Publications
The use of electronic Patient Reported Outcomes in follow-up after palliative radiotherapy: A survey study in Belgium. KU Leuven
OBJECTIVE: Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs) could be used to monitor patients' symptoms after treatment. However, ePROM implementation in clinical practice has been challenging, especially in (palliative) radiation oncology. The aim of this study was to explore the opinions of healthcare providers (HCP) active in radiation oncology in Belgium on the use of ePROMs for symptom follow-up after palliative radiotherapy. METHODS: ...
Implementing a complex mental health intervention in occupational settings: process evaluation of the MENTUPP pilot study KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: According to the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, the theorisation of how multilevel, multicomponent interventions work and the understanding of their interaction with their implementation context are necessary to be able to evaluate them beyond their complexity. More research is needed to provide good examples following this approach in order to produce evidence-based information on implementation practices. OBJECTIVES: ...
Acoustic Stimulation as A Promising Technique to Enhance Slow-Wave Sleep in Alzheimer’s Disease: Results of a Pilot Study KU Leuven
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep disturbances are common in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a reduction in slow-wave activity is the most striking underlying change. Acoustic stimulation has emerged as a promising approach to enhance slow-wave activity in healthy adults and people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. In this phase 1 study we investigated, for the first time, the feasibility of acoustic stimulation in AD and piloted the ...
The prevalence of non‑pharmacological interventions in older homecare recipients: an overview from six European countries KU Leuven
Purpose Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) play an important role in the management of older people receiving homecare. However, little is known about how often specifc NPIs are being used and to what extent usage varies between countries. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of NPIs in older homecare recipients in six European countries. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of older homecare recipients (65+) ...
Implementation and evaluation of a multi-level mental health promotion intervention for the workplace (MENTUPP): study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: Well-organised and managed workplaces can be a source of wellbeing. The construction, healthcare and information and communication technology sectors are characterised by work-related stressors (e.g. high workloads, tight deadlines) which are associated with poorer mental health and wellbeing. The MENTUPP intervention is a flexibly delivered, multi-level approach to supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in creating ...
The willingness and barriers to collaborate in the care of frail older adults: perspectives of primary care professionals KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: This study investigated the perspectives of primary care professionals, in particular general practitioners, registered nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, on inter-professional collaboration, the barriers and the facilitators they perceive in the care of the frail older population. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study. In-depth interviews with healthcare professionals were performed, using open-ended questions ...
Feasibility, acceptability and potential helpfulness of the PROACTIVE intervention in Flanders, Belgium: A survey study KU Leuven
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a Flemish adaptation of the New York University Caregiver Intervention (i.e., PROACTIVE intervention) modifying the recruitment and intervention content for informal caregivers of people with early cognitive decline, and across different subgroups. A feasibility study is necessary in order to reduce research waste for intervention adaptation and evaluation. METHODS: ...
International Delphi study to optimize the oral health section in interRAI KU Leuven
Introduction: The oral health (OH) of care-dependent older people is generally poor. Since caregivers are mainly responsible for older people's daily care, they can be considered important intermediaries to improve their OH by performing regular OH assessments. The interRAI instruments are introduced in 37 countries to assess care needs and facilitate care planning across different health care settings. The oral health section (OHS) within the ...