Introduction: Older adults with dementia have been significantly at more risk for not receiving the care needed and for developing further mental health problems during COVID-19. Although the rise in telemedicine adoption in the healthcare system has made it possible for patients to connect with their healthcare providers virtually, little is known about its use and effects among older adults with dementia and their mental health.Objective: This systematic review aimed to explore the use, accessibility, and feasibility of telemedicine in older adults with dementia, as well as examine the potential mental health impacts of these technologies, through reviewing evidence from studies conducted during COVID-19.Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched with the following keywords: (COVID* OR SARS-CoV-2 OR Coronavirus) AND (“mental health” OR Depression OR Stress) AND (Dementia OR Multi-Infarct Dementia OR Vascular Dementia OR Frontotemporal Dementia) AND (elder OR Aging OR Aging OR Aged) AND (Telemedicine OR “Remote Consultation” OR telehealth OR technology).Results: A total of 7 articles from Asia, Europe, and the United States were included in this review. Throughout the studies cognitive and mental health assessments (e.g., MoCA, FAST, etc.) were performed. Despite the barriers, telemedicine was noted as a feasible approach to assist individuals with dementia in connecting with their service providers and family while reducing complications related to travel (e.g., difficulty moving, traffic, distance).Conclusions: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finding alternative ways to provide services to older adults with dementia through technology may continue to become more necessary as time goes on.
Background: Between 20–50% of patients undergoing maintenance dialysis for end-stage kidney disease experience symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, associated with increased mortality, greater health care utilization, and decreased quality of life. It is unknown whether mindfulness-based interventions can improve depression and anxiety symptoms in patients receiving this treatment. Methods: We conducted an 8-week multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing a brief mindfulness intervention (BMI) vs. an active control (Health Enhancement Program [HEP]) in 55 patients receiving dialysis with symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. The primary outcome was change in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression scores, with a primary analysis in participants with baseline PHQ-9 ≥ 10, and a secondary analysis including all participants. The secondary outcome was change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) anxiety scores with corresponding primary and secondary analyses. Results: Both BMI and HEP reduced depressive symptoms, with no difference between trial arms (PHQ-9 change = −7.0 vs. −6.1, p = 0.62). BMI was more effective than HEP in reducing anxiety (GAD-7 change = −8.7 vs. −1.4, p = 0.01). Secondary analyses revealed no differences between arms. Conclusions: For patients undergoing dialysis, both BMI and HEP may be helpful interventions for depression symptoms, and BMI may be superior to HEP for anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness-based and other psychosocial interventions may be further evaluated in those undergoing dialysis as treatment options for symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Validity of measurement is integral to the interpretability of research endeavours and any subsequent replication attempts. To assess current measurement practices and the construct validity of measures in large-scale replication studies, we conducted a systematic review of measures used in Many Labs 2: Investigating Variation in Replicability Across Samples and Settings (Klein et al., 2018). To evaluate the psychometric properties of the scales used in Many Labs 2 we conducted factor and reliability analyses on the publicly-available data. We report that measures in Many Labs 2 were often short with little validity evidence reported in the original study, that measures with more validity evidence in the original study had stronger psychometric properties in the replication sample, and that translated versions of scales had lower reliability. We discuss the implications of these findings for interpreting replication results, and make recommendations to improve measurement practices in future replications.
Telework, a work modality that allows employees to work outside the boundaries of an office through information and communication technologies, is rising. As the COVID-19 pandemic imposed social distancing regulations, alternative ways to work are growing in popularity. However, given the rapid growth of telework and the interest by employees to continue using this mode of operation, examination of the available literature is essential to guide future work. The current scoping review aimed to examine the effects of telework on employees' work and nonwork domains. Key attention was given to the effects on work-life balance. Under the umbrella of work-life balance, consequences on psychological health and performance were also examined. Six databases were consulted to gather articles published between January 2020 and December 2021. A total of 42 articles from Asia, Europe, North and South America, as well as Oceania, were included. Heterogenous findings were identified with regard to work-life balance and psychological health and these inconsistencies seemed to depend on moderating factors such as biological sex, boundary management strategies, and frequency of telework to name a few. Performance seemed to benefit the most from telework, albeit some exceptions (e.g., having pets, young children, or dependents) seemed to affect it negatively. We conclude that telework may not be beneficial for all and that a more thorough understanding of how teleworking can impact employees' various personal and private domains is further required. Public Significance StatementDue to COVID-19, the environments that employees must work in have changed. Teleworking may at first glance offer a potential solution to help workers gain more control over both their work and family lives; however, various factors may affect the ensuing work-life balance. Future research is needed to explore how these effects will unfold in the current context of adaptation to the massive use of telework.
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