Lorie L. Geryk

ADHD and Psychiatric Comorbidity Functional Outcomes in a School-Based Sample of Children

Objective: Investigate the prevalence and impact of psychiatric comorbidities in community-based samples of schoolchildren with/without ADHD. Method: Teachers and parents screened children in South Carolina (SC; n = 4,604) and Oklahoma (OK; n = 12,626) for ADHD. Parents of high-screen and selected low-screen children received diagnostic interviews (SC: n = 479; OK: n = 577). Results: Psychiatric disorders were increased among children with ADHD and were associated with low academic performance. Conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder (CD/ODD) were associated with grade retention (ODD/CD + ADHD: odds ratio [OR] = 3.0; confidence interval [CI] = [1.5, 5.9]; ODD/CD without ADHD: OR = 4.0; CI = [1.7, 9.7]). School discipline/police involvement was associated with ADHD alone (OR = 3.2; CI = [1.5, 6.8]), ADHD + CD/ODD (OR = 14.1, CI = [7.3, 27.1]), ADHD + anxiety/depression (OR = 4.8, CI = [1.6, 14.8]), and CD/ODD alone (OR = 2.8, CI = [1.2, 6.4]). Children with ADHD + anxiety/depression had tenfold risk for poor academic performance (OR = 10.8; CI = [2.4, 49.1]) compared to children with ADHD alone. This should be interpreted with caution due to the wide confidence interval. Conclusion: Most children with ADHD have psychiatric comorbidities, which worsens functional outcomes. The pattern of outcomes varies by type of comorbidity.

Using videos to teach children inhaler technique: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective: This primary objective of this pilot randomized, controlled trial was to determine whether a brief video intervention delivered after a pediatric office visit could improve inhaler technique in children with asthma immediately and one month later. The intervention’s effect on children’s inhaler self-efficacy and asthma control was also evaluated. Methods: Children (n = 91) ages 7–17 years with persistent asthma were recruited at two pediatric practices in North Carolina. Eligible children demonstrated their inhaler technique for metered dose inhalers (MDIs) either with or without a spacer. A trained research assistant used a validated inhaler technique checklist to record which steps children performed correctly. After a regularly scheduled office visit, children were randomized to watch either a 3-min MDI video (intervention group) or a nutrition video (control group) in English or Spanish. Children’s technique was assessed again after watching the video and one month later. Results: Children were primarily male (56%) and non-White (60%). When compared with the control group, children in the intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in MDI technique post-intervention [mean = 1.12 steps, 95% CI (0.73, 1.50)] but the improvement was not sustained at 1-month follow-up. The intervention did not lead to significant improvements in inhaler self-efficacy or asthma control. Conclusions: A brief video intervention offered during pediatric clinic visits can lead to immediate improvements in children’s inhaler technique. Future studies should evaluate whether booster training videos can help maintain improvements in children’s inhaler technique over time.

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.

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

Abstract 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 the 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 arthritis (RA; 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 multivariate 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

Abstract 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 nine 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

Adolescent Preferences and Design Recommendations for an Asthma Self-Management App: Mixed-Methods Study

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.

Medication-related Self-management Behaviors among Arthritis Patients: Does Attentional Coping Style Matter?

Background Approximately 10% of adolescents in the United States have asthma. Adolescents widely use apps on mobile phones and tablet technology for social networking and gaming purposes. Given the increase in recreational app use among adolescents, leveraging apps to support adolescent asthma disease management seems warranted. However, little empirical research has influenced asthma app development; adolescent users are seldom involved in the app design process. Objective The aim of this mixed-methods study was to assess adolescent preferences and design recommendations for an asthma self-management app. Methods A total of 20 adolescents with persistent asthma (aged 12-16 years) provided feedback on two asthma self-management apps during in-person semistructured interviews following their regularly scheduled asthma clinic visit and via telephone 1 week later. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, analyzed using SPSS v24, and coded thematically using MAXQDA 11. Results Regarding esthetics, app layout and perceived visual simplicity were important to facilitate initial app use. Adolescents were more likely to continually engage with apps that were deemed useful and met their informational needs. Adolescents also desired app features that fit within their existing paradigm or schema and included familiar components (eg, medication alerts that appear and sound like FaceTime notifications and games modeled after Quiz Up and Minecraft), as well as the ability to customize app components. They also suggested that apps include other features, such as an air quality tracker and voice command. Conclusions Adolescents desire specific app characteristics including customization and tailoring to meet their asthma informational needs. Involving adolescents in early stages of app development is likely to result in an asthma app that meets their self-management needs and design preferences and ultimately the adoption and maintenance of positive asthma self-management behaviors.

The impact of co-morbidity on health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients

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.