Occupational Balance and Emotional Regulation in People With and Without Serious Mental Illness.

Background. Serious mental illness affects daily functioning, including occupational balance. Purpose. This study aims to compare occupational balance and emotional regulation between people with serious mental illness and the healthy population and to examine the relationship between occupational balance and emotional regulation. Method. A cross-sectional study was performed. Occupational balance and emotional regulation were measured using the Occupational Balance Questionnaire and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, respectively. A multivariate analysis (analysis of covariance) was conducted. Findings. The sample consisted of 112 individuals, divided into two groups: the serious mental illness group (n = 55); and the healthy group (n = 57). People with serious mental illness reported lower occupational balance and lower cognitive reappraisal than the healthy population. Furthermore, the higher cognitive reappraisal, the higher the occupational balance, and the higher the expressive suppression, the lower the occupational balance. Conclusion. The results provide preliminary evidence of the relationship between occupational balance and emotional regulation.

Feasibility of an Activity Control System in Patients with Diabetes: A Study Protocol of a Randomised Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of developing various serious health problems that could be life-threatening. These problems are associated with the difficulty of these patients in managing their lifestyle, which may even lead to the abandonment of treatment. The present study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a multipurpose activity control solution for home activity (home activity control system), which will provide information on the activities of daily living carried out outside in real time, to improve adherence to each of the therapeutic objectives agreed on with the diabetic patient. Patients and Methods: A pilot randomised controlled feasibility study will be carried out to evaluate a home activity control system (Beprevent) in managing patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus will be included (10 in the intervention group and 10 in the control group). Data on satisfaction with the tool will be collected from professionals and patients, as well as other clinical/epidemiological data from their digital health records and several questionnaires, at baseline and six months. In addition, data will also be recorded regarding the degree of adherence to the behaviors agreed on with the patients before starting the study to assess changes throughout the study and their relationship with clinical results (glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol, etc), and to compare these outcomes between two study groups. Discussion: This project involves the incorporation of telemedicine in the management of patients with diabetes. Thus, according to the currently published bibliography, the use of smart devices in this population could help improve the quality of life of these people, reduce medical visits and improve adherence to home care patterns for diabetes mellitus. There are currently no published clinical trials or protocols that monitor activities of daily living in patients with diabetes individually using artificial intelligence (AI) devices.

Occupational Therapy in Severe Mental Disorder-A Self-Controlled Quasi-Experimental Study.

Severe mental disorder (SMD) produces a significant functional limitation that affects the performance of daily activities. The occupational therapist intervenes on this limitation by seeking greater autonomy of these patients through specific activities. This study aims to identify the main limitations of people with SMD and to examine whether an occupational intervention has any effect in helping to overcome or ameliorate these limitations. A quasi-experimental study including 103 participants was carried out. An evaluation using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) questionnaire was performed before and after the intervention. Within the activity program, those with a higher attendance rating during cognitive stimulation, cooking workshop, therapeutic walks, relaxation, and creative activities were mainly men. Both patients and professionals indicated that Understanding and Communicating, Participation in Society, and Activities of Daily Living were the main perceived limitations. Upon discharge, patients and professionals reported positive outcomes. The intervention programs carried out by occupational therapy, along with the other aspects of the treatment that SMD patients received, played an important part in improving the performance and occupational interests of these patients.

Nutritional Status Measurement Instruments for Diabetes: A Systematic Psychometric Review.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a serious chronic disease associated with a large number of complications and an increased risk of premature death. A dietary evaluation is of utmost importance for health promotion, disease prevention and individual treatment plans in patients with diabetes. METHODS: An exhaustive search was carried out in various databases-Medline, Web of Science, Open Gray Cochrane Library and Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN)-for systematic review of the measurement properties of instruments that evaluate the dietary intake of people with diabetes mellitus type 1 and/or 2 according to COSMIN standards. RESULTS: Seven instruments were identified. There was no instrument measuring nutritional status for which all the psychometric properties were evaluated. The methodological quality for each of the psychometric properties evaluated was 'inadequate' or 'doubtful' for all instruments. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) evaluated the most psychometric characteristics and with a better score in terms of quality of the evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Several instruments have been developed for the evaluation of dietary intake in people with diabetes. Evaluation of this construct is very useful, both in clinical practice and in research, requiring new knowledge in this area. The FFQ is the best instrument available to assess dietary intake in people with diabetes.