Enhancing quality of life measurement: adapting the ASCOT easy read for older adults accessing social care.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to adapt and assess the content validity of the ASCOT Easy Read (ASCOT-ER) for older people accessing social care. METHODS: A co-production working group of 8 older social care users and their supporters was established to evaluate the comprehensibility and relevance of the ASCOT-ER images, wording and layout. Changes made by the working group were iteratively tested using cognitive interviewing techniques (think aloud) with 25 older social care users not able to self-complete the original ASCOT. RESULTS: Co-research with people with dementia and their supporters was critical to the development of an effective and accessible tool. Issues identified with comprehension, recall, judgement and response were addressed through iterative adjustments to design, layout and wording. An unexpected finding was that illustrations were disliked or disregarded by the majority of people, and, in particular, those living with dementia. This result contrasts with the typical assumption of easy read approaches, where illustrations are expected to enhance comprehension. CONCLUSION: The ASCOT-ER measure for older people is suitable for older people using social care services with mild to moderate dementia, mild cognitive impairment and other age-related needs. The revisions applied were designed to improve comprehension, judgement and response for this group and even those who were most cognitively impaired experienced fewer issues by the final round of testing. Nonetheless, some prompting was still required, particularly for those with higher levels of cognitive impairment and it is likely that some respondents will require the questionnaire to be administered in an interview format.

Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis to assess the structural validity of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit Proxy version (ASCOT-Proxy) completed by care home staff.

PURPOSE: Rasch analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to evaluate the structural validity of the ASCOT-Proxy measures completed by staff on behalf of older adults resident in care homes, by comparison to the ASCOT-SCT4, the measure of social care-related quality of life (SCRQoL) from which the ASCOT-Proxy was developed. METHODS: EFA was conducted on the ASCOT-SCT4 and the two ASCOT-Proxy measures (Proxy-Proxy, Proxy-Resident), to determine if they retained the single factor of the original ASCOT-SCT4 measure found in samples of older community-dwelling adults. Rasch analysis was also applied to measures with a single factor structure in the EFA. RESULTS: ASCOT-Proxy-Resident had a single factor structure, as did the original ASCOT-SCT4 (also, found in this analysis when completed by care home staff). The ASCOT-Proxy-Proxy had a two factor structure. Rasch analysis of ASCOT-Proxy-Resident and ASCOT-SCT4 had an acceptable model fit, internal consistency and met the assumptions of unidimensionality and local independence. There was evidence of less than optimal distinguishability at some thresholds between responses, and low frequency of rating of the 'high level needs'. CONCLUSION: The ASCOT-Proxy-Resident is a valid instrument of SCRQoL for older adults resident in care homes, completed by staff proxies. Due to the two-factor structure, which differs from the original ASCOT-SCT4, we do not recommend the use of the ASCOT-Proxy-Proxy measure, although collecting data as part of the ASCOT-Proxy questionnaire may support its feasibility and acceptability. Further qualitative study of how care home staff complete and perceive the ASCOT-Proxy is encouraged for future studies.

Risk assessment for people living with dementia: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review identified key components of risk assessment for people with dementia, examined attitudes toward risk identification and risk assessment, and appraised existing risk assessment tools. METHODS: Systematic searches of five databases on two platforms (EBSCO, OVID) and gray literature databases (Open Grey, Base) were conducted. Studies were screened for inclusion based on predetermined eligibility criteria and quality assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Findings were tabulated and synthesized using thematic synthesis. RESULTS: Our review found people with dementia, their family carers, and healthcare professionals differed in how risk is conceptualized, with views being shaped by media perceptions, personal experiences, socio-cultural influences, dementia knowledge, and dementia severity. We found that mobilization (causing falls inside and getting lost outside) is the most frequently identified risk factor. Our findings show people with dementia are generally risk-tolerant, while healthcare professionals may adopt risk-averse approaches because of organizational requirements. We found factors that disrupt daily routines, living and caring arrangements, medication management, and unclear care pathways contribute toward adverse risk events. We discovered that most studies about risk and risk assessment scales did not consider insight of the person with dementia into risks although this is important for the impact of a risk. No risk instrument identified had sufficient evidence that it was useful. CONCLUSION: Accurate risk assessment and effective communication strategies that include the perspectives of people with dementia are needed to enable risk-tolerant practice. No risk instrument to date was shown to be widely acceptable and useful in practice.

Tailoring STrAtegies for RelaTives for Black and South Asian dementia family carers in the United Kingdom: A mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVES: We culturally adapted STrAtegies for RelaTives (START), a clinically and cost-effective intervention for dementia family carers, for Black and South Asian families. It had previously been delivered to family carers around the time of diagnosis, when most people with dementia had very mild, mild or moderate dementia. METHODS: We interviewed a maximum variation sample of family carers (phase one; n = 15 South Asian; n = 11 Black) about what aspect of START, required cultural adaptation, then analysed it thematically using the Cultural Treatment Adaptation Framework then adapted it in English and into Urdu. Facilitators then delivered START individually to carers (phase two; n = 13 South Asian; n = 8 Black). We assessed acceptability and feasibility through the number of sessions attended, score for fidelity to the intervention and interviewing family carers about their experiences. We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. to examine whether immediate changes in family carers' mental health were in line with previous studies. RESULTS: In phase one we made adaptations to peripheral elements of START, clarifying language, increasing illustrative vignettes numbers, emphasising privacy and the facilitator's cultural competence and making images ethnically diverse. In phase two 21 family carers consented to receive the adapted intervention; 12 completed ≥5/8 sessions; four completed fewer sessions and five never started. Baseline HADS score (n = 21) was 14.4 (SD = 9.8) but for those who we were able to follow up was 12.3 (SD 8.1) and immediately post-intervention was 11.3 (n = 10; SD = 6.1). Family carers were positive about the adapted START and continued to use elements after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Culturally adapted START was acceptable and feasible in South Asian and Black UK-based family carers and changes in mental health were in line with those in the original clinical trial. Our study shows that culturally inclusive START was also acceptable. Changes made in adaptations were relevant to all populations. We now use the adapted version for all family carers irrespective of ethnicity.

Fox (Vulpes vulpes) involvement identified in a series of cat carcass mutilations.

This study was designed to identify the cause of mutilation and death in 32 cats, part of a larger cohort found dead in Greater London, the United Kingdom, between 2016 and 2018. At the time, discussion in the media led to concerns of a human serial cat killer (dubbed The Croydon Cat Killer) pursuing domestic cats, causing a state of disquietude. Given the link between animal abuse and domestic violence, human intervention had to be ruled out. Using a combination of DNA testing, computed tomography imaging, and postmortem examination, no evidence was found to support any human involvement. Instead, a significant association between cat carcass mutilation and the presence of fox DNA was demonstrated. Gross examination identified shared characteristics including the pattern of mutilation, level of limb or vertebral disarticulation, wet fur, wound edges with shortened fur, and smooth or irregular contours, and marks in the skin, muscle, and bone consistent with damage from carnivore teeth. Together these findings supported the theory that the cause of mutilation was postmortem scavenging by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The probable cause of death was established in 26/32 (81%) carcasses: 10 were predated, 8 died from cardiorespiratory failure, 6 from blunt force trauma, one from ethylene glycol toxicity, and another from liver failure. In 6 carcasses a cause of death was not established due to autolysis and/or extensive mutilation. In summary, this study highlights the value of a multidisciplinary approach to fully investigate cases of suspected human-inflicted mutilation of animals.

Mediating role for metacognitive processes in the relationship between schizotypy and anxiety and depression symptoms.

Introduction: Depression and anxiety symptoms are highly prevalent in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and are commonly associated with schizotypy in non-clinical samples. However, it remains unclear what factors could be contributing to the relationships between schizotypy and anxiety and depression symptoms. Using path analysis, we explored the complex interplay between schizotypy, metacognitive beliefs, cognitive insight, and symptoms of emotional distress.Methods: Self-report data of schizotypy, metacognitive beliefs, cognitive insight, depression, and anxiety symptoms were collected from 344 participants from a predominantly student sample.Results: Path analysis confirmed unique associations between schizotypy dimensions, metacognitive beliefs, and cognitive insight. Furthermore, negative beliefs about worry mediated the link between the schizotypy dimensions, unusual experiences, cognitive disorganisation, and introvertive anhedonia and both depression and anxiety symptoms. Lack of cognitive confidence also mediated the relationship between cognitive disorganisation and depression symptoms. Finally, the cognitive insight subcomponent self-reflectiveness mediated the relationship between unusual experiences and cognitive disorganisation and anxiety.Conclusions: This study significantly furthers our understanding of the complex relationship between schizotypy, metacognitive processes, and emotional distress. Our findings also provide support for interventions which modify metacognitive beliefs and self-reflectiveness, which may prove beneficial for treatment in clinical settings.

Development, feasibility, and acceptability of an intervention to improve care for agitation in people living in nursing homes with dementia nearing the end-of-life.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a staff training intervention for agitation in people with severe dementia, reaching end-of-life, residing in nursing homes (NHs), test feasibility, acceptability, and whether a trial is warranted. DESIGN: Feasibility study with pre- and post-intervention data collection, qualitative interviews, and focus groups. SETTING: Three NHs in South East England with dementia units, diverse in terms of size, ownership status, and location. PARTICIPANTS: Residents with a dementia diagnosis or scoring ≥2 on the Noticeable Problems Checklist, rated as "severe" on Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, family carers, and staff (healthcare assistants and nurses). INTERVENTION: Manualized training, delivered by nonclinical psychology graduates focusing on agitation in severe dementia, underpinned by a palliative care framework. MEASUREMENTS: Main outcomes were feasibility of recruitment, data collection, follow-up, and intervention acceptability. We collected resident, family carer, and staff demographics. Staff provided data on resident's agitation, pain, quality of life, and service receipt. Staff reported their sense of competence in dementia care. Family carers reported on satisfaction with end-of-life care. In qualitative interviews, we explored staff and family carers' views on the intervention. RESULTS: The target three NHs participated: 28 (49%) residents, 53 (74%) staff, and 11 (85%) family carers who were eligible to participate consented. Eight-four percent of staff attended ≥3 sessions, and we achieved 93% follow-up. We were able to complete quantitative interviews. Staff and family carers reported the intervention and delivery were acceptable and helpful. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was feasible and acceptable indicating a larger trial for effectiveness may be warranted.

The minimum clinically important difference on the sleep disorders inventory for people with dementia.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep disturbances in dementia causes distress to people with dementia and their family carers and are associated with care home admission. The Sleep Disorders Inventory (SDI) is a validated questionnaire of sleep disturbances in dementia often used to measure treatment effectiveness, but the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) is unknown. METHODS: We triangulated three investigative methods to determine the MCID of the SDI. Using data on SDI from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 62 participants in an intervention for sleep disorders in dementia, we (1) calculated distribution-based values where MCID = 0.33 of a SD (SD) (2) an anchor based approach using quality of life (measured using DEMQOL-Proxy) as an anchor. We also employed a Delphi consensus process asking 12 clinicians, sleep researchers and family carers to rate which changes on vignettes were equivalent to a MCID. RESULTS: We found that 0.33 SD in the SDI = 4.86. Reduction in SDI total score was not significantly correlated with improvement in DEMQOL-Proxy (Pearson's correlation = -0.01; P = 0.96) score. The Delphi consensus required two rounds to reach a consensus and concluded that changes equivalent to three points on the SDI equated to the MCID. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account both the distribution-based values and the Delphi process we used a whole number at the midpoint and judged the minimum clinically important difference MCID to be equal to four points. We note the clinicians and carers opinions from the Delphi process determined the MCID to be lower at three points.

The impact of sleep disturbances on care home residents with dementia: the SIESTA qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Nearly 40% of care home residents who are living with dementia also have symptoms of disturbed sleep. However, the impact of these disturbances is relatively unknown and is needed to indicate whether interventions are warranted; therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact. DESIGN: One-to-one semi-structured interviews. SETTINGS: Four UK care homes. PARTICIPANTS: We interviewed 18 nurses and care assistants about residents with sleep disturbances. MEASUREMENTS: We used a topic guide to explore staff experience of sleep disturbance in residents with dementia. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and then analyzed thematically by two researchers independently. RESULTS: Staff described that sleep disturbances in most, but not all, residents impacted negatively on the resident, other residents, staff, and relatives. Residents became more irritable or agitated if they had slept badly. They slept in the daytime after a bad night, which then increased their chances of being awake the following night. For some, being sleepy in the day led to falls, missing medication, drinks, and meals. Staff perceived hypnotics as having low efficacy, but increasing the risk of falls and drowsiness. Other residents were disturbed by noise, and staff described stress when several residents had sleep disturbance. Some of the strategies reported by staff to deal with sleep disturbances such as feeding or providing caffeinated tea at night might be counterproductive. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances in care home residents living with dementia negatively affect their physical and psychological well-being. These disturbances also disturb other residents and increase stress in staff.

DREAMS-START (Dementia RElAted Manual for Sleep; STrAtegies for RelaTives) for people with dementia and sleep disturbances: a single-blind feasibility and acceptability randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACTBackground:40% of people with dementia have disturbed sleep but there are currently no known effective treatments. Studies of sleep hygiene and light therapy have not been powered to indicate feasibility and acceptability and have shown 40-50% retention. We tested the feasibility and acceptability of a six-session manualized evidence-based non-pharmacological therapy; Dementia RElAted Manual for Sleep; STrAtegies for RelaTives (DREAMS-START) for sleep disturbance in people with dementia. METHODS: We conducted a parallel, two-armed, single-blind randomized trial and randomized 2:1 to intervention: Treatment as Usual. Eligible participants had dementia and sleep disturbances (scoring ≥4 on one Sleep Disorders Inventory item) and a family carer and were recruited from two London memory services and Join Dementia Research. Participants wore an actiwatch for two weeks pre-randomization. Trained, clinically supervised psychology graduates delivered DREAMS-START to carers randomized to intervention; covering Understanding sleep and dementia; Making a plan (incorporating actiwatch information, light exposure using a light box); Daytime activity and routine; Difficult night-time behaviors; Taking care of your own (carer's) sleep; and What works? Strategies for the future. Carers kept their manual, light box, and relaxation recordings post-intervention. Outcome assessment was masked to allocation. The co-primary outcomes were feasibility (≥50% eligible people consenting to the study) and acceptability (≥75% of intervention group attending ≥4 intervention sessions). RESULTS: In total, 63out of 95 (66%; 95% CI: 56-76%) eligible referrals consented between 04/08/2016 and 24/03/2017; 62 (65%; 95% CI: 55-75%) were randomized, and 37 out of 42 (88%; 95% CI: 75-96%) adhered to the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: DREAM-START for sleep disorders in dementia is feasible and acceptable.

National stakeholder consultation on how to measure care home residents' quality of life.

Background: The Developing research resources And minimum data set for Care Homes' Adoption and use or DACHA study aims to create a prototype minimum data set combining residents' information recorded by care homes with their data held in health and social care data sets. The DACHA minimum data set will contain information on quality of life. Internationally and in the UK, there is no consensus on collecting information on quality of life in a standardised format equivalent to the consensus for health measures. Objective: This paper describes an online consultation with stakeholder representatives about how to measure the quality of life of residents in UK older-adult care homes, for inclusion in the DACHA minimum data set. Design: We drew on principles of the Delphi technique, identifying participants knowledgeable about living, working in and visiting care homes, and preference scoring. Setting: We used a bespoke online research engagement platform (Thiscovery, www.thiscovery.org, Cambridge, UK) to engage the participants. Participants: Participants included care home staff and managers, old age specialists (clinical/research), commissioners/providers/regulators, primary care professionals, relatives/family carers of care home residents. The consultation is complementary to DACHA's research and patient and public involvement and engagement activities, which have involved people living in care homes; thus, care home residents were not included in this consultation. Results: The first round asked 30 participants to rank the most important principles and domains to consider when measuring quality of life in care homes. Responses to round 1 informed the selection of quality of life measures that round 2 (September 2022) participants were asked to report their familiarity with and confidence in a range of outcome measures all of which met the criteria identified as important in round 1. Recruitment was extended in round 2, and 72 individuals participated. Conclusion: Based on the rankings and the qualitative feedback in round 2, we included four of the shortlisted quality of life outcome measures in DACHA's prototype minimum data set for care homes. The qualitative feedback suggested a shared understanding across the different representative groups about the strengths and limitations of the selected measures. This work makes an important contribution, understanding the opportunities that quality of life measures pose for different stakeholder groups as regular users of care home resident data. Future work: In future DACHA work, interviews and focus groups will collect further data about the perceptions of care home staff who completed measures during the pilot study and about the usefulness of the data collected via these measures. The quality-of-life section of the DACHA minimum data set can contribute to informing similar care home data sets internationally. Funding: This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme as award number NIHR127234.

The Developing research resources And minimum data set for Care Homes' Adoption and use study aims to explore how we can link together and safely share information about older care home residents so that care settings (such as hospitals, GPs and care homes) can best meet their needs. To work towards this aim, we are identifying what information is most important to capture and share in a 'minimum data set'. Having information about care home residents' quality of life was recognised by residents, their family members, care providers, researchers and health professionals as something that is important to measure. Quality of life describes the general well-being of an individual and is more than whether someone is healthy or not. By measuring a person's quality of life, it is possible to explore how changes in their care or innovations within their care home affect their sense of well-being. We asked care home staff, experts on ageing, healthcare workers, local authority officials and family members of residents what is important to know about residents' quality of life. In the first online survey (June 2022), we learned from 30 individuals that any quality of life measurement tool needs to be simple, reliable and meeting the needs of the residents. In our second survey (September 2022), 72 individuals gave us their thoughts about different quality of life measurement tools. They told us about whether they would use these tools, how much confidence they have in them, and what they see as strengths and weaknesses of the tools. This feedback helped us choose the right tools to measure quality of life in care homes and make sure they are a good fit for care home residents.

Connectivity-guided intermittent theta burst versus repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment-resistant depression: a randomized controlled trial.

Disruption in reciprocal connectivity between the right anterior insula and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is associated with depression and may be a target for neuromodulation. In a five-center, parallel, double-blind, randomized controlled trial we personalized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging neuronavigated connectivity-guided intermittent theta burst stimulation (cgiTBS) at a site based on effective connectivity from the right anterior insula to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We tested its efficacy in reducing the primary outcome depression symptoms measured by the GRID Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item over 8, 16 and 26 weeks, compared with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) neuronavigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) delivered at the standard stimulation site (F3) in patients with 'treatment-resistant depression'. Participants were randomly assigned to 20 sessions over 4-6 weeks of either cgiTBS (n = 128) or rTMS (n = 127) with resting-state functional MRI at baseline and 16 weeks. Persistent decreases in depressive symptoms were seen over 26 weeks, with no differences between arms on the primary outcome GRID Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item score (intention-to-treat adjusted mean, -0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.87, 1.24, P = 0.689). Two serious adverse events were possibly related to TMS (mania and psychosis). MRI-neuronavigated cgiTBS and rTMS were equally effective in patients with treatment-resistant depression over 26 weeks (trial registration no. ISRCTN19674644).

Clinical effectiveness of DREAMS START (Dementia Related Manual for Sleep; Strategies for Relatives) versus usual care for people with dementia and their carers: a single-masked, phase 3, parallel-arm, superiority randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are common and distressing for people with dementia and their families. Non-pharmacological interventions should be first-line management, avoiding harmful pharmacological side-effects, but there is none with known effectiveness. We aimed to establish whether DREAMS START, a multicomponent intervention, reduced sleep disturbance in people with dementia living at home compared with usual care. METHODS: We conducted a phase 3, two-arm, multicentre, parallel-arm, superiority randomised controlled trial with masked outcome assessment, recruiting dyads of people with dementia and sleep disturbance and family carers from community settings. Randomisation to the DREAMS START intervention (plus usual treatment) or usual treatment was conducted at dyadic level, blocked, and stratified by site, with a web-based system assigning allocation. DREAMS START is a six-session, manualised intervention delivered face to face or remotely by non-clinically trained graduates over an approximately 3-month period. The primary outcome was sleep disturbance measured by the Sleep Disorders Inventory (SDI) at 8 months. Analyses were on the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ISRCTN 13072268. FINDINGS: Between Feb 24, 2021, and March 5, 2023, 377 dyads were randomly assigned (1:1), 189 to usual treatment and 188 to intervention. The mean age of participants with dementia was 79·4 years (SD 9·0), and 206 (55%) were women. The mean SDI score at 8 months was lower in the intervention group compared with the usual treatment group (15·16 [SD 12·77], n=159, vs 20·34 [16·67], n=163]; adjusted difference in means -4·70 [95% CI -7·65 to -1·74], p=0·002). 17 (9%) people with dementia in the intervention group and 17 (9%) in the control group died during the trial; the deaths were unrelated to the intervention. INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, DREAMS START is the first multicomponent intervention to improve the sleep of people living at home with dementia more than usual clinical care. It had sustained effectiveness beyond intervention delivery. The intervention's delivery by non-clinically trained graduates increases the potential for implementation within health services, adding to usual clinical care. FUNDING: National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment.

Clinical and cost-effectiveness of DREAMS START (Dementia RElAted Manual for Sleep; STrAtegies for RelaTives) for people living with dementia and their carers: a study protocol for a parallel multicentre randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Many people living with dementia experience sleep disturbance and there are no known effective treatments. Non-pharmacological treatment options should be the first-line sleep management. For family carers, relatives' sleep disturbance leads to interruption of their sleep, low mood and breakdown of care. Our team developed and delivered DREAMS START (Dementia RElAted Manual for Sleep; STrAtegies for RelaTives), a multimodal non-pharmacological intervention, showing it to be feasible and acceptable. The aim of this randomised controlled trial is to establish whether DREAMS START is clinically cost-effective in reducing sleep disturbances in people living with dementia living at home compared with usual care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will recruit 370 participant dyads (people living with dementia and family carers) from memory services, community mental health teams and the Join Dementia Research Website in England. Those meeting inclusion criteria will be randomised (1:1) either to DREAMS START or to usual treatment. DREAMS START is a six-session (1 hour/session), manualised intervention delivered every 1-2 weeks by supervised, non-clinically trained graduates. Outcomes will be collected at baseline, 4 months and 8 months with the primary outcome being the Sleep Disorders Inventory score at 8 months. Secondary outcomes for the person with dementia (all proxy) include quality of life, daytime sleepiness, neuropsychiatric symptoms and cost-effectiveness. Secondary outcomes for the family carer include quality of life, sleep disturbance, mood, burden and service use and caring/work activity. Analyses will be intention-to-treat and we will conduct a process evaluation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: London-Camden & Kings Cross Ethics Committee (20/LO/0894) approved the study. We will disseminate our findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and at national and international conferences. This research has the potential to improve sleep and quality of life for people living with dementia and their carers, in a feasible and scalable intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13072268.

To have and to hold: An exploratory qualitative study exploring why research participants with treatment-resistant depression undergoing transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment requested copies of their research brain MRI scans.

PURPOSE: There has been little research providing an in-depth exploration of the reasons behind research participants, particularly in mental health settings, requesting copies of their research data, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. BRIGhTMIND is a large double blind randomised controlled trial using functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging to create personalised targets for transcranial magnetic stimulation delivery, and a number of trial participants requested copies of these scans. METHODS: Seven participants involved in the BRIGhTMIND trial completed semi-structured interviews exploring their reasons behind their request for copies of their MRI scans. The qualitative data was co-analysed between researchers and patient and public involvement and engagement representatives using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The interviews produced consistent themes concerning curiosity to visualise their MRI scans, and the hope that their participation would result in a better understanding of the nature and future treatment of depression. Concerns around the rights to access their own personal health data emerged as a clear theme as did their own ability to interpret any radiological information. DISCUSSION: This study provides insight into the reasons why research participants with depression would like to retain copies of their MRI scans and the perceived role that such techniques may have for improving research and neuromodulation treatments in depression. Such first-hand experiential accounts emphasises the importance of listening to participants perspectives and lived experience, in order to improve research and health outcomes. Future research could aim to provide greater verbal and written information for participants, including details about the accessibility to their MRI scans, the difference between research and clinical MRI scans, and educational materials to help with the interpretation of MRI images.

Prevalence of sleep disturbances in people with dementia living in the community: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse the prevalence of sleep disturbances in people with dementia and examine demographic predictors and whether overall prevalence has changed over time. We searched Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO for studies reporting the prevalence of sleep disturbances in people with dementia living at home. We meta-analysed the data and calculated the pooled prevalence of sleep disturbances in people with dementia overall and in dementia subtypes. We used meta-regressions to investigate the effects of study characteristics, publication dates and participant demographics. Eleven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of any symptoms of sleep disturbance was 26 % (95 % confidence intervals, CI: 23-30 %; n = 2719) and of clinically significant sleep disturbance 19 % (13-25 %; n = 2753). The pooled prevalence of sleep disturbance symptoms was significantly lower among people with Alzheimer's disease (24 %; 16-33 %, n = 310) than Lewy body dementia (49 %; 37-61 %, n = 65). Meta-regression analysis did not find that publication year, participant's age, sex and study quality predicted prevalence. Sleep disturbances are common among people with dementia living in the community, especially in Lewy body dementia. There was no change in prevalence according to publication dates, suggesting treatment has not improved over time.

Piloting of a minimum data set for older people living in care homes in England: protocol for a longitudinal, mixed-methods study.

INTRODUCTION: Health and care data are routinely collected about care home residents in England, yet there is no way to collate these data to inform benchmarking and improvement. The Developing research resources And minimum data set for Care Homes' Adoption and use study has developed a prototype minimum data set (MDS) for piloting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A mixed-methods longitudinal pilot study will be conducted in 60 care homes (approximately 960 residents) in 3 regions of England, using resident data from cloud-based digital care home records at two-time points. These will be linked to resident and care home level data held within routine National Health Service and social care data sets. Two rounds of focus groups with care home staff (n=8-10 per region) and additional interviews with external stakeholders (n=3 per region) will explore implementation and the perceived utility of the MDS. Data will be assessed for completeness and timeliness of completion. Descriptive statistics, including percentage floor and ceiling effects, will establish data quality. For validated scales, construct validity will be assessed by hypothesis testing and exploratory factor analysis will establish structural validity. Internal consistency will be established using Cronbach's alpha. Longitudinal analysis of the pilot data will demonstrate the value of the MDS to each region. Qualitative data will be analysed inductively using thematic analysis to understand the complexities of implementing an MDS in care homes for older people. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received ethical approval from the London Queen's Square Research Ethics Committee (22/LO/0250). Informed consent is required for participation. Findings will be disseminated to: academics working on data use and integration in social care, care sector organisations, policy makers and commissioners. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Partner NIHR Applied Research Collaborations, the National Care Forum and the British Geriatrics Society will disseminate policy briefs.

How do care home staff use non-pharmacological strategies to manage sleep disturbances in residents with dementia: The SIESTA qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances affect 38% of care home residents living with dementia. They are often treated with medication, but non-pharmacological interventions may be safer and effective yet more difficult to implement. In the SIESTA study (Sleep problems In dEmentia: interviews with care home STAff) we explored care home staffs' experience of managing sleep disturbances in their residents living with dementia. METHODS: We conducted one-to-one semi-structured interviews in four UK care homes, and purposively recruited a maximum variation sample of 18 nurses and care assistants, who were each interviewed once. We used a topic guide and audio-recorded the interviews. Two researchers independently analysed themes from transcribed interviews. RESULTS: Staff used a range of techniques that often worked in improving or preventing residents' sleep disturbance. During the daytime, staff encouraged residents to eat well, and be physically active and stimulated to limit daytime sleep. In the evening, staff settled residents into dark, quiet, comfortable bedrooms often after a snack. When residents woke at night, they gave them caffeinated tea or food, considered possible pain and discomfort, and reassured residents they were safe. If residents remained unsettled, staff would engage them in activities. They used telecare to monitor night-time risk. Staff found minimising daytime napping difficult, described insufficient staffing at night to attend to reorient and guide awake residents and said residents frequently did not know it was night-time. CONCLUSIONS: Some common techniques, such as caffeinated drinks, may be counterproductive. Future non-pharmacological interventions should consider practical difficulties staff face in managing sleep disturbances, including struggling to limit daytime napping, identifying residents' night-time needs, day-night disorientation, and insufficient night-time staffing.

Care home residents with dementia: Prevalence, incidence, and associations with sleep disturbance in an English cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: People living with dementia in care homes often have sleep disturbances, but little is known about incidence and importance. METHODS: We interviewed 1483 participants in 97 care homes and report prevalence, 1-year incidence, and baseline associations of clinically significant sleep disturbance in people with dementia. RESULTS: Baseline prevalence of clinically significant sleep disturbance was 13.7% (200/1460); 31.3% (457/1462) had them at least once over 16 months. One-year incidence was 25.2%. At baseline, residents with sleep disturbance had lower quality of life (mean difference -4.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] -6.53 to -3.16) and were more frequently prescribed sleep medications (odds ratio 1.75; CI 1.17 to 2.61) than other residents. DISCUSSION: Approximately one-third of care home residents with dementia have or develop sleep disturbances over 1 year. These are associated with lower quality of life and prescription of sedatives, which may have negative outcomes; therefore, it is important to develop effective treatments.

Characterising functionally important and ecologically meaningful genetic diversity using a candidate gene approach.

Over the past two decades the fields of molecular ecology and population genetics have been dominated by the use of putatively neutral DNA markers, primarily to resolve spatio-temporal patterns of genetic variation to inform our understanding of population structure, gene flow and pedigree. Recent emphasis in comparative functional genomics, however, has fuelled a resurgence of interest in functionally important genetic variation that underpins phenotypic traits of adaptive or ecological significance. It may prove a major challenge to transfer genomics information from classical model species to examine functional diversity in non-model species in natural populations, but already multiple gene-targeted candidate loci with major effect on phenotype and fitness have been identified. Here we briefly describe some of the research strategies used for isolating and characterising functional genetic diversity at candidate gene-targeted loci, and illustrate the efficacy of some of these approaches using our own studies on red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus). We then review how candidate gene markers have been used to: (1) quantify genetic diversity among populations to identify those depauperate in genetic diversity and requiring specific management action; (2) identify the strength and mode of selection operating on individuals within natural populations; and (3) understand direct mechanistic links between allelic variation at single genes and variance in individual fitness.