This article reviews statistical issues that arise in temporal data, particularly with respect to daily experience data. Issues related to nonindependence of observations, the nature of data structures, and claims of causality are considered. Through the analysis of data from a single subject, we illustrate concomitant time-series analysis, a general method of examining relationships between two or more series having 50 or more observations. We also discuss detection of and remedies for the problems of trend, cycles, and serial dependency that frequently plague temporal data, and present methods of combining the results of concomitant time series across subjects. Issues that arise in pooling cross-sectional and time-series data and statistical models for addressing these issues are considered for the case in which there are appreciably fewer than 50 observations and a moderate number of subjects. We discuss the possibility of using structural equation modeling to analyze data structures in which there are a large number (e.g., 200) of subjects, but relatively few time points, emphasizing the different causal status of synchronous and lagged effects and the types of models that can be specified for longitudinal data structures. Our conclusion highlights some of the issues raised by temporal data for statistical models, notably the important roles of substantive theory, the question being addressed, the properties of the data, and the assumptions underlying each technique in determining the optimal approach to statistical analysis.

The results of this study show that relatively brief, culturally appropriate, and highly accessible telephone-delivered interventions that provide emotional and information support can bring about substantial improvements in QOL for both Latinas with breast cancer and their SPs.

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The Burden Model tested in this study corroborates findings from other burden studies and extends our knowledge of caregiver burden. Filial obligation, self-efficacy, demands of care, involvement in care, and coping were shown to predict burden in this sample of Taiwanese caregivers. Future study is needed to evaluate interventions designed for family caregivers of persons with dementia. Especially needed is research in the area of counseling and mental health services to assist caregivers in dealing with manifestations of burden.

Music therapy has decreased anxiety levels in many medical settings. This randomized clinical trial examined the effectiveness of a music listening intervention, delivered by a board-certified music therapist, in patients undergoing curative radiation therapy (RT). Emotional distress (anxiety, depression, and treatment-related distress) and symptoms (fatigue and pain) were measured at baseline, mid-treatment, and end of treatment in 63 patients undergoing RT. Although patients who listened to self-selected music reported lower anxiety and treatment-related distress, there was a decline in these outcomes for patients in both groups over the course of RT. Depression, fatigue, and pain were not appreciably affected by music therapy. Within the music group, there was a significant correlation between number of times music was used/week and the change in treatment-related distress, suggesting that higher doses of music produced greater declines in distress. While these findings provided some support for the use of music in reducing distress during RT, further research demonstrating clear differences between intervention and control conditions is needed. Physical symptoms were not affected by the use of music over the course of RT.

Background-Mother-infant separation postbirth is common in Western culture. Early skin-toskin contact (SSC) begins ideally at birth and involves placing the naked baby, head covered with a dry cap and a warm blanket across the back, prone on the mother's bare chest. According to mammalian neuroscience, the intimate contact inherent in this place (habitat) evokes neurobehaviors ensuring fulfillment of basic biological needs. This time may represent a psychophysiologically 'sensitive period' for programming future physiology and behavior.Objectives-To assess the effects of early SSC on breastfeeding, physiological adaptation, and behavior in healthy mother-newborn dyads.Search methods-We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 November 2011), made personal contact with trialists, and consulted the bibliography on kangaroo mother care (KMC) maintained by Dr. Susan Ludington.Selection criteria-Randomized controlled trials comparing early SSC with usual hospital care.Data collection and analysis-We independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Colombia; and Cleveland, Ohio. Dr Bergman has received reimbursement for lectures that he has conducted on Kangaroo Mother Care and from the sale of KMC related products. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROTOCOL AND REVIEW:The protocol has been updated. We have modified outcomes and used updated methods. Quasi-randomized controlled trials are no longer part of the inclusion criteria so Anisfeld 1983 has now been excluded.Main results-Thirty-four randomized controlled trials were included involving 2177 participants (mother-infant dyads). Data from more than two trials were available for only eight outcome measures. For primary outcomes, we found a statistically significant positive effect of early SSC on breastfeeding at one to four months postbirth (13 trials; 702 participants) (risk ratio (RR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06 to 1.53, and SSC increased breastfeeding duration (seven trials; 324 participants) (mean difference (MD) 42.55 days, 95% CI −1.69 to 86.79) but the results did not quite reach statistical significance (P = 0.06). Late preterm infants had better cardio-respiratory stability with early SSC (one trial; 31 participants) (MD 2.88, 95% CI 0.53 to 5.23). Blood glucose 75 to 90 minutes following the birth was significantly higher in SSC infants (two trials, 94 infants) (MD 10.56 mg/dL, 95% CI 8.40 to 12.72).The overall methodological quality of trials was mixed, and there was high heterogeneity for some outcomes.Authors' conclusions-Limitations included methodological quality, variations in intervention implementation, and outcomes. The intervention appears to benefit breastfeeding outcomes, and cardio-respiratory stability and decrease infant crying, and has no apparent short-or long-term negative effects. Further investigation is recommended. To facilitate meta-analysis, future research should be done using outcome measures consistent with those in the studies included here. Published reports should clearly indicate if t...

Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a family-based self-management support intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods Using a 2-group, experimental repeated measures design, 157 dyads (participant with T2DM and family member) were randomly assigned to an intervention (education, social support, home visits, and telephone calls) or a wait list control group. Data were collected at baseline, postintervention (3 months), and 6 months postintervention. A series of 2 × 3 repeated measures ANOVAs were used to test the hypotheses with interaction contrasts to assess immediate and sustained intervention effects. Results Significant changes over time were reported in diet self-management, exercise self-management, total self-management, diabetes self-efficacy for general health and total diabetes self-efficacy, physician distress, regimen distress, interpersonal distress, and total distress. There were likewise sustained effects for diet self-management, total self-management, diabetes self-efficacy for general health, total self-efficacy, physician distress, regimen distress, and interpersonal distress. Conclusions Results support and extend prior research documenting the value of culturally relevant family-based interventions to improve diabetes self-management and substantiate the need for intensive, longer, tailored interventions to achieve glycemic control.

The purpose of this study was to determine if continued access to information following a baseline pain education program would increase knowledge and positive beliefs about cancer pain management, thus resulting in improved pain control during a 6-month follow-up period. Patients with cancer-related pain and their primary caregivers received a brief pain education program, and were then randomized into one of three information groups: a) usual care, b) pain hot line, and c) weekly provider-initiated follow-up calls for 1 month post-education. Sixty-four patients and their primary caregivers were recruited. Both patients and caregivers showed an improvement in knowledge and beliefs after the baseline pain education program. Continued access to pain information with either the pain hot line or provider-initiated weekly follow-up calls did not affect long-term outcomes of pain intensity, interference because of pain, adequacy of analgesics used, or pain relief. In addition, long-term outcomes did not differ between patients who had improvement and those who showed decline in knowledge and beliefs pre-post education. These findings suggest that a brief pain education program can improve knowledge and beliefs of both patient and primary caregiver. Continued access to pain related information using either a patient- or provider-initiated format did not affect long-term pain outcomes.