The Kidney Transplant Self-Management Scale: Instrument Development and Psychometric Testing.

This study reports the development and psychometric testing of the Kidney Transplant Self-Management Scale (KT-SMS). The instrument development phase included the following: (a) conceptual definition, item generation, and framework; (b) face validity assessment; and (c) content validity assessment. The psychometric testing phase included the following: (a) construct validity testing; (b) internal consistency reliability testing; (c) convergent validity testing; and (d) predictive power of the KT-SMS using a cross-sectional sample of kidney transplant recipients (N = 153). Factor analysis results supported the 16-item KT-SMS as multidimensional with five domains (medication adherence, cardiovascular risk reduction, protecting kidney, ownership, and skin cancer prevention). Internal consistency reliability for the total scale and five subscales was adequate. Convergent validity was supported as the intercorrelations of the KT-SMS total score with the five subscales were significant. The KT-SMS total score and five subscales were significantly correlated with self-efficacy for managing chronic disease, patient activation, and health-related quality of life.

STEPS to Enhance Physical Activity After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Finding effective ways to increase physical activity immediately following high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) is challenging. OBJECTIVE: This pilot randomized clinical trial tested the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effects of a free-living physical activity intervention (STEPS) compared with usual care (UC) on physical activity, fatigue, muscle strength, functional ability, sleep, and quality of life following treatment for MM with HCT. METHODS: Using a 2-group pretest/posttest design (N = 32), this study compared the 6-week STEPS intervention to UC. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, functional performance tests, and wrist actigraphy before HCT and 7 weeks following hospital discharge. RESULTS: The STEPS group achieved their physical activity goals on 53% of intervention days. The STEPS group experienced greater appetite loss, more diarrhea, and slept more than UC regardless of time point. Both groups reported improvements in mental fatigue, emotional functioning, pain, sleep disturbance, anger, anxiety, and depression but climbed stairs slower and had weaker hand grips after intervention. Both groups subjectively reported fewer sleep disturbances but objectively experienced more wakefulness after sleep onset and an increased number of awakenings postintervention. CONCLUSIONS: The STEPS intervention is acceptable and feasible for people with MM treated with HCT. Both groups reported some improved symptoms but experienced some declines in physical performance postintervention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses strive to optimize health and promote well-being. Helping people increase their physical activity after treatment for MM with HCT may improve symptoms, but additional studies are needed.

Using Facebook in Recruiting Kidney Transplant Recipients for a REDCap Study.

This web-based study recruited kidney transplant recipients from Facebook using three recruiting methods over a 5-week period. Participants completed 125 survey items via REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) survey. Facebook recruitment generated 153 eligible participants who completed surveys. The average survey response time was 15.07 min (SD = 6.12; range: 4-43), with a low missing item rate (<5%). Facebook's standard ads were most effective for recruiting subjects (n = 78, 51%), followed by three targeted Facebook kidney transplant support groups (n = 52, 34%) and a pay-to-promote study page (n = 12, 7.8%). The average cost paid for each valid survey was US$2.19 through standard Facebook ads and US$2.92 from the study page. The cost for online survey completion is economically feasible even for those with limited funds. Issues related to online surveys including extreme survey response times and participant misrepresentation were reported in this study.