Activity Monitoring in Parkinson Disease: A Qualitative Study of Implementation Determinants.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is interest in incorporating digital health technology in routine practice. We integrate multiple stakeholder perspectives to describe implementation determinants (barriers and facilitators) regarding digital health technology use to facilitate exercise behavior change for people with Parkinson disease in outpatient physical therapy. METHODS: The purposeful sample included people with Parkinson disease (n = 13), outpatient physical therapists (n = 12), and advanced technology stakeholders including researchers and reimbursement specialists (n = 13). Semistructured interviews were used to elicit implementation determinants related to using digital health technology for activity monitoring and exercise behavior change. Deductive codes based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research were used to describe implementation determinants. RESULTS: Key implementation determinants were similar across stakeholder groups. Essential characteristics of digital health technology included design quality and packaging, adaptability, complexity, and cost. Implementation of digital health technology by physical therapists and people with Parkinson disease was influenced by their knowledge, attitudes, and varied confidence levels in using digital health technology. Inner setting organizational determinants included available resources and access to knowledge/information. Process determinants included device interoperability with medical record systems and workflow integration. Outer setting barriers included lack of external policies, regulations, and collaboration with device companies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Future implementation interventions should address key determinants, including required processes for how and when physical therapists instruct people with Parkinson disease on digital health technology, organizational readiness, workflow integration, and characteristics of physical therapists and people with Parkinson disease who may have ingrained beliefs regarding their ability and willingness to use digital health technology. Although site-specific barriers should be addressed, digital health technology knowledge translation tools tailored to individuals with varied confidence levels may be generalizable across clinics.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see the Video, Supplemental Digital Content available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A436 ).

Promoting Evidence-Based Practice: The Influence of Novel Structural Change to Accelerate Translational Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in clinicians' use of evidence-based practice (EBP), openness toward EBP, and their acceptance of organizational changes after a rehabilitation hospital transitioned to a new facility designed to accelerate clinician-researcher collaborations. DESIGN: Three repeated surveys of clinicians before, 7-9 months, and 2.5 years after transition to the new facility. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians, nurses, therapists, and other health care professionals (n=410, 442, and 448 respondents at Times 1, 2, and 3, respectively). INTERVENTIONS: Implementation of physical (architecture, design) and team-focused (champions, leaders, incentives) changes in a new model of care to promote clinician-researcher collaborations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adapted versions of the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ), the Evidence-Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS), and the Organizational Change Recipients' Beliefs Scale (OCRBS) were used. Open-ended survey questions were analyzed through exploratory content analysis. RESULTS: Response rates at Times 1, 2, and 3 were 67% (n=410), 69% (n=422), and 71% (n=448), respectively. After accounting for familiarity with the model of care, there was greater reported use of EBP at Time 3 compared with Time 2 (adjusted meant2=3.51, standard error (SE)=0.05; adj. meant3=3.64, SE=0.05; P=.043). Attitudes toward EBPs were similar over time. Acceptance of the new model of care was lower at Time 2 compared with Time 1, but rebounded at Time 3 (adjusted meant1=3.44, SE=0.04; adj. meant2=3.19, SE=0.04; P<.0001; adj. meant3=3.51, SE=0.04; P<.0001). Analysis of open-ended responses suggested that clinicians' optimism for the model of care was greater over time, but continued quality improvement should focus on cultivating communication between clinicians and researchers. CONCLUSIONS: Accelerating clinician-researcher collaborations in a rehabilitation setting requires sustained effort for successful implementation beyond novel physical changes. Organizations must be responsive to clinicians' changing concerns to adapt and sustain a collaborative translational medicine model and allow sufficient time, probably years, for such transitions to occur.

Employment Resources for People with Parkinson's Disease: A Resource Review and Needs Assessment.

Purpose People with Parkinson's disease (PwP) exit the workforce on average 5 years earlier than people without Parkinson's due to motor, cognitive, communicative, and affective symptoms. Decreased employment results in significant individual and societal costs. The objectives of this study were to identify strengths and weaknesses of employment resources and assess the needs of consumer and clinical stakeholders to improve job retention. Methods The study used a qualitative content analysis and Quasi Needs Assessment Framework. Sixteen PwP and 10 clinician stakeholders participated in two rounds of stakeholder discussion panels. Main outcomes included (1) the resources identified through the online content search and themes derived from those resources, and (2) the information gained from discussion panels and themes derived from their conversations. Results Literature review and online searches yielded 59 resources (30 consumer-focused documents, 17 peer-reviewed articles, and 12 documents supplied by key informants who are experts in Parkinson's disease and/or employment). Themes frequently found in the consumer-focused content but not the peer-reviewed literature included diagnosis disclosure decision-making, the benefits of retiring compared to working, and workplace accommodations. Stakeholders identified three key needs with regard to employment-related support for PwP: (1) knowledge about employment support options; (2) a clinician to start the discussion about employment challenges; and (3) an individualized and flexible approach to employment-related interventions. Conclusions Many people with Parkinson's experience unmet employment-related resource and process needs. An individually-tailored interdisciplinary intervention care path could facilitate decisions regarding disclosure and accommodations.

Mobility and self-care outcomes in patients with a bariatric comorbidity during inpatient rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: First, we describe the characteristics and functional outcomes of obese and bariatric patients in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF). Second, we assessed differences in functional outcomes for bariatric, obese, and standard weight body mass index (BMI) groups. Third, we explored whether these characteristics differ between time periods and diagnostic groups. DESIGN: A retrospective study comparing electronic medical record data collected in 2016 and 2018, using a repeated cross-sectional cohort design. SETTING: IRF. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals ≥18 years of age diagnosed with brain injury, medical complexity, general neurology, orthopedic, spinal cord injury (SCI), and stroke. Participants grouped as standard (BMI <30 kg/m2 ), obese (BMI 30-39 kg/m2 ), and bariatric (BMI ≥40 kg/m2 ) weights. (N = 2015 in 2016, N = 2768 in 2018.) INTERVENTIONS: Patients received standard inpatient rehabilitation. In 2018, clinicians had access to new weight-appropriate equipment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Discharge destination; length of stay (LOS) by BMI group and medical diagnoses; item-specific functional index measure (FIM) change scores. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent to 67% of all BMI groups achieved a home discharge. The bariatric BMI group had a longer LOS (21 days) than the standard or obese groups. There was a significant interaction in a linear regression analysis between diagnosis and LOS, where LOS was longer in medically complex patients with bariatric BMI (19.3 days compared to 16.1 days) but shorter in bariatric patients with SCI (20.6 days) compared to standard weight patients (26.2 days). In 2018, the bariatric BMI group had greater average FIM change scores for bathing, lower body dressing, toilet transfers, and bed transfers. CONCLUSIONS: Patient BMI is associated with LOS in the IRF, although affected by diagnosis. Patients with higher BMIs can make changes in specific individual motor FIM items. For patients with bariatric BMIs, FIM change scores were higher in 2018, possibly due to the use of equipment and facilities designed for higher weight capacities.

Intimate partner violence and social connection among married women in rural Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is high among married women in Bangladesh. Social isolation is a well-established correlate of women's exposure to IPV, but the role of such factors in low-income and middle-income countries is not well understood. In this study, we explore whether social connection is protective against IPV among married women in rural Bangladesh. METHODS: Data were drawn from a multistage, stratified, population-based longitudinal sample of 3355 married women in rural Bangladesh, who were surveyed on individual and contextual risk factors of IPV. Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the association between three different domains of social connection (natal family contact, female companionship and instrumental social support), measured at baseline in 2013, and the risk of three different forms of IPV (psychological, physical and sexual), approximately 10 months later, adjusted for woman's level of education, spouse's level of education, level of household wealth, age and age of marriage. RESULTS: Adjusted models showed that instrumental social support was associated with a lower risk of past year psychological IPV (risk ratio (RR)=0.84, 95% CI 0.769 to 0.914), sexual IPV (RR=0.90, 95% CI 0.822 to 0.997) and physical IPV (RR=0.81, 95% CI 0.718 to 0.937). Natal family contact was also associated with a lower risk of each type of IPV, but not in a graded fashion. Less consistent associations were observed with female companionship. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that social connection, particularly in the form of instrumental support, may protect married women in rural Bangladesh from experiencing IPV.

Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Screening Program for People With Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of people with Parkinson disease and movement disorders (PDMDs) referred by neurologist to a physiatrist-led interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program. DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis of electronic health records (EMRs). SETTING: Outpatient PDMD neurology clinic and an interdisciplinary rehabilitation hospital's PDMD screening program. PARTICIPANTS: People with PDMDs referred by neurologists to the interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program from 2009-2017 (n=934), with early referrals from 2009-2015 (n=449) and recently referred from 2015-2017 (n=485), and patients who had new interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program evaluations from 2015-2017 (n=183). INTERVENTION: Participation in the physiatrist-led PDMD screening clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographics, disease-related features, timed Up and Go, conversational voice volume, recommended therapy services, and number of therapies completed 90 days following interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program. RESULTS: People referred from the neurologists to the interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program from 2009-2017 were 72±12.9 years old, male (56%), white (65%), and with 1 or more comorbidities (62%). Compared with early referrals from 2009-2015, more recently referred participants from 2015-2017 were younger (P<.001) and earlier in disease duration (P=.036). The interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program participants from 2015-2017 had mean timed Up and Go time of 15.4±10.1 seconds and a mean conversational voice volume of 68.98±4.7 dB. CONCLUSIONS: The interdisciplinary rehabilitation screening program was sustained with increased number of referrals over time, occurring earlier in the disease in more recent years. Key strategies used to sustain the program over time include development of a unique referral order set for the neurologists, implementation of a comprehensive screen tool in the rehabilitation hospital EMR, and centralized communication through social workers at both facilities.

Effective Treatment of Depressive Disorders in Medical Clinics for Adolescents and Young Adults Living With HIV: A Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Preliminary test of a manualized, measurement-guided treatment for depression for adolescents and young adults in care at 4 sites of the Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. DESIGN: The US sites were randomly assigned to either a 24-week, combination cognitive behavioral therapy and medication management algorithm (COMB) tailored for youth living with HIV (YLWH) or to treatment as usual (TAU). METHODS: Youth at TAU sites had access to therapists and medication management as needed. COMB-site clinicians were trained in the manualized intervention and participated in supervision calls to monitor intervention fidelity. RESULTS: Over the course of the study with 44 participants, those in COMB, compared with those in TAU, reported fewer depressive symptoms, P < 0.01 (as measured by the Quick Inventory for Depression symptoms) and were more likely to be in remission, P < 0.001 (65% vs. 10% at week 24, end of treatment, and 71% vs. 7% at week 48, final follow-up). A greater proportion of COMB participants received psychotherapy (95% vs. 45%, P < 0.001) and attended more sessions (12.6 vs. 5, P < 0.001) than those in TAU. Viral load decreased in both groups and was associated (P < 0.05) with reduction in depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A 24-week manualized, measurement-guided psychotherapy and medication management algorithm tailored for YLWH was more effective in achieving and sustaining remission from depression than TAU at HIV care clinic sites. Given observed treatment efficacy, this structured combination treatment could be disseminated to medical clinics to successfully treat YLWH, who are at particular risk for depression.