On The Anisotropy Of Perceived Ground Extents And The Interpretation Of Walked Distance As A Measure Of Perception

Two experiments are reported concerning the perception of ground extent to discover whether prior reports of anisotropy between frontal extents and extents in depth were consistent across different measures (visual matching and pantomime walking) and test environments (outdoor environments and virtual environments). In Experiment 1 it was found that depth extents of up to 7 m are indeed perceptually compressed relative to frontal extents in an outdoor environment, and that perceptual matching provided more precise estimates than did pantomime walking. In Experiment 2, similar anisotropies were found using similar tasks in a similar (but virtual) environment. In both experiments pantomime walking measures seemed to additionally compress the range of responses. Experiment 3 supported the hypothesis that range compression in walking measures of perceived distance might be due to proactive interference (memory contamination). It is concluded that walking measures are calibrated for perceived egocentric distance, but that pantomime walking measures may suffer range compression. Depth extents along the ground are perceptually compressed relative to frontal ground extents in a manner consistent with the angular scale expansion hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract

The Social Psychology Of Perception Experiments: Hills, Backpacks, Glucose, And The Problem Of Generalizability

Experiments take place in a physical environment but also a social environment. Generalizability from experimental manipulations to more typical contexts may be limited by violations of ecological validity with respect to either the physical or the social environment. A replication and extension of a recent study (a blood glucose manipulation) was conducted to investigate the effects of experimental demand (a social artifact) on participant behaviors judging the geographical slant of a large-scale outdoor hill. Three different assessments of experimental demand indicate that even when the physical environment is naturalistic, and the goal of the main experimental manipulation was primarily concealed, artificial aspects of the social environment (such as an explicit requirement to wear a heavy backpack while estimating the slant of a hill) may still be primarily responsible for altered judgments of hill orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract

Patient perceptions of virtual reality for pain relief in labor: A qualitative study

IntroductionLabor represents the most common reason for hospitalization, and most patients will use some form of pain management during their labor. While some studies have suggested that virtual reality (VR) may be an effective option for managing pain, more study is necessary to understand the patient experience of VR. The aim of this study is to characterize the effect of VR on patient perceptions of coping in labor and their descriptions of the VR experience.MethodologyA nested prospective, descriptive study within a randomized controlled trial of VR in laboring patients. We included nulliparous, term patients, having contractions at least every 5 min, a pain score on the Wong-Baker pain scale of 4–7, and who had been randomized to receive the 30 min virtual reality intervention in the trial. Subjects completed a childbirth self-efficacy inventory prior to the intervention. After the intervention, they completed a modified childbirth self-efficacy inventory related to VR and underwent a structured interview. Self-efficacy scores were compared using t-tests and qualitative, thematic analysis was performed using Dedoose.ResultsTwenty-one subjects received the VR intervention. Twenty subjects completed the post-intervention survey and structured interview; one declined due to discomfort. Subjects noted a significant increase in perceived degree to which VR could improve their self-efficacy in managing pain during labor. Thematic analysis revealed that subjects described the VR experience as allowing them to connect with their breathing, feeling more relaxed, and being distracted from pain. In total, 70% believed VR reduced their pain, 60% felt it reduced their anxiety, and 100% would recommend VR availability for laboring patients.ConclusionVR can improve patient self-efficacy for managing pain in labor. Future studies should focus on the content of the visualizations, optimized user experience and design, and effectiveness with ongoing exposure to VR content in labor

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Proton Pump Inhibitor-Refractory Symptoms

Background & aimsThere are few data on the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the United States. We performed a population-based study to determine the prevalence of GERD symptoms and persistent GERD symptoms despite use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).MethodsWe conducted the National Gastrointestinal Survey in 2015 using MyGiHealth, an app that guides participants through National Institutes of Health gastrointestinal Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System surveys. Primary outcomes were prevalence of GERD symptoms in the past and persistence of GERD symptoms (heartburn or regurgitation 2 or more days in past week) among participants taking PPIs. Population weights were applied to the data and multivariable regression was used to adjust for confounding.ResultsAmong 71,812 participants, 32,878 (44.1%) reported having had GERD symptoms in the past and 23,039 (30.9%) reported having GERD symptoms in the past week. We also found that 35.1% of those who had experienced GERD symptoms were currently on therapy (55.2% on PPIs, 24.3% on histamine-2 receptor blockers, and 24.4% on antacids). Among 3229 participants taking daily PPIs, 54.1% had persistent GERD symptoms. Younger individuals, women, Latino individuals, and participants with irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease were more likely to have continued symptoms, even when taking PPIs.ConclusionsUsing a population-based survey, we found GERD symptoms to be common: 2 of 5 participants have had GERD symptoms in the past and 1 of 3 had symptoms in the past week. We also found that half of PPI users have persistent symptoms. Given the significant effect of GERD on quality of life, further research and development of new therapies are needed for patients with PPI-refractory GERD symptoms

Documenting Mortality in Crises: What Keeps Us from Doing Better

Francesco Checchi and Les Roberts discuss how mortality among crisis-affected populations is currently documented, barriers to better documentation, and how these barriers might be overcome

Construct Validity of the Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Gastrointestinal Symptom Scales in Systemic Sclerosis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/109333/1/acr22337.pd

Examining Treatment Decision-Making Among Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis: Insights From a Conjoint Analysis Survey

OBJECTIVE: The number of therapies for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is increasing. Thus, it has become more challenging for patients and physicians to navigate the risk-benefit profiles of the various treatment options. In this study, we used conjoint analysis-a form of trade-off analysis that elucidates how people make complex decisions by balancing competing factors-to examine patient decision-making surrounding medication options for axSpA. METHODS: We conducted an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis survey for patients with axSpA to assess the relative importance of medication attributes (eg, chance of symptom improvement, risk of side effects, route of administration, etc) in their decision-making. We also performed logistic regression to explore whether patient demographics and disease characteristics predicted decision-making. RESULTS: Overall, 397 patients with axSpA completed the conjoint analysis survey. Patients prioritized medication efficacy (importance score 26.8%), cost (26.3%), and route of administration (13.9%) as most important in their decision-making. These were followed by risk of lymphoma (9.5%), dosing frequency (7.2%), risk of serious infection (6.0%), tolerability of side effects (5.3%), and clinic visit and laboratory test frequency (4.8%). In regression analyses, there were few significant associations between patients\u27 treatment preferences and sociodemographic and axSpA characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment decision-making in axSpA is highly individualized, and demographics and baseline disease characteristics are poor predictors of individual preferences. This calls for the development of online shared decision-making tools for patients and providers, with the goal of selecting a treatment that is consistent with patients\u27 preferences

Patients’ Perspectives, Experiences, and Concerns With Perianal Fistulae:Insights From Online Targeted-Disease Forums

Background: Perianal fistulae can undermine physical, emotional, and social well-being in patients with Crohn’s disease and are challenging to manage. Social media offers a rich opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of perianal fistulae on patients’ daily lives outside of controlled environments. In this study, we conducted social media analytics to examine patients’ experiences with perianal fistulae and assessed the impact of perianal fistulae on patients’ behavior and overall well-being. Methods: We used a mixed-method approach to examine 119 986 publicly available posts collected from 10 Crohn’s disease forums in the United States between January 01, 2010 and January 01, 2020. Discussions related to Crohn’s perianal fistulae were retrieved. We randomly selected 700 posts and qualitatively analyzed them using an inductive thematic approach. We then applied a latent Dirichlet allocation probabilistic topic model to explore themes in an unsupervised manner on the collection of 119 986 posts. Results: In the qualitative analysis, 5 major themes were identified: (1) burden of perianal fistula; (2) challenges associated with treatment; (3) online information seeking and sharing; (4) patient experiences with treatments; and (5) patients’ apprehension about treatments. In the quantitative analysis, the percentages of posts related to the major themes were (1) 20%, (2) 29%, (3) 66%, and (4) 28%, while the topic model did not identify theme 5. Conclusions: Social media reveals a dynamic range of themes governing patients’ perspectives and experiences with Crohn’s perianal fistulae. In addition to the biopsychosocial burden, patients frequently express dissatisfaction with current treatments and often struggle to navigate among available management options.</p

Psychometric Evaluation of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Randomized Controlled Trials: A Rome Foundation Report

There is debate about how best to measure patient reported outcomes (PROs) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We pooled data from clinical trials to measure the psychometric properties of IBS endpoints, including binary responses (e.g. “adequate relief”) and 50% improvement in symptom severity