Min Huey Chung

The effects of reminiscence therapy on psychological well‐being, depression, and loneliness among the institutionalized aged

To examine the effects of reminiscence therapy on psychological well‐being, depression, and loneliness among institutionalized elderly people.

Efficacy of Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Patients with Posttraumatic-Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background We performed the first meta-analysis of clinical studies by investigating the effects of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and subjective distress in PTSD patients treated during the past 2 decades. Methods We performed a quantitative meta-analysis on the findings of 26 randomized controlled trials of EMDR therapy for PTSD published between 1991 and 2013, which were identified through the ISI Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature electronic databases, among which 22, 20, 16, and 11 of the studies assessed the effects of EMDR on the symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and subjective distress, respectively, as the primary clinical outcome. Results The meta-analysis revealed that the EMDR treatments significantly reduced the symptoms of PTSD (g = −0.662; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.887 to −0.436), depression (g = −0.643; 95% CI: −0.864 to −0.422), anxiety (g = −0.640; 95% CI: −0.890 to −0.390), and subjective distress (g = −0.956; 95% CI: −1.388 to −0.525) in PTSD patients. Conclusion This study confirmed that EMDR therapy significantly reduces the symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and subjective distress in PTSD patients. The subgroup analysis indicated that a treatment duration of more than 60 min per session was a major contributing factor in the amelioration of anxiety and depression, and that a therapist with experience in conducting PTSD group therapy was a major contributing factor in the reduction of PTSD symptoms.

A Comparison of the Effects of Fixed- and Rotating-Shift Schedules on Nursing Staff Attention Levels A Randomized Trial

Purpose: Sleep deficit affects neurobehavioral functioning, reduces attention and cognitive function, and negatively impacts occupational safety. This study investigated selective attention levels of nursing staff on different shifts. Methods: Using a prospective, randomized parallel group study, selective attention was measured using the d2 test in 62 nursing staff in a medical center in Taiwan. Findings: There were significant differences in selective attention indicators (E%) between the fixed-day-shift group (control group) and rotating-shift group (experimental group): The percentage of errors (E%) for night-shift workers in the rotating-shift group was higher than that of fixed-day-shift workers, while the total number of items scanned minus error (TN − E) and concentration performance (CP) scores were higher for fixed-day-shift workers. Within the experimental group, the error rate on night shift was 0.44 times more than that on day shift and .62 times more than on evening shift; the TN-E on night shift was 38.99 items less than that on day shift, and the CP was 27.68 items less on night shift than on day shift; indicating that staff on the night shift demonstrated poorer speed and accuracy on the overall test than did the staff on day shifts. Conclusions: Inadequate sleep and a state of somnolence adversely affected the attention and operation speed of work among night-shift workers. More than 2 days off is suggested when shifting from the night shift to other shifts to provide adequate time for circadian rhythms to adjust.

Risk of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic insomnia and sedative-hypnotic prescription: a nationwide population-based follow-up study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Previous epidemiological studies have established insomnia as a major risk factor for mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. However, the associations between insomnia with sedative-hypnotic prescriptions and various psychiatric disorders have not been thoroughly examined. The current study involved evaluating the risk of psychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia, mood, anxiety, somatoform, and substance-related disorders, over a 6-y follow-up period in three groups: patients with insomnia and sedative-hypnotic prescriptions (Inso-Hyp), those with insomnia and without sedative-hypnotic prescriptions (Inso-NonHyp), and those with neither insomnia nor sedative-hypnotic prescriptions (NonInso-NonHyp). METHODS We used a historical cohort study design to compare the risk of psychiatric disorders among the three groups. Data regarding these patients were derived from reimbursement claims recorded in Taiwans National Health Insurance Research Database. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare the 6-y risk of subsequent psychiatric disorders among the Inso-Hyp, Inso-NonHyp, and NonInso-NonHyp groups. RESULTS Compared with the Inso-NonHyp and NonInso-NonHyp group patients, the Inso-Hyp group patients exhibited a higher risk of psychiatric disorders, particularly bipolar disorders (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 7.60; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.31-10.89 and AHR: 14.69; 95% CI: 11.11-19.43, respectively). Moreover, among the Inso-Hyp patient group, insomnia prescribed with benzodiazepine, a longer duration of sedative-hypnotic action, and higher doses of sedativehypnotics were significantly associated with a higher risk of depressive and anxiety disorders. CONCLUSION The Inso-Hyp group exhibited a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders than did the Inso-NonHyp and NonInso-NonHyp groups. The results regarding patients with insomnia and sedative-hypnotic prescriptions associated with the risk of psychiatric disorders can serve as a reference for care providers when managing sleep disturbances.

Risk of cancer in patients with insomnia, parasomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea: A nationwide nested case-control study

Purpose: Insomnia, parasomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea have been associated with a number of disease pathologies, but little is known about the relationship of these sleep disorders and cancer. The study explored the risk of sleep disorder (SD)-induced cancer using nationwide population data. Two million data from the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan was used to assess for the relationship. Patients and Methods: Patients with cancer as our cases and patients without cancer as our control group in 2001-20011. The study patients were traced back to seek the exposure risk factor of sleep disorders, which was divided into three categories: insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and parasomnia. Patients were selected excluding patients who had cancer prior to presenting with the sleep disorder and the person-year is less than 2 years. Each case was randomly matched with two cases with the same age, gender, and index year. Results: There were significantly increased risks of breast cancer in the patients with insomnia (AHR=1.73; 95% CI: 1.57-1.90), patients with parasomnia (AHR=2.76; 95% CI: 1.53-5.00), and patients with OSA (AHR=2.10; 95% CI: 1.16-3.80). Moreover, patients with parasomnia had significantly higher risk of developing oral cancer (AHR=2.71; 95% CI: 1.02-7.24) compared with patients without parasomnia. The risk of suffering from nasal cancer (AHR=5.96, 95% CI: 2.96-11.99) and prostate cancer (AHR=3.69, 95% CI: 1.98- 6.89) in patients with OSA was significantly higher than that of patients without OSA. Conclusions: Our findings provided the evidence that people diagnosed with insomnia, parasomnia and OSA are at a higher risk of developing cancers to remind people to improve sleep quality.

Factors Affecting the Long-Term Care Preferences of the Elderly in Taiwan

This study sets out to investigate the preferences of the elderly in northern Taiwan with regard to various types of long-term care services. Taking into consideration sociodemographics, health condition, and access to such medical care services, our study examined both economic and family factors in an attempt to gain an understanding of the knowledge of and attitudes toward, the various types of long-term care among the elderly. An interview survey was carried out by local public health nurses among a sample of 562 elderly Taiwanese residents (people aged 65 years or older) from 7 counties/cities in northern Taiwan, all of whom had been selected by means of multistage sampling. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire based on the Andersen and Newman model of health care utilization, with the intention being to gain a better understanding of the related factors. The results indicate that both ethnic background and the requirement for additional medical care services had significant effects on the long-term care preferences of the elderly in Taiwan, a finding that should help to provide a better understanding of the preferences for and availability of such long-term care services among the elderly. Such improved understanding could result in improving the quality of life for the elderly, particularly if they feel that their preferences have been taken into consideration and their needs have ultimately been met.

Sleep quality in nurses: a randomized clinical trial of day and night shift workers.

The study investigated the number of days off nurses working night shifts need to recover their sleep quality to the level of daytime workers during their days off. This study included 30 day-shift nurses and 32 night-shift nurses. It was conducted as a randomized clinical trial in the medical and surgical wards of a medical center in northern Taiwan in May and June 2010 using sleep diaries and sleep parameters collected by actigraphy on different workdays and days off. On workdays, the night-shift group had significantly less total sleep time (TST) on Day 5 and significantly lower sleep efficiency (SE) on Day 3 than the day-shift group. TSTs of the two groups on days off were higher than those on workdays. On the 4th consecutive day off, higher TST, a decrease in WASO, and an increase in SE suggests that the night-shift group had recovered their sleep quality to the level of the day-shift group on their days off. The SE of the night-shift group exceeded that of the day-shift group after the 4th consecutive day off, though the difference was not statistically significant in the present study. Based on these data, it is recommended that night-shift workers arrange a period of at least 4 days off after 5 consecutive night shifts and at least 5 days off if the staff who have previously worked night shifts are being assigned a set of different shifts.

Health-promoting lifestyle factors of cancer survivors in Taiwan.

This study set out, using a prospective design, to examine the health-promoting lifestyle factors for cancer survivors. A questionnaire, based on the health promotion model, was used to collect self-reported data during clinical visits on the health-promoting lifestyle factors related to cancer and the health locus of control. A total of 57 cancer patients were followed up from the date of their interview to the date of their death from the disease. After controlling for age, sex, type of cancer, operation, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and the number of months since cancer diagnosis, the external control and chance locus were identified as statistically significant preventive factors for these cancer patients. Although self-efficacy, social support, and health promotion lifestyle were all found to have no significant influences on the survival of these cancer patients, the survivors were found to be more likely to have higher scores on health promotion lifestyle factors and lower scores on self-efficacy. These results contribute to the information required for consideration of the cultural variables aimed at caring for cancer patients.

High Risk Sexual Behaviors for HIV among the In-School Youth in Swaziland: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Background Global efforts in response to the increased prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are mainly aimed at reducing high risk sexual behaviors among young people. However, knowledge regarding intentions of young people to engage in protective sexual behaviors is still lacking in many countries around the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus is the highest. The objective of this study was to test the theory of planned behavior (TPB) for predicting factors associated with protective sexual behaviors, including sexual abstinence and condom use, among in-school youths aged between 15 and 19 years in Swaziland. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted using a anonymous questionnaire. A two-stage stratified and cluster random sampling method was used. Approximately one hundred pupils from each of four schools agreed to participate in the study, providing a total sample size of 403 pupils of which 369 were ultimately included for data analysis. The response rate was 98%. Structural equation modeling was used to analyse hypothesized paths. Results The TPB model used in this study was effective in predicting protective sexual behavior among Swazi in-school youths, as shown by model fit indices. All hypothesized constructs significantly predicted intentions for abstinence and condom use, except perceived abstinence controls. Subjective norms were the strongest predictors of intention for premarital sexual abstinence; however, perceived controls for condom use were the strongest predictors of intention for condom use. Conclusions Our findings support application of the model in predicting determinants of condom use and abstinence intentions among Swazi in-school youths.

Selected neurophysiological, psychological, and behavioral influences on subjective sleep quality in nurses: a structure equation model.

Few studies have examined relationships among neurophysiological, psychological, and behavioral factors with regard to their effects on sleep quality. We used a structure equation model to investigate behavioral and psychological factors that influence neurophysiological regulation of sleep in shift workers. Using a cross-sectional study design, we tested the model with a sample of 338 female nurses working rotating shifts at an urban regional hospital. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) were used to measure neurophysiological factors involved in morningness-eveningness and menstrual distress. The Sleep Hygiene Awareness and Practice Scale (SHAPS) and Profile of Mood States Short Form (POMS-SF) were completed to measure behavioral factors of sleep hygiene practices and psychological factors of mood states. In addition, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) measured participants self-reported sleep quality. The results revealed that sleep hygiene practices and mood states mediated the effects of morningness-eveningness and menstrual distress on sleep quality. Our findings provide support for developing interventions to enhance sleep hygiene and maintain positive mood states to reduce the influence of neurophysiological factors on sleep quality among shift workers.