Nursing

This cross-sectional study examined cognitive subtypes and influential factors in HIV-positive (HIV+) adults. Two-step cluster analysis was conducted on a neurocognitive test battery in a sample (N = 78) of adults and older adults with HIV (M age = 46.1). Next, cognitive, functional, and mental and physical health differences were compared between the HIV+ clusters and an HIV- reference group (N = 84; M age = 47.9). A two-cluster solution emerged, with a lower performing cluster exhibiting poorer performance across all domains except psychomotor speed, and a "normal" cluster displaying similar performance as the HIV- group. The most influential factors to classification in the lower performing cluster were older age and presence of stroke and hypertension. There were trends for longer duration of HIV-infection, higher unemployment rates, and greater prevalence of Hepatitis C co-infection in the lower performing cluster. These findings suggest that there are not unique cogn...

Multilevel models assessed the effects of cognitive speed of processing training (SPT) on older adults' self-reported driving using intention-to-treat (ITT, randomization to training or control conditions) and dosage (treatment-received via number of training sessions) analyses across 5 years. Participants randomized to SPT (n = 598) were compared with those randomized to either the no-contact control (n = 598) or memory training, which served as an active control (n = 610). Driving mobility (frequency, exposure, and space) was assessed over time. No significant effects were found within the ITT analyses. However, number of SPT sessions did affect driving mobility outcomes. In the full sample (N = 1,806), higher SPT doses were associated with maintained driving frequency as compared with both control groups, but no effects were found for driving exposure or space. Subsample analyses (n = 315) revealed that persons at-risk for mobility declines (i.e., poor initial processing spee...

To examine relationships among heart failure (HF) physical symptoms, social support, social problem-solving, depressive symptoms, and self-care behaviors in outpatients with HF. Cross-sectional data were collected from 201 outpatients. Structural equation modeling was used in this preliminary analysis to examine the relationships among the study variables. HF physical symptoms and social support were predictors of depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors. Social problem-solving also predicted self-care behaviors. Social support mediated the relationship between HF physical symptoms and depressive symptoms. Social support may influence depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors, whereas social problem-solving may impact self-care behaviors. Future research should examine causality and sub-components of social problem-solving on these outcome variables.