Differences in employment concerns between Hispanic and Caucasian persons with multiple sclerosis: A propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the experiences and concerns of Hispanic Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially how their experiences and concerns compare to those of Caucasian Americans with MS. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in satisfaction with the overall employment situation between two matched samples of adults with MS, namely, Hispanics and Caucasians. METHODS: Participants in this study responded to a national survey of the employment and community living concerns of people with MS. A propensity score matching (PSM) procedure was used to match participants based on demographic and MS-related variables. RESULTS: A two-sample Hotelling T2 test revealed no statistically significant between-group differences on satisfaction regarding fair treatment in the workplace but between-group differences were observed on satisfaction regarding legal rights and personal-environmental resources related to work. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for future research and clinical practice in rehabilitation counseling in the COVID-19 era are discussed. © 2021 - IOS Press. All rights reserved.

Food insecurity and impact on mental health in pediatric families with cystic fibrosis

Introduction: Approximately 11.8% (15 million) of American households experience food insecurity. The rate of food insecurity is higher among families with cystic fibrosis (CF). Compared to the general population, parents of children with CF and individuals with CF are two to three times more likely to experience anxiety, depression, or both. There is a significant bidirectional association between poor mental health and food insecurity whereby food insecurity escalates the risk for poor mental health and poor emotional health increases the risk for food insecurity. Objective: To investigate if food insecurity is associated with anxiety and depression in parents of CF patients and to assess for racial and ethnic differences. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a single pediatric CF care center. Questionnaires were administered to parents of pediatric patients. Food insecurity was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture 2-question screen. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). Race was self-identified as non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, African American, Asian, or Native American. Due to small numbers, Hispanic, African-American, Asian, and Native American families were grouped together. Between group differences were examined using the chi-square test. Results: Forty-one families were approached between January and March 2020 and 36 participated. The age of patients ranged between 8 months to 21 years. Fifty percent of patients were non-Hispanic white. Of the 36 parents who responded, six (16.7%) screened positive for food insecurity and eight (22.2%) screened positive for anxiety/depression. Four parents (11.1%) screened positive for both food insecurity and anxiety/ depression. A higher percentage of parents who screened positive for food insecurity also screened positive for anxiety/depression compared to parents who were not food insecure (66.7% vs 13.3%, p=0.004). There was a trend towards a higher rate of food insecurity among minority parents compared to non-Hispanic white parents (27.8% vs 5.6%, p=0.07). A higher percentage of minority parents reported both food insecurity and anxiety/ depression compared to non-Hispanic white parents (16.7% vs 5.6%, p=0.3), however it was not statistically significant in our preliminary data, likely due to small sample size. Conclusion: The rate of food insecurity among the households with a child with CF is higher than the reported rate among American households. Parents of patients with CF who report food insecurity have a higher prevalence of anxiety/depression. Minority parents seem to be more likely to have food insecurity and also have associated anxiety/depression with food insecurity compared to non-Hispanic white parents. Additional data are being collected through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reducing the Effect of Functional Disability on Life Satisfaction Among Persons With a Lived Experience of an Infectious Viral Disease in Taiwan: A Tri-Mediation Model

The purpose of the study was to examine whether disability acceptance, hope, and resilience mediate the relationship between functional disability and life satisfaction in people with a lived experience of an infectious viral disease (i.e., polio and postpolio syndrome [PPS]). Participants consisted of 157 individuals diagnosed with polio or PPS who were recruited from two community support organizations in Taiwan. Participants completed self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed with a simultaneous regression analysis. The tri-mediation model indicated that disability acceptance, hope, and resilience were associated with life satisfaction, accounting for a large effect size of 46% of the variance in the life satisfaction scores. The direct effect of functional disability on life satisfaction became insignificant when the mediators were controlled for in the model. Hope, disability acceptance, and resilience were found to fully explain the association between functional disability and life satisfaction. This study demonstrated that positive psychosocial factors might help to buffer the indirect and direct negative effects of functional disability on life satisfaction. Implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice when supporting individuals with a lived experience of an infectious viral disease, including COVID-19, are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2020.

Remote support using smartglasses for the facilitation of neonatal resuscitation simulation training

Purpose of the study: There are many inexperienced Neonatal-Cardio-Pulmonary-Resuscitation instructors in Japan. They have not sufficiently advanced educational training to teach provider trainees. Therefore, it is not always easy for novice instructors to facilitate resuscitation scenario training. Also, with the global spread of coronaviruses, the participation of experienced instructors from outside their own facilities should be avoided for contact prevention purposes. One way to tackle this problem is to provide remote assistance. We have been developing a device to conduct remote simulation training for neonatal resuscitation since 2017. In this study, we have developed and tested the system that enables remote educational support using the latest smartglass. Method: We tested smartglasses made in Japan, in this study. These devices are hands-free and each can record video and has a head-mounted display. In a NCPR provider course, the instructor who conducts the course at the site wears smart-glasses and facilitates scenario training with a remote advisor under internet communication. At a remote site, an expert instructor calculates the performance score to assess the trainee's behavior/cognition/teamwork based on the checklist and displays it on the smartglass display for advice during debriefing. A checklist of individual/team performance was constructed that included cognitive/technical and behavioral aspects. To assess the validity of this system operation, a total of 10 scenario training sessions were conducted in the scenario training of the NCPR course for six nurses at Kyoto University Hospital. Results: There were no problems with audio and communication using smartglass under the Internet. Instructors watching the course videos on the remote site in realtime were able to calculate trainee's score easily. The checklist score results were displayed on the smartglasses display, so the novice instructors were able to facilitate the debriefing and manage the course easily.