Background In the United States, most lung cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, limiting treatment options and impacting survival. This study presents patients’ perspectives on the complexity of factors influencing a lung cancer diagnosis. Lung cancer awareness regarding risks, symptoms, smoking behaviors, family history, and environmental factors can lead to preventative and early detection measures. Objective The aim of this study was to explore lung cancer patient perspectives on lung cancer awareness within the context of an earlier study to understand sleep-wake disturbances in adults with non–small cell lung cancer. Methods A content analysis was used to analyze the original deidentified longitudinal interview data collected from 26 patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Results Of the original 26 participants, 16 were included in this secondary data analysis. The participants were primarily females (n = 10) and Whites (n = 13), with ages ranging between 49 and 83 years. Half of the sample was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and most of the sample was on chemotherapy (n = 10). Two key themes were identified: the lung cancer discovery and the patient-physician relationship. Conclusions Unspecific initial symptoms, lack of knowledge and screening, as well as fear of the diagnosis delayed seeking medical care. Patient-physician relationships were hindered by smoking-associated stigma, inadequate sharing of information, and lack of coordinated, holistic care. Positive communication strategies are critical between patients and providers to meet patients’ specific needs. Implications for Practice Educational interventions that enhance lung cancer awareness may improve prevention and screening actions, improve timely healthcare intervention, and reduce incidence and mortality.
Objective: To describe the changes in sleep health domains and examine the associations between the repeated measures and intraindividual variability (IIV) of these domains and perceived stress. Participants: A diverse racial and ethnic group of first-year college students (N = 23, 78.3% female, aged 17–18) attending in-person classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Sleep health domains were determined using 7-day wrist actigraph and daily sleep diaries, and perceived stress scale was completed at 1-month intervals across 3 months. Results: Sleep timing, regularity, and alertness during daytime demonstrated statistically significant changes between three timepoints. Greater stress was associated with more irregularity (B = 2.25 [.87–3.62], p < .001), more dissatisfaction in sleep (B = .04 [.02–.19], p < .01), alertness during daytime (B = .18 [.05–.31], p < .001), and greater IIV (ie, fluctuations) in sleep satisfaction (B = .083 [.02, .15], p < .01). Conclusion: These findings offer insights for future researchers to facilitate intervention development to promote mental and sleep health among college students.
Background: Poor sleep is an unrecognized problem among cancer survivors that affects quality of life. However, screening for sleep disorders is not routine in cancer care. To fill this gap, a self-paced online training program was designed for RNs to screen patients for sleep disturbance and provide brief intervention or referral for treatment (Sleep-SBIRT). Method: A three-phase evaluation pilot study included the following steps: (a) develop an online training program with in situ simulation; (b) implement the program with RNs at a comprehensive cancer center; and (c) evaluate module and quiz completion rates and focus group thematic analysis. Results: Of the 22 RNs participating, 17 completed online modules and in situ simulation. The RNs were satisfied ( M = 4.74/5, SD = 0.42) and self-confident ( M = 4.45/5, SD = 0.45) with the learning. Focus group themes were learning new knowledge, learning online effectively, applying learning to in situ simulation, and intending to implement. Conclusion: The RNs gained knowledge applying Sleep-SBIRT, but future larger studies are warranted. [ J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(8):387–392.]
found that years with regional conditions predicted by continued climate change showed a loss of diversity in both microclimate and phenological events, with a more rapid advancement in bud break occurring at higher elevation sites.
Background: While telemedicine may increase health care access for vulnerable populations, data are limited on whether people with opioid use disorder (PWOUD) are satisfied with telemedicine. We assessed PWOUD satisfaction with telemedicine and identified factors that increase telemedicine satisfaction. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected persons enrolled at 12 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) throughout New York State. Participants successfully completed HCV treatment either through telemedicine integrated into OTPs (N = 238) or through offsite referral (N = 106). We evaluated Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) response scores at the initial and final health care encounters and subsequently interviewed telemedicine study participants (N = 25) to assess their experiences with telemedicine. Results: All participants (N = 344) successfully completed HCV treatment. We observed no differences in PSQ scores between telemedicine and in-person encounters (98.3% and 98.7% of telemedicine participants provided PSQ scores of satisfied or highly satisfied at each timepoint, respectively). Study participants indicated that attributes associated with high telemedicine encounter satisfaction included: (1) communicating study information, (2) gaining trust, and (3) delivering patient-centered care. Participants weighted "General Satisfaction" and "Time Spent with Doctor" higher than "Accessibility and Convenience," and female participants were significantly more satisfied than males. Satisfaction with health care delivery among all participants increased significantly comparing timepoints. Conclusions: Participants were highly satisfied with HCV telemedicine encounters equivalent to in-person encounters. Communication augments trust facilitating delivery of patient-centered care through telemedicine. Participants value empathy and trust with providers over accessibility and convenience. In summary, PWOUD are highly satisfied with the facilitated telemedicine model and value empathetic and trusting providers. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02933970.
Abstract Introduction Sleep-wake state discrepancy is a common phenomenon identified among people with insomnia where greater sleep difficulties are self-reported in comparison with estimates obtained from objective assessment. This study provides the investigation into the sleep-wake state discrepancy and correlation between sleep diary (subjective) and actigraphy-derived (objective) sleep measures. Methods Participants included 136 cancer survivors with insomnia symptoms (M age = 63.8 ± 10.0; 55.9% female; 87.5% White) from baseline data in an ongoing clinical trial. Demographics, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), 7-consecutive days of sleep diary and actigraphy data were obtained. Sleep measures included time in bed (TIB), total sleep time (TST), sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency (SE%). Mean bias was defined as the discrepancy between sleep diary and actigraphy-derived sleep measures. The agreement between sleep diary and actigraphy-derived sleep measures were graphically assessed using the Bland-Altman plot. Using the mixed linear model approach, the estimated bias and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were computed. Further, the Pearson correlation coefficient and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), computed via maximum likelihood methods, were obtained. Results Self-reported TST and SE were shorter than derived by actigraphy (TST: 6.8 min. [95%CI: -18.7, 5.13]; and SE%: 0.7% [95%CI: -3.0, 2.0], respectively). Self-reported TIB, SOL, and WASO were longer than derived by actigraphy (TIB: 8.6 min. [95%CI: 3.7, 13.5]; SOL: 14.8 min. [95%CI: 9.4, 20.2]; and WASO: 20.7 min. [95%CI: 9.4, 20.2], respectively). Moderate to high agreement and correlation were found between the sleep diary and actigraphy-derived TIB (CCC=0.78; r=0.73) and TST (CCC=0.58; r=0.51). In contrast, SOL (CCC=0.48; r=0.35), WASO (CCC=0.36; r=0.18), and SE% (CCC=0.39; r=0.22) showed only fair or poor agreement and correlation. Calculated Bland-Altman LOA between sleep diary and actigraphy derived measures were as follows: TIB (95%LOA: -121.5, 138.7), TST (95%LOA: -197.9, 184.3), SOL (95%LOA: -82.5, 112.1), WASO (95%LOA: -123.5, 164.8), and SE% (95%LOA: -0.37, 0.36). Conclusion Among a heterogeneous sample of cancer survivors with insomnia symptoms, average self-reported sleep duration and efficiency were shorter and self-reported TIB, SOL, and WASO were longer than objectively measured sleep measures. Agreement between two methods varied across different measures. Support (if any) NIH/NINR R01NR018215 (Dean), ClinicalTrials-NCT03810365
Background and Introduction: Virtual integration of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection management within the opioid treatment program (OTP) through telemedicine may overcome limited treatment uptake encountered when patients are referred offsite. To evaluate the diffusion of telemedicine within the OTP, we conducted a pilot study to assess acceptance of and satisfaction with telemedicine among 45 HCV-infected opioid use disorder (OUD) patients on methadone.Materials and Methods: We administered a modified 11-item telemedicine satisfaction questionnaire after the initial HCV telemedicine evaluation, when initiating HCV treatment, and 3 months post-HCV treatment completion. Among a patient subset, a semistructured interview further assessed issues of participant referral to the telemedicine program as well as convenience and confidentiality with the telemedicine encounters.Results: Patients demonstrated their acceptance of telemedicine-based encounters by referral of additional participants. They highlighted the convenience of on-site treatment with a liver specialist through recognition of the benefit of "one-stop shopping." They also expressed confidence in the privacy and confidentiality of telemedicine encounters.Discussion: In this pilot study, telemedicine appears to be well accepted as a modality for HCV management among OUD patients on methadone. Virtual integration of medical and behavioral therapy through telemedicine warrants further investigation for its use in this population.Conclusions: In this pilot study, we found that a largely racial minority population of substance users grew to accept telemedicine over time with diminished privacy and confidentiality concerns. Telemedicine was well accepted within the OTP community as reflected by participant referral to the program.
Abstract Tool use, the manipulation of one object to change the state of another, is found in <1% of animal taxa and most often observed in captivity. Here, we report the observation of tentative tool use in a wild striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ), captured by a trail camera in the front yard of a hobby naturalist who shared the photographs on social media. The skunk is shown manipulating a rock in a manner that strongly suggests the goal of breaking the frozen surface of a water bowl to drink. Skunks join other carnivores that innovated tool use and proto‐tool use in the context of extractive foraging. Their versatile dexterity and manipulative foraging, likely facilitated by their large relative brain size, provide the ideal context for the innovation of novel foraging techniques. We therefore hypothesize that tool use will be observed in other members of the skunk family (Mephitidae), particularly as the broad availability of trail cameras, and the rapid dissemination of interesting observations via social media will increase the discovery rate of rare natural history phenomena. We encourage our colleagues to strengthen this pipeline to discovery, which reverses the information flow of community science projects, to bring amateur and professional naturalists closer together.
