Yverdon Les Bains

Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus CKD-aP is a common and distressing itching condition affecting about 25% of patients undergoing hemodialysis in Switzerland, most experiencing moderate to severe symptoms. This condition negatively impacts sleep, quality of life, and survival. Researchers are investigating the effects of nurse-delivered hand massage on itch severity, health-related quality of life, and sleep compared to usual care in these patients using a mixed-methods study design.

Researchers are evaluating a brief Consultation-Liaison CL psychiatry intervention in primary care settings for patients with mental health problems who are under-treated. This mixed methods randomized controlled pilot study, conducted in French-speaking Switzerland, aims to assess the feasibility and practicability of a larger trial. The study focuses on enhancing collaboration between primary care physicians PCPs and psychiatrists to improve mental health care quality, particularly for patients newly reporting mental illness without ongoing psychiatric follow-up. The intervention involves a brief CL psychiatric consultation lasting up to two months within private primary care group practices. Patients in the intervention arm receive 1 to 4 psychiatric sessions organized promptly after referral by their PCP, followed by a joint feedback session with the PCP and psychiatrist. The control arm receives treatment as usual TAU managed by their PCP without psychiatric involvement. The pilot study enrolls 30 participants, randomized equally between intervention and control arms across three primary care sites. Participants complete baseline and follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months using validated self-report questionnaires measuring psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, and healthcare complexity. A subset of participants, PCPs, and psychiatrists also participate in semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences with the intervention and collaboration. Data collection includes demographic information, symptom scales PHQ-9, GAD-7, PHQ-15, quality of life WHOQOL-BREF, and healthcare system complexity INTERMED. The study evaluates the impact on psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, feasibility, and lived experiences over one year.

Researchers are studying Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder CPTSD in refugees and asylum seekers, a serious condition linked to prolonged or repeated trauma. The trial evaluates the effect of a culturally adapted version of the Enhanced Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation combined with Narrative Exposure Therapy ESTAIRNET on reducing CPTSD symptoms. This research addresses a gap as these treatments have not been tested in clinical trials among refugee populations, despite evidence suggesting trauma-focused therapies like Narrative Exposure Therapy may reduce symptoms effectively in this group. Participants receive treatment based on the ESTAIR manual, which includes 24 therapy sessions organized into four modules emotion regulation, negative self-concept, interpersonal relationships, and narrative exposure therapy. The narrative exposure therapy replaces modified prolonged exposure with a culturally adapted storytelling approach involving creating a lifeline of life events. The study uses a factorial design with multiple combinations of these modules, and participants are randomized to different module sequences. Treatments are tailored to sociocultural aspects relevant to refugees. Throughout the study, participants are assessed for changes in CPTSD symptoms over 8 months, along with secondary measures like depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, well-being, and dissociative symptoms. Diagnoses are made by local therapists using standard interviews and cultural addenda. The study monitors safety and treatment progress, aiming to improve understanding of effective therapies for CPTSD in displaced populations. Participation extends until the primary outcome is measured at 8 months post-treatment.