primary health nurses on systolic and diastolic blood pressure control. CONCLUSION: Our study at a national scale, demonstrated the impact of nurse's contribution to population health outcomes among people living with hypertension in New Zealand. Nurses are key to improving population health outcomes and to achieve universal health coverage.

Association between loneliness and acceptance of using robots and pets as companions among older Chinese immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To examine loneliness experienced by middle-aged and older Chinese immigrants and its association with accepting technology as a companion (apps, Internet and robots) versus owning pets, when social distancing measures were implemented in New Zealand during the first COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: This study conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey. Chinese immigrants who were 45-87 years old (n = 173) were invited to answer an online survey in the Chinese language, collecting demographic data, responses to the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and experiences in using technology and pet ownership. Descriptive analyses and inferential statistics tests were utilised in the data analysis. RESULTS: A moderate level of overall loneliness with a mean score of 3.68 (SD 1.84), ranging from 0 to 6, was reported by participants. Emotional and social loneliness ranged from 0 to 3 with mean scores of 1.69 (SD 0.98) and 1.99 (SD 1.24), respectively. Self-reported health, financial status, English language abilities, transportation and experiences of using the Internet and apps were significantly related to experiencing loneliness. Loneliness had a weak association with acceptance of robots and pets, but 67.8% and 58.3% of participants who felt lonely, accepted companionship of robots and pets, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The level of loneliness among older and middle-aged immigrants increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further evidence of the specific dimensions of loneliness and the utility of technology to alleviate loneliness among immigrant groups is needed. Interventions tailored for older people with specific cultural requirements to address loneliness are needed.