PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Ubolrat Piamjariyakul

Publications and source records attributed to Ubolrat Piamjariyakul.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Validity of the revised Impact on Family (IOF) scale.

OBJECTIVE: To assess psychometric properties of the revised 15-item Impact on Family (IOF) Scale. STUDY DESIGN: A secondary analysis of items using data collected from 252 parents during an earlier randomized clinical trial. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis identified a single factor with factor loadings similar to that of IOF developers. The one factor accounts for 45.7% of the sample variance. An Item Response Theory analysis found that 11 of the 15 items had alpha values greater than 1.00, with good to excellent item characteristic and item information curves. The test information and measurement error curves for the entire IOF were excellent. Construct validity of the IOF also was supported. Parent IOF scores correlated in the expected directions with maternal mood (r = -0.50), sibling behavior problems (r = -0.35), and severity of illness (r = 0.31) and were associated with family socioeconomic status (t = -4.5, all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides independent support for validity and reliability of the revised IOF scale. This scale is a promising, easy-to-use instrument for the measurement of impact of illness and disability on families of children with chronic illness or disability.

Adult↗

Technology dependence in home care: impact on patients and their family caregivers.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review is to explore how home technology care affects patients, family caregivers, and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify studies of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) and other technology prescribed home care. RESULTS: Technology dependence influences health-related QOL. Patients and their family caregivers must balance the positive aspects of being in the home environment with the challenges of administering complex therapies at home. Patients and caregivers need additional support to reduce the physical, emotional, social, and financial burdens they experience. CONCLUSIONS: More research is needed to address effective interventions to reduce patient and caregiver burdens and to improve outcomes for technology-dependent individuals. A greater level of preparedness for managing home technology and technology-related problems may improve quality of life.

Caregivers↗

Issues in nursing: strategies for an Internet-based, computer-assisted telephone survey.

The study describes the design and implementation of an Internet-based, computed-assisted telephone survey about the care-planning process in 107 long-term care facilities in the Midwest. Two structured telephone surveys were developed to interview the care planning coordinators and their team members. Questionmark Perception Software Version 3 was used to develop the surveys in a wide range of formats. The responses were drawn into a database that was exported to a spreadsheet format and converted to a statistical format by the Information Technology team. Security of the database was protected. Training sessions were provided to project staff. The interviews were tape-recorded for the quality checks. The inter-rater reliabilities were above 95% to 100% agreement. Investigators should consider using Internet-based survey tools, especially for multisite studies that allow access to larger samples at less cost. Exploring multiple software systems for the best fit to the study requirements is essential.

Computer Security↗

Cancer treatment, symptom monitoring, and self-care in adults: pilot study.

A descriptive study was conducted on self-reported symptoms and self-care by 37 adults receiving chemotherapy primarily for leukemia, lymphomas, or breast cancer or radiation therapy for head and neck or lung cancers. The Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist and demographic and interview forms on self-care for identified symptoms were used. Severe symptoms on the Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist subscales fatigue, eating, nausea, pain, numbness in fingers/toes, hair loss, and constipation were reported by patients on chemotherapy. Those on radiation therapy reported severe symptoms on the eating, fatigue, skin changes, oropharynx, and constipation subscales.Self-care strategies were in the following categories, using complementary medicine as framework: diet/nutrition/lifestyle change (eg, use of nutritional supplements; modifications of food and of eating habits; naps, sleep, and rest); mind/body control (eg, relaxation methods, prayer, music, attending granddaughter's sports events); biologic treatments (vitamins); herbal treatments (green mint tea); and ethnomedicine (lime juice and garlic). The first category was predominantly used by patients in both treatment types. Medications were prescribed also to help control symptoms (eg, pain and nausea). Symptom monitoring and self-care for symptoms identified may be facilitated by the Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist; based on reported symptom severity, care providers may prioritize interventions. A larger study needs to be done on (a) the use of the Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist as a clinical tool to assess symptoms that oncology patients experience during therapy; (b) whether care providers, based on patient-reported symptom severity, can prioritize interventions--and how this influences the efficiency of care; (c) the self-care strategies used by patients on chemotherapy or radiation therapy or both; and (d) how useful these strategies are in alleviating symptoms.

Adult↗