Suchergebnisse

Purpose: People affected by neuromuscular disorders can experience adverse psychosocial consequences and difficulties accessing information and support. Online support groups provide new opportunities for peer support. The aim of this study was to understand how contributors used the message board function of a newly-available neuromuscular disorders online support group. Methods: Message postings (n=1,951) from the first five months of the message board of a newly-formed online support group for neuromuscular disorders hosted by a charitable organisation were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Members created a sense of community through disclosing personal information, connecting with people with similar illness experiences or interests, welcoming others, and sharing aspirations for the development of a resourceful community. Experiences, emotional reactions and support were shared in relation to: delayed diagnosis; symptom interpretation; illness management and progression; the isolating impact of rare disorders; and the influence of social and political factors on illness experiences.Conclusions: This study provided a novel insight into individuals' experiences of accessing a newly-available online support group for rare conditions hosted by a charitable organisation. The findings highlight how the online support group provided an important peer support environment for members to connect with others, exchange information and support, and engender discussion on political and social issues unique to living with often-rare neuromuscular disorders. Online support groups may therefore provide an important and easily accessible support outlet for people with neuromuscular disorders as well as a platform for empowering members to raise awareness about the impact of living with these conditions. Further research is needed to examine member motivations for using such groups and any effects of participation in greater detail.

AIM: To determine the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised control trial (RCT) to answer the following questions: (1) Is early physiotherapy treatment acceptable and feasible for patients and direct healthcare providers? and (2) Is early physiotherapy intervention associated with better disability and psychosocial outcomes compared with the practice of routine MRIs? METHODS: In a feasibility RCT in Riyadh City from 01 March 2018 until 29 July 2018, chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients presenting to spine clinics were randomised to receive an MRI (intervention) plus physiotherapy rehabilitation or physiotherapy alone (control group). The acceptability of randomisation to the control group (non-MRI) was tested during the recruitment by qualitatively interviewing study participants and referring physicians. Moreover, interviews with study participants explored the broader social, political, economic, and environmental (context) aspects that may influence trial delivery and intervention implementation. RESULTS: The recruitment target was not met: 16/24 (66%) participants were recruited in 4 months (12.4% of those screened); 33% declined. The process evaluation identified numerous factors that may affect the success of a definitive RCT in Saudi Arabia. These were research resources, the lack of research infrastructure to support recruitment to trials, limited research capacity in terms of knowledge and skills of the healthcare team, and limited funding. CONCLUSION: A definitive RCT to test the influence of MRI diagnosis on the psychosocial and disability outcomes in people with CLBP treated with physiotherapy in Saudi Arabia is feasible. However, the lack of research infrastructure, research capacity, the impact of MRI on patient outcomes, and a lack of clinical equipoise in the treatment and management of CLBP in Saudi Arabia pose major barriers to clinical trials.

© 2020, The Author(s). Aim: To determine the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised control trial (RCT) to answer the following questions: (1) Is early physiotherapy treatment acceptable and feasible for patients and direct healthcare providers? and (2) Is early physiotherapy intervention associated with better disability and psychosocial outcomes compared with the practice of routine MRIs? Methods: In a feasibility RCT in Riyadh City from 01 March 2018 until 29 July 2018, chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients presenting to spine clinics were randomised to receive an MRI (intervention) plus physiotherapy rehabilitation or physiotherapy alone (control group). The acceptability of randomisation to the control group (non-MRI) was tested during the recruitment by qualitatively interviewing study participants and referring physicians. Moreover, interviews with study participants explored the broader social, political, economic, and environmental (context) aspects that may influence trial delivery and intervention implementation. Results: The recruitment target was not met: 16/24 (66%) participants were recruited in 4 months (12.4% of those screened); 33% declined. The process evaluation identified numerous factors that may affect the success of a definitive RCT in Saudi Arabia. These were research resources, the lack of research infrastructure to support recruitment to trials, limited research capacity in terms of knowledge and skills of the healthcare team, and limited funding. Conclusion: A definitive RCT to test the influence of MRI diagnosis on the psychosocial and disability outcomes in people with CLBP treated with physiotherapy in Saudi Arabia is feasible. However, the lack of research infrastructure, research capacity, the impact of MRI on patient outcomes, and a lack of clinical equipoise in the treatment and management of CLBP in Saudi Arabia pose major barriers to clinical trials.

This study examined the relationship between susceptibility to drug-related online peer influence on Facebook and offline alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among emerging adults (18-24 years) enrolled at the university level in Barbados and England. A cross-national comparative, explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed with samples of students of African-Caribbean descent and European descent in Barbados and England, respectively. Quantitative data were collected using surveys from 241 students in Barbados and 186 in England. Qualitative focus groups were conducted with 23 Barbadian students and 16 English students. Spearman's rank-order correlations were conducted to analyze quantitative data and a three-tiered categorization system was used to analyze the qualitative data. Significant positive relationships between students' susceptibility to online peer influence (SOPI) and alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use were found. Six qualitative themes emerged representing cross-national similarities, while three themes emerged highlighting some differences between the two contexts. We propose that the relationship between SOPI and offline drug use may be mediated by the interrelated factors of emerging-adult developmental characteristics and the online and offline social environments. We represent these findings diagrammatically to convey that developmental and environmental factors together can provide a holistic understanding of the interplay between online interactions and offline risk behaviors.