Background: Caregiver depression and burden have a detrimental effect on stroke survivors’ rehabilitation and are contributors to stroke survivors’ hospital readmission and institutionalization. The stroke caregiving trajectory is unique compared to other illnesses, and the effect of length of caregiving on stroke caregiver outcomes is poorly understood. Interventions can improve caregiver outcomes, but the optimal timing of these interventions is unclear. Objectives: We sought to determine the relationship between: (1) length of caregiving and stroke caregiver depressive symptoms and burden, and (2) length of caregiving and amount of change in depressive symptoms and burden following the Resources and Education for Stroke Caregivers’ Understanding and Empowerment (RESCUE) intervention – an online and telephone problem-solving, education, and support intervention. Methods: We analyzed retrospective data collected from 72 stroke caregivers who participated in the RESCUE intervention. Outcomes were caregiver depressive symptoms and burden. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Baseline depressive symptoms and burden were both negatively related to length of caregiving (p < 0.05). We found significant improvement in caregiver depressive symptoms and burden following an intervention. The interaction between changes in outcomes and length of caregiving was not significant for either depressive symptoms (p = 0.26) or burden (p = 0.10). Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between length of caregiving and depression, burden, and intervention outcomes. Clinicians should recognize that the stroke caregiving trajectory can be nonlinear. Routine and repeated clinical assessment of caregiver well-being is needed, along with implementation of interventions when necessary, regardless of how much time has passed since the stroke.

Objective: Disparities in adult patient portal adoption are well-documented; however, less is known about disparities in portal adoption in pediatrics. This study examines the prevalence and factors associated with patient portal activation and the use of specific portal features in general pediatrics. Materials and methods: We analyzed electronic health record data from 2012 to 2020 in a large academic medical center that offers both parent and adolescent portals. We summarized portal activation and use of select portal features (messaging, records access and management, appointment management, visit/admissions summaries, and interactive feature use). We used logistic regression to model factors associated with patient portal activation among all patients along with feature use and frequent feature use among ever users (ie, ≥1 portal use). Results: Among 52 713 unique patients, 39% had activated the patient portal, including 36% of patients aged 0–11, 41% of patients aged 12–17, and 62% of patients aged 18–21 years. Among activated accounts, ever use of specific features ranged from 28% for visit/admission summaries to 92% for records access and management. Adjusted analyses showed patients with activated accounts were more likely to be adolescents or young adults, white, female, privately insured, and less socioeconomically vulnerable. Individual feature use among ever users generally followed the same pattern. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that important disparities persist in portal adoption in pediatric populations, highlighting the need for strategies to promote equitable access to patient portals.

Assess the feasibility and acceptability of an Internet and telephone support and problem-solving intervention for stroke caregivers. Randomized controlled pilot trial with four arms: four-week intervention (n = 13), eight-week intervention (n = 13), eight-week attention control (n = 13), and standard care (n = 14). Southeastern U.S. Veterans Health System. Informal caregivers of Veterans who suffered a stroke in the preceding 2.5 years were enrolled over an 18-month period. Intervention participants received RESCUE, a support and problem-solving intervention delivered via telephone and Internet by registered nurses. Attention control participants received active listening with no advice delivered by nurses via telephone. Feasibility of a larger trial was assessed via recruitment and retention. Acceptability was assessed using an adapted enactment tool and qualitative interviews. Changes in caregiver depressive symptoms and burden were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and Zarit Burden Interview. The study was not powered for significance testing. Of 340 eligible caregivers, 53 (16%) agreed to participate. Among those enrolled, 51 (96%) completed the study. Caregiver mean age was 60.3 (10.1), 49 (93%) were female and 36 (68%) were white. At baseline, 21 (39%) caregivers had high risk of depression and 18 (33%) had significant burden. Acceptability and enactment tool findings indicated positive participant responses to the intervention. Most rated the amount of sessions the “right amount”. Qualitative analysis revealed the intervention was valued by and acceptable to caregivers. Findings indicate the RESCUE intervention is feasible and acceptable to caregivers and warrants further testing.

Introduction: Primary care visits present an opportunity to reduce tobacco use and tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) among adolescents. To date, few studies have examined tobacco-related electronic health record (EHR) documentation in adolescent visits. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe tobacco-related EHR documentation practices in adolescent care clinics, including whether alternative tobacco products, parental use, and TSE were addressed; and (2) identify aspects of adolescent tobacco use that may inform EHR updates and counseling and documentation practices. Methods: Following a convergent mixed-methods design, we conducted an EHR review of 508 adolescent well-child visits, performed focus groups with pediatric providers and staff, and conducted in-depth interviews with adolescent patients. Record review data and interview transcripts were analyzed and interpreted concurrently. Results: In the EHR review, cigarette screening was documented in 92.3% of visits, smokeless tobacco screening in 51.4%, parental tobacco use in 23.2%, and home TSE in 33.1% of visits. Smoking status options were not mutually exclusive and did not include noncigarette products. No records documented assessment of e-cigarette use, despite nearly half of adolescent interview respondents citing these as the most popular products among adolescents. In interviews, adolescents discussed their experiences with alternative tobacco/nicotine products more than cigarettes. Conclusions: Tobacco use status prompts should be revised for clarity and include noncigarette tobacco products and TSE. Provider education on noncigarette products and TSE assessment is needed. Improvements in EHR systems, resources, and tools can lead to better tobacco screening, prevention, and treatment practices among primary care providers. Implications: Clinical guidelines call for pediatricians to assess and treat adolescent and parental tobacco use during primary care visits. The use of electronic health records (EHRs) can improve screening and counseling practices; however, few studies have examined tobacco-related EHR documentation practices in adolescent care settings. This mixed-methods study found low rates of EHR documentation related to noncigarette nicotine/tobacco products, parental tobacco use, and tobacco smoke exposure. These results demonstrate the need for increased provider training and EHR modifications to facilitate comprehensive tobacco control efforts in the adolescent population.