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Rationale: Increasingly, patients are surviving acute respiratory failure (ARF), prompting the need to better understand standardized outcome measures commonly used during ARF follow-up studies. Objectives: Investigate standardized outcome measures (patientreported physical and mental health measures, and cognitive testing) compared with findings from semistructured, qualitative interviews. Methods: As part of two ARF multicenter follow-up studies, standardized outcome measures were obtained, followed by qualitative evaluation via an in-depth, semistructured interview conducted and coded by two independent researchers. Qualitative interviews revealed the following post-ARF survivorship themes: physical impairment; anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms; and cognitive impairment. Scores from standardized measures related to these themes were compared for ARF survivors reporting versus not reporting these themes in their qualitative interviews. Results: Of 59 invited ARF survivors, 48 (81%) completed both standardized outcome measures and qualitative interviews. Participants' median (interquartile range) age was 53 (43-64) years; 54% were female, and 88% were living independently before hospitalization. The two independent reviewers classifying the presence or absence of themes from the qualitative interviews had excellent agreement (k = 0.80). There were significantly worse scores on standardized outcome measures for survivors reporting (vs. not reporting) physical and mental health impairments in their qualitative interviews. However, standardized cognitive test scores did not differ between patients reporting versus not reporting cognitive impairments in their qualitative interviews. Conclusions: These findings support the use of recommended, commonly used standardized outcome measures for physical and mental health impairments in ARF survivorship research. However, caution is needed in interpreting self-reported cognitive function compared with standardized cognitive testing.

Background Medication adherence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is low, though not enough is known about the factors that affect adherence in COPD. This study uses qualitative methods to understand the patient perspective on facilitators and barriers to medication adherence in COPD as well as patient-reported strategies for self-management of disease. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 individuals (n = 30). Transcripts were analyzed using iterative qualitative coding by 2 independent coders, and codes were categorized using thematic analysis. Results Challenges with adherence reported were gaps in understanding, forgetfulness of the patient, physician availability, cost navigation, and overcoming substance use. Most commonly, the financial burden of COPD medications caused patients to source other countries to obtain medications, rely on sample medications collected during doctors’ visits, and to alter medication dosage and frequency to extend the length of a prescription. Tools and resources reported by patients to support self-management of COPD included pharmacist assistance, physician office information, and community resources. Individuals further reported that the use of logs or diaries to track medication usage, visual or temporal cues to take medications, and support from family members were helpful in promoting adherence to their COPD medication regimen. Conclusions Medication adherence in individuals with COPD is affected by challenges with self-management of disease and financial burden of medications. However, patients reported multiple tools and resources to support adherence. Physician recognition of these factors impacting self-management, as well as awareness of strategies to promote adherence and manage disease, may improve patient outcomes.

Background: Interpersonal and communication skills are essential for physicians practicing in critical care settings. Accordingly, demonstration of these skills has been a core competency of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education since 2014. However, current practices regarding communication skills training in adult and pediatric critical care fellowships are not well described. Objective: To describe the current state of communication curricula and training methods in adult and pediatric critical care training programs as demonstrated by the published literature. Methods: We performed a systematic review of the published literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Three authors reviewed a comprehensive set of databases and independently selected articles on the basis of a predefined set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were independently extracted from the selected articles. Results: The 23 publications meeting inclusion criteria fell into the following study classifications: intervention ( n = 15), cross-sectional survey ( n = 5), and instrument validation ( n = 3). Most interventional studies assessed short-term and self-reported outcomes (e.g., learner attitudes and perspectives) only. Fifteen of 22 publications represented pediatric subspecialty programs. Conclusion: Opportunities exist to evaluate the influence of communication training programs on important outcomes, including measured learner behavior and patient and family outcomes, and the durability of skill retention.