Tag: Academic research

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Family psychoeducation to support patients with psychotic illness: two-year outcomes from a pre–post longitudinal pilot study

BackgroundPsychoeducation for families of young adults with psychosis is an evidence-based intervention that alleviates carer burden. The implementation of programming is limited, leaving family carers shouldering a heavy burden without appropriate support.ObjectiveThis pre-post longitudinal pilot study evaluated the preliminary outcomes of a psychoeducational group intervention for family carers of young adults with psychosis, aimed at building skills and reducing carer burden to support recovery in their loved ones.MethodsThe intervention, co-developed and co-facilitated by healthcare professionals and individuals with family lived experience, was delivered in Edmonton, Canada. Participants (n= 13) completed the Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS) at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 6, 12, and 24-month follow-up. Linear mixed models assessed burden scores over time.ResultsThe overall model of total burden did not reach statistical significance. Exploratory post-hoc comparisons indicated a significant total burden reduction from pre-intervention to 6-months (p = 0.032), with no other significant changes. The overall family interaction burden subscale model showed no significant effect of time. Exploratory post-hoc analyses indicated a decrease in family interaction burden from pre- to post-intervention (p = 0.026) and to 6- months (p = 0.032), with no other significant changes.ConclusionThis pilot study provides preliminary and hypothesis-generating findings suggesting a co-produced, skills- and knowledge-based psychoeducational intervention may be associated with reductions in carer burden, particularly in the domain of family relations. Given the small sample size, further research with sufficient statistical power is warranted to evaluate the long-term impact and accessibility of the intervention and inform its integration into early psychosis care.
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PSA screening for prostate cancer reduces disease-specific deaths, new review shows

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing is likely to reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer, found a new review published on Thursday by an influential international science research organization — a shift in medical evidence that could encourage wider use. 

The Cochrane review’s first author, Juan Franco from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf in Germany, said at a press conference that they have “moderate certainty” that the screening test, which identifies high levels of PSA as a potential marker of prostate cancer, leads to a reduction in disease-specific deaths. The benefits are marginal: the review analyzed results from six trials involving 800,000 participants conducted in Europe and North America, and found about two fewer prostate cancer deaths for every 1,000 men screened. 

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[Comment] From policy to practice: implementing China’s measures to strengthen student mental health

In October 2025, China’s Ministry of Education issued ten national measures to strengthen mental health work in primary and secondary schools.1 These measures target major school-linked stressors such as academic pressure, physical activity, sleep, and internet use, and they call for whole-staff responsibility and cross-department collaboration. The policy signals a shift from episodic crisis response towards a public mental health agenda spanning prevention, early identification, supportive school environments, and referral pathways.

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Role of Technology Acceptance in the Telerehabilitation of Patients With Metabolic Syndrome: Longitudinal Study

<strong>Background:</strong> The advent of telerehabilitation has created new opportunities for the care of patients with metabolic syndrome. In distant rehabilitation, technology acceptance is particularly important because home-based projects are based on digital devices, and many patients are less familiar with their use. <strong>Objective:</strong> Our aim was to explore technology acceptance among patients undergoing a 3-month complex, telemedicine-supported metabolic rehabilitation. We were curious to see how different factors influence the intention to use rehabilitation technologies and how this changes through the telerehabilitation process. <strong>Methods:</strong> Participants were selected from patients in the metabolic telerehabilitation program at the university. Our model was based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2, which we supplemented with various other constructs. A paper-pencil questionnaire survey was administered on the last day of the preparatory week of the rehabilitation program (T1, n=145) and at the follow-up visit after the closing (T2, n=139). We used structural equation modeling with the least squares method to explore the relationships between model variables. Respondent segments were also identified by performing a hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward’s method. <strong>Results:</strong> Facilitating conditions (FC) have the greatest impact (0.366) on the behavioral intention (BI) to use technology. Effort expectancy has no direct effect on BI; it operates only through performance expectancy (PE), which may be because, in telerehabilitation settings, patients are more goal-driven than experience-driven. The analyses of the T2 data show that the direct impact of social influence on BI has disappeared by the end of the rehabilitation process. This can be explained by the fact that during device use, it becomes clear that the devices are secure and the data are safe, making this factor implicit in the patient’s behavior. Only 2 constructs appeared in both the T1 and T2 models: PE and FC. By comparing the 2 datasets, we have provided empirical support for an old hypothesis: the experience of using the tool for a time has led to a significant reduction in the impact of FC and a corresponding increase in the dominance of PE, which has “absorbed” the impact of some other constructs. Based on respondents’ attitudes, we found 3 clusters. The telerehabilitation program itself has a significant impact on patients’ BI, as the relative share of “enthusiastic users” (73/145, 50.3%) increased by about 20%, while the share of “distrustful reluctants” (25/145, 17.2%) decreased to a quarter by the end of the program. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> This behavior-based functional approach enables treatments to be tailored to actual technology-use demands rather than to presumptive societal features. This means that before beginning rehabilitation, attempts should be undertaken to identify patients’ clusters in clinical practice, and rehabilitation should be planned according to the individual’s attitude toward technology.
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An Augmented Reality Audio-Motor Training Game for Improving Speech-in-Noise Perception: Single-Arm Pilot Feasibility Study

Background: Difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments is a primary challenge of hearing impairment, inadequately addressed by hearing aids alone. While auditory training can enhance selective attention and speech perception, current digital programs face poor user adherence and lack realistic 3D spatial audio. Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, usability, and preliminary efficacy of ARIA (Augmented Reality Immersive Auditory training), a handheld mobile intervention that provides gamified at-home auditory training to middle-aged adults via earbud-delivered spatial audio. Methods: In this single-arm, pre-post–follow-up pilot study, 11 adults (mean age 53.0, SD 3.0 y) with functional hearing not requiring amplification completed a 4-week at-home training program using ARIA on provided devices (iPhone 14 Pro, AirPods Pro 2). Speech-in-noise perception was assessed via the Korean Matrix Sentence Test at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks at 3 signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs; 0 dB, −6 dB, and −9 dB, respectively). Feasibility, usability (System Usability Scale), user experience (Player Experience of Need Satisfaction), in-game performance, and qualitative feedback were collected. Results: Protocol completion was 100% (11/11), demonstrating technical feasibility. Exploratory efficacy analyses revealed statistically significant speech-in-noise improvements posttraining across all conditions (0 dB: =3.43, =.02; −6 dB: =5.34, <.001; −9 dB: =4.34=.004). Gains were maintained at the 8-week follow-up. In-game localization improvements correlated significantly with speech perception gains at −6 dB SNR (ρ=0.639; =.03) and −9 dB SNR (ρ=0.612; =.045). User experience showed mixed results: the mean System Usability Scale score was 70.2 (SD 19.6; range 47.5‐92.5), reflecting substantial individual differences in usability perception. While 72% (n=8) reported difficulties with the augmented reality (AR) environmental setup, 63% reported genuine mastery-driven engagement with core gameplay. Thematic analysis revealed a dissociation between peripheral usability challenges (setup friction, “homework” characterization due to protocol structure) and successful engagement with the training paradigm itself. Conclusions: This pilot demonstrated the feasibility of AR-based audio-motor training for at-home delivery and revealed encouraging preliminary efficacy signals, warranting progression to controlled efficacy trials. Formative findings identified specific usability refinements needed for broader implementation, particularly streamlining AR setup while preserving the core gameplay elements that successfully fostered competence and engagement. These insights provide clear guidance for platform optimization and randomized controlled trial design.
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HIV and Substance Use Reduction for Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Development and Usability Study

Background: Youth experiencing homelessness face heightened vulnerability to HIV infection and substance use due to complex structural, psychosocial, and behavioral factors. Despite increased mobile phone access among youth experiencing homelessness, few mobile health interventions have been tailored to their unique needs, and even fewer have applied behavioral theory to inform message development. Objective: This study aimed to develop and refine theory-driven, tailored HIV prevention and substance use reduction messages for use in a just-in-time adaptive intervention app, MY-RIDE (Motivating Youth to Reduce Infections, Disconnections, and Emotional dysregulation), designed for youth experiencing homelessness aged 18 to 25 years. Methods: This study was conducted in 4 phases: prevention messages were developed and pilot-tested in 2018 (phase 1), revised and expanded using the experience and expertise of content experts and the study team (phase 2), reviewed for relevance and acceptability by youth experiencing homelessness in 2024 (phase 3), and supplemented with messages generated using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool (phase 4). Results: Phase 1 resulted in the development of 386 intervention messages across 7 content categories: sex urge, drug and alcohol urge, stress, drug use, recent sexual activity, recent sexual assault, and general motivational messages. During phase 2, the study team expanded the message library to 888 messages across 10 categories. During phase 3, the youth working group liked 93% (803/864) of messages reviewed, which were categorized as acceptable for the intervention. Disliked messages were discarded and replaced with messages generated by an AI tool in phase 4. Conclusions: The finalized set of intervention messages was integrated into the MY-RIDE app to support personalized, real-time intervention delivery. Codeveloping messages with youth experiencing homelessness and leveraging AI tools proved feasible and effective for tailoring HIV prevention and substance use content. This approach supports scalable mobile health interventions for marginalized populations and informs future efforts to design engaging, theory-based digital health strategies. A randomized controlled trial of the MY-RIDE intervention is underway. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06074354; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06074354
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Methodological Framework for the Design and Implementation of a US Latine-Hispanic Digital Brain Health Program: User-Centered Design Approach

Background: US Latine and Hispanic communities face a 1.5 times greater risk of developing Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD) with limited access to culturally and linguistically congruent primary prevention education. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the digital divide, highlighting a need to focus on alternative digital methods for delivering brain health and ADRD primary prevention education. Social media emerged as a promising tool. Objective: The objective of this paper is two-fold. We first describe the development and pilot study of our social media–based Latine-Hispanic Digital Brain Health Program guided by evidence-based frameworks in ADRD. We then present the quantitative and qualitative results from the first 14 months of the program (October 2023-December 2024). Methods: We used human-centered design to develop the Digital Alzheimer Health Education Model, which was implemented via 3 social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Our bilingual and bicultural team implemented the model by creating and disseminating tailored educational content in English and Spanish for the resulting Latine-Hispanic Digital Brain Health Program, emphasizing consistency and rapport, storytelling, cultural relevance, linguistic inclusivity, and visual representation. A mixed methods analysis (descriptive statistics and sentiment analysis) was conducted using social media data analytics and users’ comments to guide program evaluation and refinement. Results: From October 2023 to December 2024, we retained 857 followers across our social media platforms (Instagram: n=534; Facebook: n=124; and X: n=199). Growth in follows, consistent reach and engagement, and positive sentiment were observed on Facebook and Instagram. X was not included in the analysis due to data access limitations. Conclusions: The development and pilot study of the Latine-Hispanic Digital Brain Health Program have demonstrated potential in leveraging social media to disseminate brain health and ADRD prevention education to the US Latine and Hispanic communities in English and Spanish. Our preliminary findings demonstrate that culturally and linguistically congruent social media–based approaches hold potential to improve engagement with brain health and ADRD primary prevention education among US Latine and Hispanic populations.
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