Barriers and facilitators of effective self-management in asthma: systematic review and thematic synthesis of patient and healthcare professional views

Self-management is an established, effective approach to controlling asthma, recommended in guidelines. However, promotion, uptake and use among patients and health-care professionals remain low. Many barriers and facilitators to effective self-management have 25 been reported, and views and beliefs of patients and health care professionals have been explored in qualitative studies. We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research into self-management in patients, carers and health care professionals regarding self-management of asthma, to identify perceived barriers and facilitators associated with reduced effectiveness of asthma self-management interventions. Electronic databases and guidelines were searched systematically for qualitative literature that explored factors relevant to facilitators and barriers to uptake, adherence, or outcomes of self-management in patients with asthma. Thematic synthesis of the 56 included studies identified 11 themes: 1) partnership between patient and health care professional; 2) issues around medication; 3) education about asthma and its management; 4) health beliefs; 5) self-management interventions; 6) co-morbidities 7) mood disorders and anxiety; 8) social support; 9) non-pharmacological methods; 10) access to healthcare; 11) professional factors. From this, perceived barriers and facilitators were identified at the level of individuals with asthma (and carers), and health-care professionals. Future work addressing the concerns and beliefs of adults, adolescents and children (and carers) with asthma, effective communication and partnership, tailored support and education (including for ethnic minorities and at risk groups), and telehealthcare may improve how self-management is recommended by professionals and used by patients. Ultimately, this may achieve better outcomes for people with asthma

Impact of sleep and dialysis mode on quality of life in a Mexican population

Background: Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) is reduced with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) but little is known about the impact of sleep disorders, dialysis modality and demographic factors on HR-QOL of Mexican patients with ESRD. Methods: 121 adults with ESRD were enrolled from 4 dialysis units in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, stratified by unit and dialysis modality (hemodialysis [HD], continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis [CAPD] and automated peritoneal dialysis [APD]). Analysis included clinical information and data from the Sleep Heart Health Study Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) short form (SF-36) HR-QOL measure and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results: Overall, sleep symptoms and disorders were common (e.g., 37.2% insomnia). SF-36 scores were worse versus US and Mexican norms. HD patients reported better, while CAPD patients poorer HR-QOL for Vitality. With multivariate modelling dialysis modality, sleep disorders as a group and lower income were significantly associated with poorer overall SF-36 and mental health HR-QOL. Overall and Mental Composite Summary models showed HR-QOL was significantly better for both APD and HD with small to moderate effect sizes. Cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated an advantage for APD. Conclusions: Mexican ESRD patients have reduced HR-QOL, and sleep disorders may be an important driver of this finding. APD should be the preferred mode of dialysis in Mexico

Nurse-led interventions in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a systematic review

Abstract Background Nurses play an important role in the management of patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Little is known about the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions on patient-reported outcomes in this population. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the evidence of nurse-led interventions in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Methods Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and Embase for studies published from database inception to September 2022. Studies were included if they were published in a peer-reviewed journal in English and evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention using a randomized controlled trial design in adults with a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease. Screening, full-text review, and quality appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. Results A total of 162 articles were identified for possible inclusion, of which five studies were included. Four of five studies (80%) were conducted in systemic lupus erythematosus. There was significant variability in the types of nurse-led interventions; the majority included educational sessions and follow up counseling by a nurse (n = 4). The most common patient-reported outcomes were health-related quality of life (n = 3), fatigue (n = 3), mental health (including anxiety and depression) (n = 2), and self-efficacy (n = 2). The duration of the interventions varied from 12 weeks to 6 months. All studies included a nurse with specialized training and education and showed significant improvements in their primary outcomes. The majority of the studies (60%) were considered high methodological quality. Conclusion This systematic review provides emerging evidence for the use of nurse-led interventions in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Our findings emphasize the important role of nurses in providing nonpharmacological strategies to help patients better manage their disease and improve health outcomes