Feasibility of a meditation intervention for stroke survivors and informal caregivers: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are a significant psychological complication of stroke, impacting both survivors and informal caregivers of survivors. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine optimal non-pharmacological strategies to prevent or ameliorate depressive symptoms in stroke survivors and their informal caregivers. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, parallel-group, single-center, feasibility study. Participants were assigned to a 4-week meditation intervention or expressive writing control group. The intervention comprised four facilitator-led group meditation sessions, one session per week and building upon prior session(s). Descriptive statistics were used to examine the proportion of eligible individuals who enrolled, retention and adherence rates, and the proportion of questionnaires completed. Data were collected at baseline, immediately after the 4-week intervention period, and 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention period. Secondary analysis tested for changes in symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression [CES-D]), anxiety [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI)], and pain (Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form) in the intervention group via paired t tests. Linear mixed models were used to compare longitudinal changes in the measures between the groups. Intervention and trial design acceptability were preliminary explored. RESULTS: Seventy-one (77%) individuals enrolled and 26 (37%) completed the study (baseline and 8-week post-intervention visits completed). Forty-two (66%) participants completed baseline and immediate post-intervention visits. Mean questionnaire completion rate was 95%. The median meditation group session attendance rate for the intervention group was 75.0%, and the mean attendance rate was 55%. Non-significant reductions in CES-D scores were found. Paired t tests for stroke survivors indicated a significant reduction from baseline through week 8 in BPI-sf severity scores (p = 0.0270). Repeated measures analysis with linear mixed models for informal caregivers indicated a significant reduction in in STAI-Trait scores (F [3,16.2] = 3.28, p = 0.0479) and paired t test showed a significant reduction from baseline to week 4 in STAI-Trait scores (mean = - 9.1250, 95% CI [- 16.8060 to 1.4440], p = 0.0262). No between-group differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Future trials will require strategies to optimize retention and adherence before definitive efficacy testing of the meditation intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03239132. Registration date: 03/08/2017.

Telehealth Trials to Address Health Equity in Stroke Survivors.

Telehealth has seen rapid expansion into chronic care management in the past 3 years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth for acute care management has expanded access to equitable stroke care to many patients over the past two decades, but there is limited evidence for its benefit for addressing disparities in the chronic care of patients living with stroke. In this review, we discuss advantages and disadvantages of telehealth use for the outpatient management of stroke survivors. Further, we explore opportunities and potential barriers for telehealth in addressing disparities in stroke outcomes related to various social determinants of health. We discuss two ongoing large randomized trials that are utilizing telehealth and telemonitoring for management of blood pressure in diverse patient populations. Finally, we discuss strategies to address barriers to telehealth use in patients with stroke and in populations with adverse social determinants of health.

The effects of racism and resilience on Black stroke- survivor quality of life: Study protocol and rationale for a mixed-methods approach.

Introduction: Stroke, a life-threatening stressor, often negatively impacts stroke-survivor (SS) quality of life (QoL). Annual age-adjusted incidence and death rates for stroke are significantly higher among Black Americans than among White Americans. Racism, a significant stressor, occurs at structural, cultural, and interpersonal levels and contributes to health disparities for Black SS. Resilience, a dynamic process of positive adaptation to significant stress, is impacted by factors or resources both internal and external to the individual. This study aims to examine the effects of experiences of racism and resilience on Black SS QoL during early stroke recovery. This article presents the study protocol. Methods and analyses: This will be a prospective observational mixed-methods study. Black community-dwelling adults who are within 4 weeks of a stroke will be eligible for inclusion. Baseline measures will include the exposure variables of experiences of racism and resilience. Covariates measured at baseline include sociodemographic variables (age, sex, marital status, education, income, health insurance, employment status, number of people in household, residential address), clinical variables (date and type of stroke, inferred Modified Rankin Scale, anxiety and depression screening), and psychosocial variables (COVID-19 stress, perceived stress, mindfulness). The outcome variable (QoL) will be assessed 6-months post-stroke. Multiple-level linear regression models will be used to test the direct effects of experiences of racism, and the direct and indirect effects of resilience, on QoL. Qualitative data will be collected via focus groups and analyzed for themes of racism, resilience, and QoL. Discussion: Racism can compound the stress exerted by stroke on Black SS. This study will occur during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of calls for social justice for Black Americans. Experiences of racism will be measured with instruments for both "everyday" discrimination and vigilance. Sociodemographic variables will be operationalized to assess specific social determinants of health that intersect with structural racism. Because of the long-standing history of racism in the United States of America (USA), cultural influences and access to resources are central to the consideration of individual-level resilience in Black SS. Study results may inform the development of interventions to support Black SS QoL through enhanced resilience.

Resilience and associated psychological, social/cultural, behavioural, and biological factors in patients with cardiovascular disease: a systematic review.

AIMS: The aim of this systematic review of the literature is to synthesize the evidence regarding the associations between individual-level psychological, social/cultural, behavioral, and biological variables with resilience in patients with CVD. METHODS AND RESULTS: A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL was conducted from database inception through March 2020. Studies with a quantitative research design were eligible for inclusion if published in English and focused on resilience among adults with CVD. Of the 788 articles retrieved, 34 studies (35 articles) were included in the review. Twenty-three studies focused on psychological factors, with findings of inverse relationships between resilience and depression, anxiety, and stress. Evidence regarding associations between resilience and social/cultural or behavioral variables was scarce. Four of the 6 studies regarding biological factors found low stress resilience in young adulthood was associated with early diagnoses of stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION: Enhancing resilience may improve quality of life for CVD patients, but research is needed to further explore the complex relationships between resilience and associated variables. This research should prioritize under-represented groups (i.e. women and minority racial/ethnic groups), with the eventual goal of developing interventions to support resilience in CVD patients.

Caregiver Burden and Associated Factors Among Informal Caregivers of Stroke Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Informal caregiving of stroke survivors often begins with intensity compared with the linear caregiving trajectories in progressive conditions. Informal caregivers of stroke survivors are often inadequately prepared for their caregiving role, which can have detrimental effects on their well-being. A greater depth of understanding about caregiving burden is needed to identify caregivers in most need of intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine caregiver burden and associated factors among a cohort of informal caregivers of stroke survivors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 88 informal caregivers of stroke survivors was completed. Caregiver burden was determined with the Zarit Burden Interview, caregiver depressive symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and stroke survivor functional disability was assessed with the Barthel Index. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with caregiver burden. RESULTS: Forty-three informal caregivers (49%) reported minimal or no caregiver burden, 30 (34%) reported mild to moderate caregiver burden, and 15 (17%) reported moderate to severe caregiver burden. Stroke survivor functional disability was associated with informal caregiver burden (P = .0387). The odds of having mild to moderate caregiver burden were 3.7 times higher for informal caregivers of stroke survivors with moderate to severe functional disability than for caregivers of stroke survivors with no functional disability. The presence of caregiver depressive symptoms was highly correlated with caregiver burden (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Caregivers of stroke survivors with functional disabilities and caregivers experiencing depressive symptoms may have severer caregiver burden. Trials of interventions aimed at decreasing informal caregiver burden should consider the potential impact of stroke survivors' functional disability and the presence of depressive symptoms.

The Effects of Meditation, Race, and Anxiety on Stroke Survivor Resilience.

BACKGROUND: Significant gaps exist in the identification and management of psychological effects of stroke on survivors. Interventions to enhance resilience, the ability to rebound from stress or adversity, could positively impact stroke recovery. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of meditation on resilience of community-dwelling stroke survivors and to identify resilience predictor variables in these survivors. METHODS: This was a substudy with secondary analysis of existing data from the parent study, MEditatioN for post stroke Depression. The effect of meditation on stroke survivor resilience in the intervention group (n = 20) was evaluated with a paired samples t test, with measures at baseline and immediately after the 4-week intervention. Baseline resilience predictor variables for all stroke survivors (n = 35) were evaluated with univariable analysis and multiple linear regression modeling. RESULTS: The increase in stroke survivor resilience scores from baseline (mean [SD], 3.46 [0.81]) to intervention completion (mean [SD], 3.58 [1.02]) was not statistically significant (t = 0.60, df = 19, P = .56). One-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc analysis revealed that baseline resilience was significantly lower (P = .02) for non-Hispanic black participants than for non-Hispanic white participants. Multiple linear regression with resilience as the dependent variable, race as a fixed factor, and trait anxiety as a covariate was significant (F3,33 = 6.32, P = .002) and accounted for nearly 33% of the variance in baseline resilience. CONCLUSION: The effects of meditation on stroke survivor resilience should be tested in larger clinical trials that would explore the influence of social determinants of health, perceived stress, race-related stress, and anxiety subtypes on resilience.

Assessment of the Progression of Poststroke Depression in Ischemic Stroke Patients Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke depression (PSD) affects one-third of stroke patients and is linked with higher stroke morbidity, mortality, and recurrence. Current guidelines do not direct when to screen for PSD, and predictors of PSD are not well understood. We sought to understand progression of PSD symptoms early after ischemic stroke, identify predictors of PSD, and describe the use of antidepressants in PSD. METHODS: We collected demographic, clinical, and PSD (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) data from ischemic stroke patients hospitalized at our Comprehensive Stroke Center and followed up in our clinic. PHQ-9 was obtained during hospitalization and again in clinic within 180 days of discharge. We performed univariate analysis and logistic regression to detect variables associated with PSD. RESULTS: Among 201 patients, PSD symptoms (PHQ-9 > 4) were identified in 30% of patients during hospitalization and 46% during follow-up (54% of which had no symptoms during hospitalization). At follow-up, 36% were worse by PHQ-9 category. In univariate analysis, follow-up modified Rankin Scale (mRS) greater than or equal to 2 (P = .03) and antidepressant prescription (P < .001) were associated with worsening PHQ-9 category. In logistic regression analysis, follow-up mRS greater than or equal to 2 (P = .02), posterior circulation stroke (P = .03), and antidepressant prescription (P < .01) were associated with worsening PHQ-9 category. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of ischemic stroke patients develop PSD symptoms and more than one-third worsen between hospitalization and follow-up. Poststroke disability (mRS ≥ 2) and posterior circulation stroke were associated with worsening PSD. Worsening PSD symptoms prompted treatment change in 29% of patients. Screening for PSD during hospitalization should be repeated during early follow-up.

Mind-Body Interventions, Psychological Stressors, and Quality of Life in Stroke Survivors.

Background and Purpose- Psychological stressors, including poststroke depression, poststroke anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, are highly prevalent in stroke survivors. These symptoms exact a significant toll on stroke survivors. Clinical and research efforts in stroke recovery focus on motor disability, speech and language deficits, and cognitive dysfunction while largely neglecting psychological stressors. Evidence suggests mind-body interventions in other chronic illness populations decrease symptoms of depression, regulate immune responses, and promote resilience, yet similar studies are lacking in stroke populations. This review aims to synthesize evidence of the effects of mind-body interventions on psychological stressors, quality of life, and biological outcomes for stroke survivors. Methods- A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL was conducted from database inception to November 2017. Results- Eight studies were included in the review, with a total of 292 participants. Mind-body interventions included yoga or tai chi. Of the 5 included randomized controlled trials, most were pilot or feasibility studies with small sample sizes. Psychological stressors, including poststroke depression and anxiety, along with the quality of life, improved over time, but statistically significant between-group differences were largely absent. The 3 included studies with a qualitative design reported themes reflecting improvement in psychological stressors and quality of life. No included studies reported biological outcomes. Conclusions- Studies of mind-body interventions suggest a possible benefit on psychological stressors and quality of life; however, rigorously designed, sufficiently powered randomized controlled trials with mixed-methods design are warranted to delineate specific treatment effects of these interventions. Studies with both biological and psychological stressors as outcomes would provide evidence about interaction effects of these factors on stroke-survivor responses to mind-body interventions.

A pilot study of lay health worker outreach and colorectal cancer screening among Chinese Americans.

The research team recruited eight Chinese American (seven females, one male) lay health workers (LHWs). They received 12 h of training about colorectal cancer (CRC), its screening, and basic health education techniques. Each LHW were asked to recruit ten participants and conduct two educational sessions. Of the 81 participants recruited, 73 had not received colorectal cancer screening. Their mean age was 63.0 years, and 72.6% were women. Knowledge of colorectal cancer, its causes, and its screening increased significantly. Receipt of first colorectal cancer screening test increased from 0.0% at baseline to 55.7% for fecal occult blood tests, 7.1% for sigmoidoscopy, and 7.1% for colonoscopy. LHW outreach is feasible and may be effective in promoting CRC screening among Chinese Americans.

The outdoor air quality flag program in central California: a school-based educational intervention to potentially help reduce children's exposure to environmental asthma triggers.

This paper describes a novel school-based, visual environmental public health educational intervention intended to help reduce the exposure of children-and adults-to outdoor air pollution, including known environmental asthma triggers like ozone and particles. The overarching goal was to enhance the learning, recreational, and work environments of students and staff. The specific purpose of the Asthma-Friendly Outdoor (Ambient) Air Quality Flag Program was to establish an education and communication tool for Central California communities that would accomplish two things: (1) Establish permanent local policy change to existing operating procedures in school districts and schools to help reduce the exposure of students, teachers, staff, and nearby communities to outdoor environmental asthma triggers and (2) provide education on air quality and potential health effects of exposure to air pollutants. Data on the program from its initial years are presented. To date, the following important lessons have been learned: (1) Science-based, simple, visual, low-cost school-based educational interventions to help reduce human exposure to outdoor environmental asthma triggers (i.e., ozone, particles, and pollens) can work in socioeconomically and ethnically diverse urban and rural or agricultural communities, and (2) local health and environmental justice groups such as asthma coalitions can successfully lead school-based environmental interventions to help improve children's quality of life.

The Yes We Can Urban Asthma Partnership: a medical/social model for childhood asthma management.

Pediatric asthma programs have struggled to integrate children's medical and social needs. We developed and piloted an integrated team model for asthma care for low-income children through the Yes We Can Urban Asthma Partnership. Program evaluation demonstrated increases in prescribing controller medications (p <0.05), use of action plans (p<0.001), and the use of mattress covers (p<0.001); and decrease in asthma symptoms (p<0.01). Additional changes occurred within the local system of asthma care to support ongoing efforts to improve asthma management. We conclude that pediatric asthma programs can effectively target the social and medical needs of children in a sustainable manner.

CHWs get credit: a 10-year history of the first college-credit certificate for community health workers in the United States.

Community health workers have become increasingly important in the U.S. health care system, playing a significant role in basic health promotion and care coordination; however, their status and visibility have not kept pace with their wider use. A major impediment has been the absence of systematic preparation-the field needs standardized education in programs that emphasize the actual skills and knowledge used by community health workers, programs that attract and retain nontraditional students from underserved communities and that foster professional advancement. This article chronicles the 10-year history of the first college credit-bearing community health worker certificate program in the country to address this need. Systematic research resulted in a program centered on the core competencies universally practiced by community health workers regardless of their topical focus. The certificate program combines performance-based methods with popular education into an innovative pedagogical approach that teaches skills, while solidifying, contextualizing, and enhancing crucial experiential knowledge. Program outcomes validate the approach.

Illuminating the MPH health educator workforce: results and implications of an employer survey.

The public health workforce has been studied, but not health educators specifically. The development of a Master of Public Health (MPH) in community health education inspired research to illuminate the San Francisco MPH health educator labor market. A time-series survey of an employer panel was conducted between 1995 and 1999 regarding the number of MPH health educators on staff, hiring projections, and importance of selected competencies. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there were 4 MPH health educators per 100,000 persons in 1999. The majority worked in local health departments and community-based organizations. Although hiring was largely replacement in the late 1990s, employers anticipated an increase in hiring from 2000 to 2004. Employers reported that educational preparation was adequate, although preparation in specific competencies, such as bilingual competence, was lacking. These results suggest a favorable labor market for MPH health educators in the San Francisco Bay Area.