Susan E. Meadows

Information needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions

OBJECTIVE To systematically examine current evidence pertaining to information needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions. METHODS Structured search of MEDLINE, MEDLINE IN-PROCESS, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases to identify studies of caregiver information needs, followed by data extraction and syntheses. RESULTS The 62 articles that met the stated inclusion criteria highlighted extensive needs among informal caregivers for practical, accessible, timely information. CONCLUSION The identified information needs of informal caregivers can inform organizations and agencies that seek to provide disease and illness-related information. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Existing evidence supports the implementation of a health information delivery system designed to meet the needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions.

Health information needs, sources, and barriers of primary care patients to achieve patient-centered care: A literature review

To synthesize findings from previous studies assessing information needs of primary care patients on the Internet and other information sources in a primary care setting. A systematic review of studies was conducted with a comprehensive search in multiple databases including OVID MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus. The most common information needs among patients were information about an illness or medical condition and treatment methods, while the most common information sources were the Internet and patients’ physicians. Overall, patients tend to prefer the Internet for the ease of access to information, while they trust their physicians more for their clinical expertise and experience. Barriers to information access via the Internet include the following: socio-demographic variables such as age, ethnicity, income, education, and occupation; information search skills; and reliability of health information. Conclusion: Further research is warranted to assess how to create accurate and reliable health information sources for both Internet and non-Internet users.

Obesity and Metabolic Disease

Obesity independently increases the risk of developing diabetes 10-fold compared with that for patients who are normal weight. Overweight patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) should be given counseling on weight loss of 5% to 10% of body weight as well as on increasing physical activity to at least 150 min/wk to prevent progression to diabetes. American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends screening patients older than 45 years with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25 for diabetes with fasting glucose every 3 years. Testing should be considered at a younger age or performed more frequently for those who are overweight and have 1 or more risk factors for diabetes.