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Month Interviews (month + interview)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Tracking Inner City Substance Users from the Emergency Department: How Many Contacts Does It Take?

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2 2008
Rebecca Cunningham MD
Abstract Background:, Longitudinal studies of substance users report difficulty in locating and completing 12-month interviews, which may compromise study validity. Objectives:, This study examined rates and predictors of contact difficulty and in-person follow-up completion among patients presenting with cocaine-related chest pain to an inner-city emergency department (ED). The authors hypothesize that less staff effort in contacting patients and lower follow-up rates would bias subsequent substance use analysis by missing those with heavier substance misuse. Methods:, A total of 219 patients aged 19 to 60 years (65% males; 78% African American) with cocaine-related chest pain were interviewed in the ED and then in person at 3, 6, and 12 months. Demographics, substance use measures, and amount/type of research staff contacts (telephone, letters, home visits, and locating patient during return ED visits) were recorded. Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to predict quantity of patient contacts for the 12-month follow-up. Results:, Interview completion rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 78, 82, and 80%, respectively. Average contact attempts to obtain each interview were 10 at 3 months (range 3,44), 8 at 6 months (1,31), and 8 at 12 months (1,49); 13% of patients required a home visit to complete the 12-month interview. Participants requiring more contact attempts by staff were younger and reported more frequent binge drinking at baseline (p < 0.05), but were less likely to meet criteria for substance abuse or dependence (p < 0.5), or to report prior mental health treatment (p < 0.05). Comparisons of parallel regressions predicting contact difficulty based on the entire sample, the low-effort group, and the difficult-to-reach group showed variation in findings. Conclusions:, This study demonstrates that substantial staff effort is required to achieve adequate retention over 12 months of patients with substance misuse. Without these extensive efforts at follow-up, longitudinal analyses may be biased. [source]

A longitudinal study of mental health consumer/survivor initiatives: Part 3,A qualitative study of impacts of participation on new members

JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
Joanna Ochocka
This article examines the outcomes of participation in mental health Consumer/Survivor Initiatives (CSIs) and identifies helpful qualities of CSIs through a longitudinal, qualitative study that involved in-depth interviews of people who experienced severe mental health challenges in Ontario, Canada. We used a nonequivalent control group design in which we compared active participants in CSIs ( n = 15) with nonactive participants ( n = 12) at baseline and at 9- and 18-month follow-up intervals. Compared with non-CSI participants, CSI participants reported more stable mental health, enhanced social support, sustained work, stable income, and participation in education and training at 9- and 18-month interviews. The helpful qualities of CSIs that participants reported were (1) safe environments that provide a positive, welcoming place to go; (2) social arenas that provide opportunities to meet and talk with peers; (3) an alternative worldview that provides opportunities for members to participate and contribute; and (4) effective facilitators of community integration that provide opportunities to connect members to the community at large. The findings are discussed in terms of previous research in self-help and consumer-run organizations in mental health. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Family, demographic and illness-related determinants of HRQL in children with brain tumours in the first year after diagnosis,

PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 6 2009
Anthony Penn MBBCh, MRCPCH
Abstract Aims To evaluate the relationship between parent- and child-report Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) and demographic, tumour and family variables in children with a brain tumour in the first year after diagnosis and to identify determinants of HRQL at 12 months. Procedure Longitudinal prospective study: Semi-structured interviews took place approximately 1, 6 and 12 months after diagnosis. HRQL was measured using the self- and parent-report PedsQL 4.0 Total Scale Score. Tumour and treatment variables considered included tumour site and grade, hydrocephalus at diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Family variables included measures of family function, family support and family stress, the primary carer's coping strategies and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Univariate analyses were used at all three time points, and to identify potential early predictors of HRQL at 1 year. Regression analysis was then used to identify the most important determinants of HRQL at 1 year. Results Thirty-five patients completed the 12-month interviews. There were consistent significant negative correlations between concurrent family impact of illness and parent and self-report HRQL, and positive correlations between concurrent family support and parent-report HRQL. Treatment with radio- or chemotherapy correlated with child-report HRQL only at some time points. Multivariate analysis showed infratentorial tumour site, and poor HRQL at 1 month best predicted poor self- and parent-report HRQL at 12 months. Conclusion Children with infratentorial tumours and poor HRQL early after diagnosis tend to have poor HRQL at 1 year. While family factors are important modulators of concurrent HRQL, they do not appear important in predicting HRQL. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:1092,1099. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]