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Regardless of degree of independence of patients' ADLs, caregiver burden was severe. To decrease caregiver burden, it is necessary to use care services, reduce care time, and allow caregivers free time. In addition, it is possible to continue long-term home care by maintaining their relationships.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between bilateral knee extension strengths and gait performance in subjects with poststroke hemiparesis and to predict gait performance by the paretic and nonparetic knee extension strength. [Subjects and Methods] This was a correlational study in which 238 consecutive inpatients with poststroke hemiparesis were enrolled. Knee extensor muscle strengths in paretic and nonparetic lower limbs were measured with a handheld dynamometer, and the presence or absence of impaired gait was also determined. [Results] The mean strength in the paretic lower limb was 0.90 Nm/kg, and that in the nonparetic lower limb was 1.24 Nm/kg. Discriminant analysis classified the difference between the possibility and impossibility of gait by knee extensor muscle strength (standardized discriminant coefficient: paretic, 1.32; nonparetic, 0.55). Thus, paretic and nonparetic knee extension strengths were integrated in the strength index. A threshold level of 2.0 provided the best balance between positive and negative predictive values for the strength index. [Conclusion] The results indicated that both paretic and nonparetic knee extension strengths were related to gait performance. The strength index deduced from bilateral knee extension strengths may serve as a clinically meaningful index for rehabilitation assessment and training.

Aims: This study provides data on predicting changes in cognitive functions, behavioral independences and disturbances in dementia patients by differential modeling with logarithmic and linear regression. Methods: This longitudinal study included two data analysis groups. Group one: 24 dementia patients for identification of cognitive and behavioral changes over time in group data; group two: 15 dementia patients to ensure correlation of the group data applied to prediction of each individual's degree of cognitive and behavioral changes. Group one mini-mental state examination, functional independence measure and dementia behavior disturbance scale scores were assessed initially and 3 and 6 months thereafter during hospitalization and were regressed on the logarithm and linear of time. In group two, calculations of the scores were made for the first two scorings after admission to tailor logarithmic and linear regression formulae to fit an individual's degree of changes at 9 and 12 months. Results: Changes in data over time resembled both logarithmic and linear functions. However, the scores sampled at two baseline points based on logarithmic regression modeling estimated prediction of cognitive and behavioral changes more accurately than did linear regression modeling. Conclusion: This simple-to-use logarithmic modeling accurately predicted changes in cognitive functions, behavioral independence and disturbances in patients with dementia.

Background: Patient and public involvement (PPI) has become essential in health research. However, little is known about multiple stakeholders' perspectives on the implementation of PPI in community mental health research settings. The present study aimed to qualitatively analyse multiple stakeholders' views on PPI, including potential concerns, barriers and approaches.Methods: This study involved conducting focus group interviews and collecting qualitative data from 37 participants in multiple stakeholder groups (patients = 6, caregivers = 5, service providers = 7, government staff = 5 and researchers = 14) in the community mental health field. The data were qualitatively analysed using a data-driven approach that derived domains, themes and subthemes related to perspectives on PPI and to specific challenges and approaches for implementing PPI. Results: The qualitative analysis identified four domains. The 'Positive views and expectations regarding PPI' domain consisted of themes related to supportive views of PPI in a mental health service research setting and improvements in the quality of research and service. The 'General concerns about PPI' domain included themes concerning the need for non-PPI research and tokenism, excessive expectations concerning social changes and use of evidence from PPI research, and heavy burdens resulting from PPI. The 'Specific issues regarding the implementation of PPI' domain consisted of four themes, including academic systems, selection methods (e.g., representativeness and conflict of interest issues), relationship building, and ambiguous PPI criteria. In particular, all stakeholder groups expressed concerns about relational equality during PPI implementation in Japan. The 'Approaches to PPI implementation' domain included themes such as facilitating mutual

Background: Outcome selection in intervention studies is a critical issue for synthesizing evidence. This study is aimed to investigate outcomes used in Cochrane reviews assessing community-based psychosocial interventions for adults with severe mental illness.Methods: Cochrane reviews that evaluated a community-based psychosocial intervention for adults with severe mental illness were searched electronically and manually. We extracted all outcomes specified in the Methods section in each Cochrane review. Outcomes that represent the same concept and context were synthesized into an outcome term. Outcome terms were categorized according to the existing taxonomy. Results:We included 33 Cochrane reviews. Of the 216 outcome terms identified, 13 were used in more than half of the reviews: quality of life, mental state, admission to hospital, economic outcome, leaving the study early, social functioning, satisfaction, global state, relapse, adverse events/effects, carer satisfaction, employment, and duration of admission. Most outcome terms were categorized into the life impact core area (55%), followed by the resource use area (21%). Conclusions:Our study provides a candidate outcome list for developing a core outcome set for severe mental illness and offers a basis for comparison for future outcome investigation on mental health research.

Background. This study is aimed at verifying a hypothetical model of the structural relationship between the recovery process and difficulties in daily life mediated by occupational dysfunction in severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Methods. Community-dwelling participants with SPMI were enrolled in this multicenter cross-sectional study. The Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule second edition (WHODAS 2.0), and the Classification and Assessment of Occupational Dysfunction (CAOD) were used for assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM) were determined to analyze the hypothesized model. If the mediation model was significant, the path coefficient from difficulty in daily life to recovery and the multiplication of the path coefficients mediated by occupational dysfunction were considered as each the direct effect and the indirect effect. The goodness of fit in the model was determined by the posterior predictive P value (PPP). Each path coefficient was validated with median and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results. The participants comprised 98 individuals with SPMI. The factor structures of RAS, WHODAS 2.0, and CAOD were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis to be similar to those of their original studies. Multiple regression analysis showed that the independent variables of RAS were WHODAS 2.0 and CAOD, and that of CAOD was WHODAS 2.0. The goodness of fit of the model in the BSEM was satisfactory with a PPP = 0.27 . The standardized path coefficients were, respectively, significant at -0.372 from “difficulty in daily life” to “recovery” as the direct effect and at -0.322 (95% CI: -0.477, -0.171) mediated by “occupational dysfunction” as the indirect effect. Conclusions. An approach for reducing not only difficulty in daily life but also occupational dysfunction may be an additional strategy of person-centered, recovery-oriented practice in SPMI.

Background Treatment goals for mental illness have expanded from hospital discharge and improved functioning to employment, living alone, and personal realization. These changes in treatment goals have also influenced mental health research. Recent studies have addressed the development of core outcome sets focusing on clinical aspects of mental illness such as depression and anxiety. However, a well‐developed framework of essential outcomes for people with mental illness (service users) who live in the community is lacking. In addition, recent worldwide trends suggest more patient and public involvement and the importance of considering multiple stakeholders’ views in the area of mental health research. Purpose of this study is to explore consensus on high‐priority outcome domains among multiple stakeholders in community mental healthcare fields in Japan. Methods A three‐step approach to developing an outcome list will be used. First, we developed a long list of outcomes for community mental health through a literature review, focus group interviews with key stakeholders, and online questionnaire surveys of service users and caregivers. Second, the long list was checked and revised in a pilot study. Third, the long list will be shortened to the outcome list through the Delphi methodology with participation from multiple stakeholders. Discussion Identifying important common outcome domains through collaboration with multiple stakeholders appears to contribute to the development of evidence for community mental health research in Japan. In addition, the study process itself may help promote patient and public involvement in education, practice, and research in the field of community mental health.