Is there a nonadherent subtype of hypertensive patient? A latent class analysis approach

To determine subtypes of adherence, 636 hypertensive patients (48% White, 34% male) reported adherence to medications, diet, exercise, smoking, and home blood pressure monitoring. A latent class analysis approach was used to identify subgroups that adhere to these five self-management behaviors. Fit statistics suggested two latent classes. The first class (labeled “more adherent”) included patients with greater probability of adhering to recommendations compared with the second class (labeled “less adherent”) with regard to nonsmoking (97.7% versus 76.3%), medications (75.5% versus 49.5%), diet (70.7% versus 46.9%), exercise (63.4% versus 27.2%), and blood pressure monitoring (32% versus 3.4%). Logistic regression analyses used to characterize the two classes showed that “more adherent” participants were more likely to report full-time employment, adequate income, and better emotional and physical well-being. Results suggest the presence of a less adherent subtype of hypertensive patients. Behavioral interventions designed to improve adherence might best target these at-risk patients for greater treatment efficiency

Brief psychotherapy for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Because evidence-based psychotherapies of 12 to 20 sessions can be perceived as too lengthy and time intensive for the treatment of depression in primary care, a number of studies have examined abbreviated psychotherapy protocols. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of brief psychotherapy (i.e., < 8 sessions) for depression. Methods: We used combined literature searches in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and an Internet-accessible database of clinical trials of psychotherapy to conduct two systematic searches: one for existing systematic reviews and another for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Included studies examined evidence-based psychotherapy(s) of eight or fewer sessions, focused on adults with depression, contained an acceptable control condition, were published in English, and used validated measures of depressive symptoms. Results: We retained 2 systematic reviews and 15 RCTs evaluating cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-solving therapy, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The systematic reviews found brief psychotherapies to be more efficacious than control, with effect sizes ranging from −0.33 to −0.25. Our meta-analysis found six to eight sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy to be more efficacious than control (ES −0.42, 95% CI −0.74 to −0.10, I2 = 56%). A sensitivity analysis controlled for statistical heterogeneity but showed smaller treatment effects (ES −0.24, 95% CI −0.42 to −0.06, I2 = 0%). Conclusions: Depression can be efficaciously treated with six to eight sessions of psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy and problem-solving therapy. Access to non-pharmacologic treatments for depression could be improved by training healthcare providers to deliver brief psychotherapies

Coping styles in heart failure patients with depressive symptoms

Elevated depressive symptoms have been linked to poorer prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Our objective was to identify coping styles associated with depressive symptoms in HF patients

Racial differences in hypertension knowledge: effects of differential item functioning.

Health-related knowledge is an important component in the self-management of chronic illnesses. The objective of this study was to more accurately assess racial differences in hypertension knowledge by using a latent variable modeling approach that controlled for sociodemographic factors and accounted for measurement issues in the assessment of hypertension knowledge. Cross-sectional data from 1,177 participants (45% African American; 35% female) were analyzed using a multiple indicator multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling approach. Available sociodemographic data included race, education, sex, financial status, and age. All participants completed six items on a hypertension knowledge questionnaire. Overall, the final model suggested that females, Whites, and patients with at least a high school diploma had higher latent knowledge scores than males, African Americans, and patients with less than a high school diploma, respectively. The model also detected differential item functioning (DIF) based on race for two of the items. Specifically, the error rate for African Americans was lower than would be expected given the lower level of latent knowledge on the items, on the questions related to: (a) the association between high blood pressure and kidney disease, and (b) the increased risk African Americans have for developing hypertension. Not accounting for DIF resulted in the difference between Whites and African Americans to be underestimated. These results are discussed in the context of the need for careful measurement of health-related constructs, and how measurement-related issues can result in an inaccurate estimation of racial differences in hypertension knowledge

Understanding communal coping among patients and informal caregivers with heart failure: A mixed methods secondary analysis of patient-caregiver dyads

BackgroundDyads that view illnesses as shared stressors ("shared appraisal"), and collaboratively respond to it, have better outcomes. This process, known as communal coping, has received little attention in heart failure (HF).ObjectivesTo examine communal coping among patient-caregiver dyads managing HF.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with 34 dyads. Shared appraisal was measured using we-ratio, as calculated with Linguistic Inquiry Word Count. We-ratio was divided into "high" and "low" for patients and caregivers, and concordance was examined. Thematic analyses were used to explore collaboration.ResultsCaregivers had higher we-ratios than patients (p=.005); 29.6% and 33.3% dyads were concordant on high and low "we-ratio," respectively. In thematic analyses, we found that 1) dyads collaborated around diet, appointments, and medications, but less around physical activity; 2) dyads collaborated across all illnesses, not just HF; and 3) dyads concordant on high we-ratio reported stronger collaborations.ConclusionsCommunal coping varied by shared appraisal and collaboration. Understanding this variability may help develop tailored self-management interventions

A couples’ based self-management program for heart failure: Results of a feasibility study

Background: Heart failure (HF) is associated with frequent exacerbations and shortened lifespan. Informal caregivers such as significant others often support self-management in patients with HF. However, existing programs that aim to enhance self-management seldom engage informal caregivers or provide tools that can help alleviate caregiver burden or improve collaboration between patients and their informal caregivers. Objective: To develop and pilot test a program targeting the needs of self-management support among HF patients as well as their significant others. Methods: We developed the Dyadic Health Behavior Change model and conducted semi-structured interviews to determine barriers to self-management from various perspectives. Participants’ feedback was used to develop a family-centered self-management program called SUCCEED: Self-management Using Couples’ Coping EnhancEment in Diseases. The goals of this program are to improve HF self-management, quality of life, communication within couples, relationship quality, and stress and caregiver burden. We conducted a pilot study with 17 Veterans with HF and their significant others to determine acceptability of the program. We piloted psychosocial surveys at baseline and after participants’ program completion to evaluate change in depressive symptoms, caregiver burden, self-management of HF, communication, quality of relationship, relationship mutuality, and quality of life. Results: Of the 17 couples, 14 completed at least 1 SUCCEED session. Results showed high acceptability for each of SUCCEED’s sessions. At baseline, patients reported poor quality of life, clinically significant depressive symptoms, and inadequate self-management of HF. After participating in SUCCEED, patients showed improvements in self-management of HF, communication, and relationship quality, while caregivers reported improvements in depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. Quality of life of both patients and significant others declined over time. Conclusions: In this small pilot study, we showed positive trends with involving significant others in self-management. SUCCEED has the potential of addressing the growing public health problem of HF among patients who receive care from their significant other

Patterns of adverse childhood experiences and cardiovascular risk factors in U.S. adults

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with poor health yet, we know little about how distinct patterns of ACE types are associated with cardiovascular (cardiovascular (CVD)) risk factors. The current study 1) examined associations of latent ACE classes with modifiable CVD risk factors including high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high triglycerides, physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, and lifetime depression; and 2) examined the impact of socioeconomic status-related (SES) factors on these relationships. Using a cross-sectional analysis of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;36,309) data, four latent classes of ACEs were previously identified: 1) low adversity, 2) primarily household dysfunction, 3) primarily maltreatment, and 4) multiple adversity types. We examined the association of these classes with CVD risk factors in adulthood and subsequently, the same model accounting for SES-related factors. Tobacco smoking, overweight/obesity, and lifetime depression were each associated with higher odds of being in classes 2, 3, and 4 than class 1, respectively. These relationships held after adjusting for SES-related factors. Class 4 was associated with the most CVD risk factors, including high triglycerides and high cholesterol after controlling for SES-related factors. The consistent associations between tobacco smoking, overweight/obesity, and lifetime depression with each adverse ACE profile, even after controlling for SES, suggest behavioural CVD prevention programs should target these CVD risk factors simultaneously