Adolescent, caregiver, and friend preferences for integrating social support and communication features into an asthma self-management app

This study examines: 1) adolescent preferences for using asthma self-management mobile applications (apps) to interact with their friends, caregivers, medical providers, and other adolescents with asthma and 2) how caregivers and friends would use mobile apps to communicate with the adolescent and serve as sources of support for asthma management

Exploring youth and caregiver preferences for asthma education video content

This study examines: 1) whether youth and their caregivers have different preferences for asthma education video topics and 2) if education topic preferences vary by youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics

The relationship between partner information-seeking, information-sharing, and patient medication adherence

We describe the medication information-seeking behaviors of arthritis patients’ partners and explore whether partner medication information-seeking and information-sharing are associated with patient medication adherence

Conflicting health information: a critical research need.

Conflicting health information is increasing in amount and visibility, as evidenced most recently by the controversy surrounding the risks and benefits of childhood vaccinations. The mechanisms through which conflicting information affects individuals are poorly understood; thus, we are unprepared to help people process conflicting information when making important health decisions. In this viewpoint article, we describe this problem, summarize insights from the existing literature on the prevalence and effects of conflicting health information, and identify important knowledge gaps. We propose a working definition of conflicting health information and describe a conceptual typology to guide future research in this area. The typology classifies conflicting information according to four fundamental dimensions: the substantive issue under conflict, the number of conflicting sources (multiplicity), the degree of evidence heterogeneity and the degree of temporal inconsistency

Medication-related self-management behaviors among arthritis patients: does attentional coping style matter?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the attentional coping styles (monitoring and blunting) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients and: (a) receipt of medication information; (b) receipt of conflicting medication information; (c) ambiguity aversion; (d) medication-related discussions with doctors and spouse/partners; and (e) medication adherence. METHOD: A sample of 328 adults with a self-reported diagnosis of arthritis (RA n=159; OA n=149) completed an Internet-based survey. Coping style was assessed using the validated short version of the Miller Behavioral Style Scale. Measures related to aspects of medication information receipt and discussion and validated measures of ambiguity aversion and medication adherence (Vasculitis Self-Management Survey) were collected. Pearson correlation coefficients, ANOVA, independent samples t-tests and multiple regression models were used to assess associations between coping style and the other variables of interest. RESULTS: Arthritis patients in our sample were more likely to be high monitors (50%) than high blunters (36%). Among RA patients, increased information-receipt was significantly associated with decreased monitoring (b = -1.06, p = .001). Among OA patients, increased information-receipt was significantly associated with increased blunting (b = .60, p = .02). CONCLUSION: In our sample of patients with arthritis, attentional coping style is not in accordance with the characteristic patterns outlined in the acute and chronic disease coping literature

Adolescent, caregiver, and friend preferences for integrating social support and communication features into an asthma self-management app

OBJECTIVES: This study examines: 1) adolescent preferences for using asthma self-management mobile applications (apps) to interact with their friends, caregivers, medical providers, and other adolescents with asthma and 2) how caregivers and friends would use mobile apps to communicate with the adolescent and serve as sources of support for asthma management. METHODS: We recruited 20 adolescents aged 12–16 years with persistent asthma, their caregivers (n=20), and friends (n=3) from two suburban pediatric practices in North Carolina. We gave participants iPods with two preloaded asthma apps and asked them to use the apps for 1-week. Adolescents and caregivers provided app feedback during a semi-structured interview at a regularly-scheduled clinic appointment and during a telephone interview one week later. Friends completed one telephone interview. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive, theory-driven analysis was used to identify themes and preferences. RESULTS: Adolescents preferred to use apps for instrumental support from caregivers, informational support from friends, and belonging and informational support from others with asthma. The majority of adolescents believed apps could enhance communication with their caregivers and medical providers, and the theme of self-reliance emerged in which caregivers and adolescents believed apps could enable adolescents to better self-manage their asthma. Friends preferred to use apps to provide instrumental and informational support. CONCLUSIONS: Given preferences expressed in this study, apps may help adolescents obtain social support to better self-manage their asthma. Future app-based interventions should include features enabling adolescents with asthma to communicate and interact with their caregivers, medical providers, and friends

Associations Between Patient Characteristics and the Amount of Arthritis Medication Information Patients Receive

Little is known about factors associated with receipt of medication information among arthritis patients. This study explores information source receipt and associations between demographic and clinical/patient characteristics and the amount of arthritis medication information patients receive. Adult patients with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid (RA) arthritis (n = 328) completed an online cross-sectional survey. Patients reported demographic and clinical/patient characteristics and the amount of arthritis medication information received from 15 information sources. Bivariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to investigate whether those characteristics were associated with the amount of medication information patients received. Arthritis patients received the most information from health professionals followed by printed materials, media sources, and interpersonal sources. Greater receipt of information was associated with greater medication adherence, taking more medications, greater medication-taking concerns, more satisfaction with doctor medication-related support, and Black compared to White race. RA patients reported receiving more information compared to OA patients, and differences were found between RA patients and OA patients in characteristics associated with more information receipt. In conclusion, arthritis patients received the most medication information from professional sources, and both positive (e.g., greater satisfaction with doctor support) and negative (e.g., more medication taking concerns) characteristics were associated with receiving more medication information

Exploring youth and caregiver preferences for asthma education video content

OBJECTIVE: This study examines: 1) whether youth and their caregivers have different preferences for asthma education video topics and 2) if education topic preferences vary by youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: Youth (n=83) ages 7–17 years with persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at two pediatric practices in North Carolina. Sociodemographic information and youth and caregiver preferences for 9 asthma video education topics were collected during in-person interviews. Bonferroni-corrected chi-square or McNemar tests (α=0.0056) were used to compare youth and caregivers differences in topic preferences and topic preferences by youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics, including gender, race, ethnicity, and age. RESULTS: Youth were primarily male (52%) and from low-income families (74%; caregiver annual income less than $30,000) and many were Hispanic (45%). Youth and parents expressed the most interest in the following two topics: “how to deal with triggers” (90% and 95%, respectively) and “how to keep asthma under control” (87% and 96%, respectively). Caregivers and children were discordant for two topics: “the difference between a rescue and controller medicine” and “how to [help your child] talk to your [his/her] friends about asthma.” No differences were found between youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics and video topic preferences. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with persistent asthma and their caregivers differed in their asthma education topic preferences, but preferences did not vary by caregiver or youth sociodemographic characteristics. Studies examining the effectiveness of interventions tailored to differences in educational preferences of youth with asthma and their caregivers are needed

The relationship between partner information-seeking, information-sharing, and patient medication adherence

OBJECTIVES: We describe the medication information-seeking behaviors of arthritis patients’ partners and explore whether partner medication information-seeking and information-sharing are associated with patient medication adherence. METHODS: Arthritis patients and their partners (n=87 dyads) completed an on-line questionnaire. Partners indicated how often they obtained medication information from 14 sources, how much they trusted these sources, and whether they shared medication information with the patient. Patients reported their medication adherence. Bivariate associations were calculated to explore the relationships between partner information-seeking, information-sharing, and patient medication adherence. RESULTS: Partners sought little information about the patient's medications. Partners sought more information if the patient's medication regimen was more complex (r=0.33, p= 0.002). Most partners (~98%) shared medication information with the patient; older partners shared more information with the patient (r=0.25, p=0.03). Neither partner information-seeking (r=0.21, p=0.06) nor partner information-sharing (r=0.12, p=0.31) were significantly associated with patient medication adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Although partners of arthritis patients do not seek large amounts of medication information, the vast majority share this information with the patient. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Involving partners in medical consultations can help them better understand the patient's medications, have questions answered by providers, and engage in more informed discussions with patients about their medications