Browsing by Subject "review"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Improving diabetes medication adherence: successful, scalable interventions.
    (Patient preference and adherence, 2015-01) Zullig, Leah L; Gellad, Walid F; Moaddeb, Jivan; Crowley, Matthew J; Shrank, William; Granger, Bradi B; Granger, Christopher B; Trygstad, Troy; Liu, Larry Z; Bosworth, Hayden B
    Effective medications are a cornerstone of prevention and disease treatment, yet only about half of patients take their medications as prescribed, resulting in a common and costly public health challenge for the US health care system. Since poor medication adherence is a complex problem with many contributing causes, there is no one universal solution. This paper describes interventions that were not only effective in improving medication adherence among patients with diabetes, but were also potentially scalable (ie, easy to implement to a large population). We identify key characteristics that make these interventions effective and scalable. This information is intended to inform health care systems seeking proven, low resource, cost-effective solutions to improve medication adherence.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Improving mental health among people living with HIV: a review of intervention trials in low- and middle-income countries.
    (Glob Ment Health (Camb), 2015-01) Sikkema, Kathleen J; Dennis, Alexis C; Watt, Melissa H; Choi, Karmel W; Yemeke, Tatenda T; Joska, John A
    People living with HIV (PLWH) experience greater psychological distress than the general population. Evidence from high-incomes countries suggests that psychological interventions for PLWH can improve mental health symptoms, quality of life, and HIV care engagement. However, little is known about the effectiveness of mental health interventions for PLWH in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the large majority of PLWH reside. This systematized review aims to synthesize findings from mental health intervention trials with PLWH in LMICs to inform the delivery of mental health services in these settings. A systematic search strategy was undertaken to identify peer-reviewed published papers of intervention trials addressing negative psychological states or disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety) among PLWH in LMIC settings. Search results were assessed against pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data from papers meeting criteria were extracted for synthesis. Twenty-six papers, published between 2000 and 2014, describing 22 unique interventions were identified. Trials were implemented in sub-Saharan Africa (n=13), Asia (n=7), and the Middle East (n=2), and addressed mental health using a variety of approaches, including cognitive-behavioral (n=18), family-level (n=2), and pharmacological (n=2) treatments. Four randomized controlled trials reported significant intervention effects in mental health outcomes, and eleven preliminary studies demonstrated promising findings. Among the limited mental health intervention trials with PLWH in LMICs, few demonstrated efficacy. Mental health interventions for PLWH in LMICs must be further developed and adapted for resource-limited settings to improve effectiveness.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Management of Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Review of the Literature.
    (Frontiers in surgery, 2021-01) Wang, Timothy Y; Park, Christine; Zhang, Hanci; Rahimpour, Shervin; Murphy, Kelly R; Goodwin, C Rory; Karikari, Isaac O; Than, Khoi D; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Foster, Norah; Abd-El-Barr, Muhammad M
    Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a debilitating disease that poses significant functional and economic burden on both the individual and societal levels. Prognosis is dependent on the extent of the spinal injury and the severity of neurological dysfunction. If not treated rapidly, patients with TSCI can suffer further secondary damage and experience escalating disability and complications. It is important to quickly assess the patient to identify the location and severity of injury to make a decision to pursue a surgical and/or conservative management. However, there are many conditions that factor into the management of TSCI patients, ranging from the initial presentation of the patient to long-term care for optimal recovery. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the etiologies of spinal cord injury and the complications that may arise, and present an algorithm to aid in the management of TSCI.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Non-invasive brain stimulation modalities for the treatment and prevention of opioid use disorder: a systematic review of the literature
    (Journal of Addictive Diseases, 2020-01-01) Young, Jonathan R; Smani, Shayan A; Mischel, Nicholas A; Kritzer, Michael D; Appelbaum, Lawrence G; Patkar, Ashwin A
    © 2020, © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. The U.S. is currently facing an unprecedented epidemic of opioid-related deaths. Despite the efficacy of the current treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), including psychosocial interventions and medication-assisted therapy (MAT), many patients remain treatment-resistant and at high risk for overdose. A potential augmentation strategy includes the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS). These approaches may have therapeutic benefits by directly or indirectly modulating the neurocircuitry affected in OUD. In this review, we evaluate the available studies on NIBS in the context of OUD withdrawal and detoxification, maintenance, and cravings, while also considering analgesia and safety concerns. In the context of opioid withdrawal and detoxification, a percutaneous form of aVNS has positive results in open-label trials, but has not yet been tested against sham. No randomized studies have reported on the safety and efficacy of NIBS specifically for maintenance treatment in OUD. TMS and tDCS have demonstrated effects on cravings, although published studies were limited by small sample sizes. NIBS may play a role in reducing exposure to opioids and the risk of developing OUD, as demonstrated by studies using tDCS in an experimental pain condition and TMS in a post-operative setting. Overall, while the preliminary evidence and safety for NIBS in the prevention and treatment of OUD appears promising, further research is needed with larger sample sizes, placebo control, and objective biomarkers as outcome measures before strong conclusions can be drawn.