Aleksandra Suwalska | Poznan University of Medical Sciences (original) (raw)
Papers by Aleksandra Suwalska
2nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Arts SGEM2015, 2015
In the wake of fast aging of populations the question is asked about the acceptance of robots by ... more In the wake of fast aging of populations the question is asked about the acceptance of robots by elderly individuals and their role in elderly's everyday life. The project ENRICHME-Enabling Robot and assisted living environment for Independent Care and Health Monitoring of the Elderly (which receives funding from the European Union H2020 Programme; Grant Agreement No: 643691C) employs a mobile service robot for long-term human monitoring and interaction, in order to optimise the independence of elderly individuals. For this reason, it is important to explore and assess the impact of such a system on the final users' life (elderly, caregivers, social reference group). Thus, the aim of the study was to develop a tool to collect opinions about the robotrelated requirements and check its usefulness. In this paper, we present the first results of the Users' Needs, Requirements and Abilities Questionnaire (UNRAQ). The tool was developed based on the literature review and ENRICHME researcher's expertise. Data collected by means of a creativity box-a part of the UNRAQ enabling the participants to express freely their ideas, worries, and critical opinions are presented. During the interviews pictures of the prototype of the robot were shown to the participants so as to provide them with a more realistic view of the robot concept. Data were collected in the countries involved in the ENRICHME project: France,
Sensors, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical condition between normal ageing and A... more Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical condition between normal ageing and Alz heimer disease (AD). Alzheimer disease is the most frequent reason for dementia; the probability of devel oping dementia is higher in elderly people with MCI than in the general population in a specified age group. Aim of the study: To assess whether the smell iden tification test can be an early marker of MCI and MCI conversion to AD. Literature on the subject was reviewed and sixteen studies were identified where the smell identification test has been used. Nine of them focused on the com parison of the smell identification test results between MCI patients and the control group. The other sev en papers reported on longitudinal studies, where the smell identification test has been evaluated as a marker of conversion from MCI to AD. Conclusions: The literature review confirms that the smell identification test can be useful in early detection of cognitive impairments, MCI diagno...
Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia, 2020
Sustainability, 2021
The rapid development of new technologies has caused interest in the use of socially assistive ro... more The rapid development of new technologies has caused interest in the use of socially assistive robots in the care of older people. These devices can be used not only to monitor states of health and assist in everyday activities but also to counteract the deterioration of cognitive functioning. The aim of the study was to investigate the attitudes and preferences of Polish respondents towards interventions aimed at the preservation/improvement of cognitive functions delivered by a socially assistive robot. A total of 166 individuals entered the study. Respondents completed the User’s Needs, Requirements and Attitudes Questionnaire; items connected to cognitive and physical activity and social interventions were analyzed. Perceptions and attitudes were compared by gender and age groups (older adults ≥ 60 years old and younger adults 20–59). Women showed a more positive attitude towards robots than men and had a significantly higher perception of the role of the robots in reminding abo...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk ... more Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk of death. To compare clinical differences between older COVID-19 hospitalized survivors and non-survivors, we investigated variables influencing mortality in all older adults with COVID-19 hospitalized in Poznań, Poland, through the end of June 2020 (n = 322). In-hospital, post-discharge, and overall 180-day mortality were analyzed. Functional capacity prior to COVID-19 diagnosis was also documented. The mean age of subjects was 77.5 ± 10.0 years; among them, 191 were females. Ninety-five (29.5%) died during their hospitalization and an additional 30 (9.3%) during the post-discharge period (up to 180 days from the hospital admission). In our study, male sex, severe cognitive impairment, underlying heart disease, anemia, and elevated plasma levels of IL-6 were independently associated with greater mortality during hospitalization. During the overall 180-day observation period (from the ho...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
The older population is one of the most vulnerable to experience adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Ex... more The older population is one of the most vulnerable to experience adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Exploring different clinical features that may act as detrimental to this population’s survival is pivotal for recognizing the highest risk individuals for poor outcome. We thus aimed to characterize the clinical differences between 60-day survivors and non-survivors, as well as analyze variables influencing survival in the first older adults hospitalized in Poznan, Poland, with COVID-19. Symptoms, comorbidities, complications, laboratory results, and functional capacity regarding the first 50 older patients (≥60 years) hospitalized due to COVID-19 were retrospectively studied. Functional status before admission (dependent/independent) was determined based on medical history. The 60-day survivors (n = 30/50) and non-survivors (n = 20/50) were compared across clinical parameters. The patients had a mean age of 74.8 ± 9.4 years. Overall, 20/50 patients died during hospitalization, with no fu...
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2020
Background Populations are aging at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. There ha... more Background Populations are aging at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. There has been not only a decrease in the number of births and an increase in the percentage of older people, but also an increase in the number of people living alone. There is growing demand for specialist medical care and daily care with the number of people who can act as caregivers reducing. The use of assistive robots can, at least partially, solve these problems. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of future health care professionals (medical and nursing students) regarding the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. Methods The study was conducted with a group of 178 students from Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland (110 nursing students and 68 medical students), using the Users’ Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. Results The participants of this study believed that assistive robots should, first of all, remind old...
Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2018
The goal of the study was to investigate the patterns of needs in older individuals living in lon... more The goal of the study was to investigate the patterns of needs in older individuals living in long-term care institutions (LTCIs) using the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE) questionnaire, based on a previously published study protocol. Participants and methods: The study included 306 LTCI residents (age: 75years)withtheaMini−MentalStateExamination(MMSE)scoreofatleast10points.ThedependenceinbasicactivitiesofdailylivingwasmeasuredusingtheBarthelindex(BI).AscreeningfordepressionwasperformedusingtheGeriatricDepressionScale(GDS)insubjectswithanMMSEscoreof75 years) with the a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of at least 10 points. The dependence in basic activities of daily living was measured using the Barthel index (BI). A screening for depression was performed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) in subjects with an MMSE score of 75years)withtheaMini−MentalStateExamination(MMSE)scoreofatleast10points.ThedependenceinbasicactivitiesofdailylivingwasmeasuredusingtheBarthelindex(BI).AscreeningfordepressionwasperformedusingtheGeriatricDepressionScale(GDS)insubjectswithanMMSEscoreof15 points. Thereafter, CANE was used to analyze needs receiving adequate support (met needs) and those without appropriate interventions (unmet needs). Results: The mean age of studied individuals was 83.2±6.0 years. They had 10.4±3.2 met needs and 0.8±1.2 unmet needs. Unmet needs were reported most commonly in the following areas: company (15.9%), psychological distress (14.0%), intimate relationship (11.4%), eyesight/ hearing/communication (11.4%), and daytime activities (11.0%). The OR of having a large number of met needs (ie, above the median) was almost eight times higher in residents with a BI score of 0-49 points versus those with $80 points. The group between (with 50-79 points) had this parameter almost four times higher. The OR of having a large number of unmet needs depended neither on BI nor on GDS and was more than four times higher in the group of 10-19 MMSE points (ie, with symptoms of moderate dementia) versus subjects with 24-30 MMSE points (ie, without symptoms of dementia). Conclusion: We defined the target group with high probability of unmet needs and the areas in which resources and efforts should be concentrated. We believe that the results can be used to optimize care in LTCIs.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018
Background: The rapid development of new technologies has recently raised interest in the use of ... more Background: The rapid development of new technologies has recently raised interest in the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. The success or failure of robots’ implementation is mediated by their acceptance by users. The aim of the study was to answer the question of how both older people and caregivers perceive the possibility of using an assistive robot for nutritional support. Methods: Opinions of 252 respondents (126 older—aged 65 and above; 126 younger ones—aged below 65) from five European countries were collected using the Users’ Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. Results: The majority of participants positively assessed the possibility of using a robot to improve the diet of older people by giving advice on healthy eating or monitoring the amount of food consumed by the owner. An age-related difference was observed, as older people less frequently accepted the reminding of meal times or drinking liquids than younger participants. Four key cate...
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2019
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service... more This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights Bipolar patients with impaired glucose metabolism show a worse clinical picture compared to patients with normal glucose metabolic pattern. Less bipolar patients with impaired glucose metabolism had a good response to different mood stabilizers in monotherapy or in combination. Impaired glucose metabolism was a significant predictor of poor response to mood stabilizer treatments.
International journal of bipolar disorders, Jan 4, 2018
The world population is aging and the number of older adults with bipolar disorder is increasing.... more The world population is aging and the number of older adults with bipolar disorder is increasing. Digital technologies are viewed as a framework to improve care of older adults with bipolar disorder. This analysis quantifies Internet use by older adults with bipolar disorder as part of a larger survey project about information seeking. A paper-based survey about information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder was developed and translated into 12 languages. The survey was anonymous and completed between March 2014 and January 2016 by 1222 patients in 17 countries. All patients were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. General estimating equations were used to account for correlated data. Overall, 47% of older adults (age 60 years or older) used the Internet versus 87% of younger adults (less than 60 years). More education and having symptoms that interfered with regular activities increased the odds of using the Internet, while being age 60 years or older decreased the odds. Data from ...
Public health nutrition, Jan 12, 2018
The identification of determinants of dietary intake is an important prerequisite for the develop... more The identification of determinants of dietary intake is an important prerequisite for the development of interventions to improve diet. The present systematic literature review aimed to compile the current knowledge on individual functional determinants of dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Titles, abstracts and full texts were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were included when focusing on dietary intake as an outcome and on chemosensory, oral, cognitive or physical function as a determinant. Community. Older adults at least 65 years old without acute or specific chronic diseases. From initially 14 585 potentially relevant papers, thirty-six were included. For chemosensory, cognitive and physical function only a few papers were found, which reported inconsistent results regarding the relationship to dietary intake. In contrast, oral...
Nordic journal of psychiatry, Jan 11, 2017
Peer support is an established component of recovery from bipolar disorder, and online support gr... more Peer support is an established component of recovery from bipolar disorder, and online support groups may offer opportunities to expand the use of peer support at the patient's convenience. Prior research in bipolar disorder has reported value from online support groups. To understand the use of online support groups by patients with bipolar disorder as part of a larger project about information seeking. The results are based on a one-time, paper-based anonymous survey about information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder, which was translated into 12 languages. The survey was completed between March 2014 and January 2016 and included questions on the use of online support groups. All patients were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Analysis included descriptive statistics and general estimating equations to account for correlated data. The survey was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries. The patients used the Internet at a percentage similar to the general public. Of the ...
European Journal of Ageing, 2017
EASYCare Standard 2010 is a brief instrument identifying concerns in health, functional independe... more EASYCare Standard 2010 is a brief instrument identifying concerns in health, functional independence, and well-being, from older persons' perspective. It has not previously been validated for self-assessment. Our aim was to determine whether self-assessment (EC1) can give comparable results to an evaluation performed by professionals (EC2), for older people living at home. The study included community-dwelling individuals (aged at least 60 years, n = 100; 67 females) without dementia (abbreviated mental test score [AMTS] above 6). It comprised two assessments (self and professional), including summarising indexes: Independence score [IS], Risk of breakdown in care [RBC], Risk of falls [RF], performed within a period between 1 and 2 weeks. Additionally, during EC1, reference tests of physical and mental function (Barthel Index: 96.3 ± 6.5, Lawton scale: 6.7 ± 2.0, geriatric depression scale: 3.0 ± 2.7, AMTS: 10.2 ± 1.0) were applied to test for concurrent validity. Cohen's kappa values (self-assessment vs. professional assessment) across all EASYCare domains were high (0.89-0.95). Results of all summarising indexes derived from self-assessment correlated strongly with reference tests. No differences were found in IS and RBC between EC1 and EC2 (8.6 ± 12.0 vs. 9.0 ± 12.7 and 1.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.2 ± 1.4). Results of RF were higher in EC2 (1.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 1.4; p = 0.005), due to a different response to the item ''Do you feel safe outside your home?'' We conclude that selfassessment with EASYCare Standard in older people without severe functional impairment living at home can deliver valid results, similar to those obtained through professional assessment, thus providing an efficient system for assessment of relatively independent individuals.
International journal of bipolar disorders, 2016
Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a ... more Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a growing number of mental health websites, there is little understanding of how patients with bipolar disorder use the Internet to seek information. A 39 question, paper-based, anonymous survey, translated into 12 languages, was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries as a convenience sample between March 2014 and January 2016. All patients had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder from a psychiatrist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations to account for correlated data. 976 (81 % of 1212 valid responses) of the patients used the Internet, and of these 750 (77 %) looked for information on bipolar disorder. When looking online for information, 89 % used a computer rather than a smartphone, and 79 % started with a general search engine. The primary reasons for searching were drug side effects (51 %), to learn anonymously (43 %), and for help copin...
2nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Arts SGEM2015, 2015
In the wake of fast aging of populations the question is asked about the acceptance of robots by ... more In the wake of fast aging of populations the question is asked about the acceptance of robots by elderly individuals and their role in elderly's everyday life. The project ENRICHME-Enabling Robot and assisted living environment for Independent Care and Health Monitoring of the Elderly (which receives funding from the European Union H2020 Programme; Grant Agreement No: 643691C) employs a mobile service robot for long-term human monitoring and interaction, in order to optimise the independence of elderly individuals. For this reason, it is important to explore and assess the impact of such a system on the final users' life (elderly, caregivers, social reference group). Thus, the aim of the study was to develop a tool to collect opinions about the robotrelated requirements and check its usefulness. In this paper, we present the first results of the Users' Needs, Requirements and Abilities Questionnaire (UNRAQ). The tool was developed based on the literature review and ENRICHME researcher's expertise. Data collected by means of a creativity box-a part of the UNRAQ enabling the participants to express freely their ideas, worries, and critical opinions are presented. During the interviews pictures of the prototype of the robot were shown to the participants so as to provide them with a more realistic view of the robot concept. Data were collected in the countries involved in the ENRICHME project: France,
Sensors, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical condition between normal ageing and A... more Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical condition between normal ageing and Alz heimer disease (AD). Alzheimer disease is the most frequent reason for dementia; the probability of devel oping dementia is higher in elderly people with MCI than in the general population in a specified age group. Aim of the study: To assess whether the smell iden tification test can be an early marker of MCI and MCI conversion to AD. Literature on the subject was reviewed and sixteen studies were identified where the smell identification test has been used. Nine of them focused on the com parison of the smell identification test results between MCI patients and the control group. The other sev en papers reported on longitudinal studies, where the smell identification test has been evaluated as a marker of conversion from MCI to AD. Conclusions: The literature review confirms that the smell identification test can be useful in early detection of cognitive impairments, MCI diagno...
Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia, 2020
Sustainability, 2021
The rapid development of new technologies has caused interest in the use of socially assistive ro... more The rapid development of new technologies has caused interest in the use of socially assistive robots in the care of older people. These devices can be used not only to monitor states of health and assist in everyday activities but also to counteract the deterioration of cognitive functioning. The aim of the study was to investigate the attitudes and preferences of Polish respondents towards interventions aimed at the preservation/improvement of cognitive functions delivered by a socially assistive robot. A total of 166 individuals entered the study. Respondents completed the User’s Needs, Requirements and Attitudes Questionnaire; items connected to cognitive and physical activity and social interventions were analyzed. Perceptions and attitudes were compared by gender and age groups (older adults ≥ 60 years old and younger adults 20–59). Women showed a more positive attitude towards robots than men and had a significantly higher perception of the role of the robots in reminding abo...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk ... more Older adults are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 in terms of both disease severity and risk of death. To compare clinical differences between older COVID-19 hospitalized survivors and non-survivors, we investigated variables influencing mortality in all older adults with COVID-19 hospitalized in Poznań, Poland, through the end of June 2020 (n = 322). In-hospital, post-discharge, and overall 180-day mortality were analyzed. Functional capacity prior to COVID-19 diagnosis was also documented. The mean age of subjects was 77.5 ± 10.0 years; among them, 191 were females. Ninety-five (29.5%) died during their hospitalization and an additional 30 (9.3%) during the post-discharge period (up to 180 days from the hospital admission). In our study, male sex, severe cognitive impairment, underlying heart disease, anemia, and elevated plasma levels of IL-6 were independently associated with greater mortality during hospitalization. During the overall 180-day observation period (from the ho...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
The older population is one of the most vulnerable to experience adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Ex... more The older population is one of the most vulnerable to experience adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Exploring different clinical features that may act as detrimental to this population’s survival is pivotal for recognizing the highest risk individuals for poor outcome. We thus aimed to characterize the clinical differences between 60-day survivors and non-survivors, as well as analyze variables influencing survival in the first older adults hospitalized in Poznan, Poland, with COVID-19. Symptoms, comorbidities, complications, laboratory results, and functional capacity regarding the first 50 older patients (≥60 years) hospitalized due to COVID-19 were retrospectively studied. Functional status before admission (dependent/independent) was determined based on medical history. The 60-day survivors (n = 30/50) and non-survivors (n = 20/50) were compared across clinical parameters. The patients had a mean age of 74.8 ± 9.4 years. Overall, 20/50 patients died during hospitalization, with no fu...
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2020
Background Populations are aging at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. There ha... more Background Populations are aging at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. There has been not only a decrease in the number of births and an increase in the percentage of older people, but also an increase in the number of people living alone. There is growing demand for specialist medical care and daily care with the number of people who can act as caregivers reducing. The use of assistive robots can, at least partially, solve these problems. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of future health care professionals (medical and nursing students) regarding the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. Methods The study was conducted with a group of 178 students from Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland (110 nursing students and 68 medical students), using the Users’ Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. Results The participants of this study believed that assistive robots should, first of all, remind old...
Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2018
The goal of the study was to investigate the patterns of needs in older individuals living in lon... more The goal of the study was to investigate the patterns of needs in older individuals living in long-term care institutions (LTCIs) using the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE) questionnaire, based on a previously published study protocol. Participants and methods: The study included 306 LTCI residents (age: 75years)withtheaMini−MentalStateExamination(MMSE)scoreofatleast10points.ThedependenceinbasicactivitiesofdailylivingwasmeasuredusingtheBarthelindex(BI).AscreeningfordepressionwasperformedusingtheGeriatricDepressionScale(GDS)insubjectswithanMMSEscoreof75 years) with the a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of at least 10 points. The dependence in basic activities of daily living was measured using the Barthel index (BI). A screening for depression was performed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) in subjects with an MMSE score of 75years)withtheaMini−MentalStateExamination(MMSE)scoreofatleast10points.ThedependenceinbasicactivitiesofdailylivingwasmeasuredusingtheBarthelindex(BI).AscreeningfordepressionwasperformedusingtheGeriatricDepressionScale(GDS)insubjectswithanMMSEscoreof15 points. Thereafter, CANE was used to analyze needs receiving adequate support (met needs) and those without appropriate interventions (unmet needs). Results: The mean age of studied individuals was 83.2±6.0 years. They had 10.4±3.2 met needs and 0.8±1.2 unmet needs. Unmet needs were reported most commonly in the following areas: company (15.9%), psychological distress (14.0%), intimate relationship (11.4%), eyesight/ hearing/communication (11.4%), and daytime activities (11.0%). The OR of having a large number of met needs (ie, above the median) was almost eight times higher in residents with a BI score of 0-49 points versus those with $80 points. The group between (with 50-79 points) had this parameter almost four times higher. The OR of having a large number of unmet needs depended neither on BI nor on GDS and was more than four times higher in the group of 10-19 MMSE points (ie, with symptoms of moderate dementia) versus subjects with 24-30 MMSE points (ie, without symptoms of dementia). Conclusion: We defined the target group with high probability of unmet needs and the areas in which resources and efforts should be concentrated. We believe that the results can be used to optimize care in LTCIs.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2018
Background: The rapid development of new technologies has recently raised interest in the use of ... more Background: The rapid development of new technologies has recently raised interest in the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. The success or failure of robots’ implementation is mediated by their acceptance by users. The aim of the study was to answer the question of how both older people and caregivers perceive the possibility of using an assistive robot for nutritional support. Methods: Opinions of 252 respondents (126 older—aged 65 and above; 126 younger ones—aged below 65) from five European countries were collected using the Users’ Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. Results: The majority of participants positively assessed the possibility of using a robot to improve the diet of older people by giving advice on healthy eating or monitoring the amount of food consumed by the owner. An age-related difference was observed, as older people less frequently accepted the reminding of meal times or drinking liquids than younger participants. Four key cate...
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2019
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service... more This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights Bipolar patients with impaired glucose metabolism show a worse clinical picture compared to patients with normal glucose metabolic pattern. Less bipolar patients with impaired glucose metabolism had a good response to different mood stabilizers in monotherapy or in combination. Impaired glucose metabolism was a significant predictor of poor response to mood stabilizer treatments.
International journal of bipolar disorders, Jan 4, 2018
The world population is aging and the number of older adults with bipolar disorder is increasing.... more The world population is aging and the number of older adults with bipolar disorder is increasing. Digital technologies are viewed as a framework to improve care of older adults with bipolar disorder. This analysis quantifies Internet use by older adults with bipolar disorder as part of a larger survey project about information seeking. A paper-based survey about information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder was developed and translated into 12 languages. The survey was anonymous and completed between March 2014 and January 2016 by 1222 patients in 17 countries. All patients were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. General estimating equations were used to account for correlated data. Overall, 47% of older adults (age 60 years or older) used the Internet versus 87% of younger adults (less than 60 years). More education and having symptoms that interfered with regular activities increased the odds of using the Internet, while being age 60 years or older decreased the odds. Data from ...
Public health nutrition, Jan 12, 2018
The identification of determinants of dietary intake is an important prerequisite for the develop... more The identification of determinants of dietary intake is an important prerequisite for the development of interventions to improve diet. The present systematic literature review aimed to compile the current knowledge on individual functional determinants of dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Titles, abstracts and full texts were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were included when focusing on dietary intake as an outcome and on chemosensory, oral, cognitive or physical function as a determinant. Community. Older adults at least 65 years old without acute or specific chronic diseases. From initially 14 585 potentially relevant papers, thirty-six were included. For chemosensory, cognitive and physical function only a few papers were found, which reported inconsistent results regarding the relationship to dietary intake. In contrast, oral...
Nordic journal of psychiatry, Jan 11, 2017
Peer support is an established component of recovery from bipolar disorder, and online support gr... more Peer support is an established component of recovery from bipolar disorder, and online support groups may offer opportunities to expand the use of peer support at the patient's convenience. Prior research in bipolar disorder has reported value from online support groups. To understand the use of online support groups by patients with bipolar disorder as part of a larger project about information seeking. The results are based on a one-time, paper-based anonymous survey about information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder, which was translated into 12 languages. The survey was completed between March 2014 and January 2016 and included questions on the use of online support groups. All patients were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Analysis included descriptive statistics and general estimating equations to account for correlated data. The survey was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries. The patients used the Internet at a percentage similar to the general public. Of the ...
European Journal of Ageing, 2017
EASYCare Standard 2010 is a brief instrument identifying concerns in health, functional independe... more EASYCare Standard 2010 is a brief instrument identifying concerns in health, functional independence, and well-being, from older persons' perspective. It has not previously been validated for self-assessment. Our aim was to determine whether self-assessment (EC1) can give comparable results to an evaluation performed by professionals (EC2), for older people living at home. The study included community-dwelling individuals (aged at least 60 years, n = 100; 67 females) without dementia (abbreviated mental test score [AMTS] above 6). It comprised two assessments (self and professional), including summarising indexes: Independence score [IS], Risk of breakdown in care [RBC], Risk of falls [RF], performed within a period between 1 and 2 weeks. Additionally, during EC1, reference tests of physical and mental function (Barthel Index: 96.3 ± 6.5, Lawton scale: 6.7 ± 2.0, geriatric depression scale: 3.0 ± 2.7, AMTS: 10.2 ± 1.0) were applied to test for concurrent validity. Cohen's kappa values (self-assessment vs. professional assessment) across all EASYCare domains were high (0.89-0.95). Results of all summarising indexes derived from self-assessment correlated strongly with reference tests. No differences were found in IS and RBC between EC1 and EC2 (8.6 ± 12.0 vs. 9.0 ± 12.7 and 1.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.2 ± 1.4). Results of RF were higher in EC2 (1.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 1.4; p = 0.005), due to a different response to the item ''Do you feel safe outside your home?'' We conclude that selfassessment with EASYCare Standard in older people without severe functional impairment living at home can deliver valid results, similar to those obtained through professional assessment, thus providing an efficient system for assessment of relatively independent individuals.
International journal of bipolar disorders, 2016
Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a ... more Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a growing number of mental health websites, there is little understanding of how patients with bipolar disorder use the Internet to seek information. A 39 question, paper-based, anonymous survey, translated into 12 languages, was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries as a convenience sample between March 2014 and January 2016. All patients had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder from a psychiatrist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations to account for correlated data. 976 (81 % of 1212 valid responses) of the patients used the Internet, and of these 750 (77 %) looked for information on bipolar disorder. When looking online for information, 89 % used a computer rather than a smartphone, and 79 % started with a general search engine. The primary reasons for searching were drug side effects (51 %), to learn anonymously (43 %), and for help copin...