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Psychosocial Implications (psychosocial + implication)
Selected AbstractsSocial support in women with fibromyalgia: Is quality more important than quantity?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Heather M. Franks The present study is an examination of the effects of quality and quantity of social support on the psychological and physical well-being of women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Participants were 568 women who were members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) with a confirmed diagnosis of FMS. Participants were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing their psychological and physical well-being. Measures of depression, self-efficacy, helplessness, mood disturbance, health status, impact of FMS, and social support were included. Regression analyses indicated that larger social support networks were associated with greater levels of self-efficacy for pain and symptom management, while the perceived quality of social support was associated with lower levels of depression, helplessness, mood disturbance, impact of FMS, higher levels of self-efficacy for function and symptom management, as well as overall psychological well-being. These findings indicate that the quality of social support is more important than quantity in determining outcomes in women with FMS. Thus, the quality of social support has important financial and psychosocial implications for the individual and for the community as a whole. Future research should examine longitudinal changes in quality of social support and the corresponding changes in health status and psychological well-being, as well as the effects of integrating manipulations designed to affect the quality of social support into community interventions designed to enhance the well-being of women with FMS. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 425,438, 2004. [source] A service evaluation to determine the effectiveness of current dietary advice in treating human immunodeficiency virus-associated weight loss and to highlight potential service improvementsJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2008C.A. Hunt Background:, Weight loss and muscle wasting are experienced by many patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Grinspoon et al., 2003). Malnutrition is an important predicator of morbidity and mortality; people who are malnourished who received antiretroviral treatment are six times more likely to die than those who are adequately nourished (Paton et al., 2006). The physical manifestations of muscle wasting can have significant psychosocial implications for HIV patients (Power et al., 2003; Sattler, 2003). The aim of this study to evaluate provision of dietetic care to patients referred for acute weight loss advice and identify areas for potential service improvement. Methods:, The data were gathered from the departmental dietetic activity statistics in 2007, diagnosis code ,HIV , acute weight loss'. Fifty-nine cards were located and baseline weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were recorded (two female, 57 male). Qualitative data on dietetic intervention were extracted from record cards , little and often eating approach, food fortification (FF), high energy high protein oral nutritional supplement (ONS) prescribed. Data were collected on body image, exercise and weight at follow-up visits during 2007. Results:, Forty-three percent of the patients referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss' were lost to follow-up. Forty-seven percent of the remaining patients had a BMI <20 kg m,2. Following their initial dietetic intervention, 81% of these patients had gained weight at the first follow-up. All had received nutritional counselling on little and often eating approach and FF; 75% had ONS prescribed. Average weight gain with nutritional counselling alone was 1.3 kg (2.1 kg) and for nutritional counselling plus supplementation was 2.1 kg (1.8 kg). This represented 2.5% (4.1%) and 3.9% (3.4%) weight gain, respectively. Discussion:, This evaluation has highlighted that patient follow-up frequency is an area for service improvement. Fifty-three per cent of patients (excluding those lost to follow up) had a BMI ,20 kg m,2 and were inaccurately recorded in the statistics as being referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss'. Fifty-two percent of these patients reported lipodystrophy and body image concerns, similar to findings of other studies. Fifty-six percent reported weight improvements following dietetic consultation. Body image is a frequent referral trigger, therefore improvements should be made to identify and treat patients with body shape issues. Conclusions:, Dietitians are effective at achieving weight gain in HIV positive patients with a BMI <20 kg m,2 using nutritional counselling methods with or without oral nutritional supplementation; these patients experienced a 3.3% weight gain. Strategies need to be implemented to reduce the number of patients lost to follow-up, as weight loss is a key morbidity and mortality indicator in HIV. References, Grinspoon, S. & Mulligan, K. (2003) Weight loss and wasting in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 69,78. Nerad, J., Romeyn, M., Silverman, E., Allen-Reid, J., Dieterich, D., Merchant, J., Pelletier, V., Tinnerello, D. & Fenton, M. (2003) General nutritional management in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 52,62. Ockenga, J., Grimble, R., Jonkers-Schuitema, C., Macallan, D., Melchior, J.C., Sauerwein, H.P., Schwenk, A. & Suttmann, U. (2006) ESPEN guidelines on enteral nutrition: wasting in HIV and other chronic infectious diseases. Clin. Nutr.25, 319,329. Paton, N.I., Sangeetha, S., Earnest, A. & Bellamy, R. (2006) The impact of malnutrition on survival and the CD4 count response in HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy. HIV Med.7, 232,330. Power, R., Tate, H.L., McGill, S.M. & Taylor, C. (2003) A qualitative study of the psychosocial implications of lipodystrophy syndrome on HIV positive individuals. Sex. Transm. Infect.79, 137,141. Sattler, F. (2003) Body habitus changes related to lipodystrophy. Clin. Infect. Dis36 (Suppl. 2): 84,90. [source] The health-related quality of life of childhood epilepsy syndromesJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 9 2003M Sabaz Objective: There is increasing awareness of the importance of assessing physical, psychological, social and behavioural well-being in chronic disease. The aim of this study was to examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with common epilepsy syndromes and to explore if there are HRQoL differences between those syndromes. Methods: Each child had their epilepsy syndrome defined according to the International League Against Epilepsy classification. Epilepsy syndromes included symptomatic frontal, temporal, parietal/occipital lobe and partial unlocalized epilepsy, and two idiopathic epilepsies, childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) and benign rolandic epilepsy (BRE). Seizure semiology and ictal/interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) were determined for symptomatic partial epilepsy syndromes by video-EEG monitoring. HRQoL was evaluated with an epilepsy-specific instrument, the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire, and two generic instruments, the Child Health Questionnaire and Child Behavior Checklist. Results: Children with symptomatic partial epilepsy syndromes were affected by epilepsy in a similar way and did not have unique HRQoL profiles. However, these children had significantly lower HRQoL scores compared to those with CAE or BRE. All children with epilepsy regardless of syndrome had a higher frequency of behavioural problems compared to normative data. Conclusion: These results indicate that children with epilepsy regardless of syndrome require evaluation of the psychosocial implications. There is a greater impact on HRQoL in symptomatic epilepsy compared to idiopathic epilepsy. Specific symptomatic partial syndromes did not differ in the degree they affect HRQoL. These findings have important implications for clinicians caring for children with epilepsy. [source] Multidisciplinary Teaming to Promote Effective Management of Type 1 Diabetes for AdolescentsJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 6 2001MaryAnn Tapper Strawhacker BSN, RN Special Education Nursing Consultant ABSTRACT: Intensive diabetes therapy can reduce the long-term microvascular complications of Type 1 diabetes and improve glucose control. Managing the demands of intensive therapy however, often poses a burden on adolescents and their families. Through multidisciplinary teaming, the school health office can facilitate active participation in treatment, coordinate services, and maximize use of community resources. This paper presents a general overview of intensive diabetes therapy, psychosocial implications of chronic illness in adolescence, effects of chronic illness on the family, and behavior change strategies to improve adherence with disease management guidelines. [source] Knowledge and educational needs of individuals with the factor V Leiden mutationJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 11 2003E. A. Hellmann Summary.,Background:,Genetic testing for factor (F)V Leiden is widely performed in an effort to prevent thrombosis-related morbidity. The implications of a positive test for patients' health perception and the extent of patients' understanding of results are not known. Objectives:,This study examined patient experience of genetic testing for FV Leiden. Patients and methods:,The study was a cross-sectional, mailed survey of 110 patients who tested positive for the FV Leiden gene mutation at an academic medical center between 1995 and 2001. Patient knowledge about FV Leiden, satisfaction with available information, and psychosocial reactions to testing were assessed and the influence of demographic and clinical characteristics on outcome measured. Results:,The magnitude of thrombosis risk associated with FV Leiden was incorrectly estimated by 79% of participants. Many patients (64%) stated that they had not been given much information about FV Leiden and 68% still had many questions. Most patients (53%) felt that their healthcare providers do not understand FV Leiden. Patients who had been seen by a hematologist or in a specialized thrombosis clinic were more knowledgeable and had less information need. Most patients (88%) were glad to know genetic test results, despite negative psychosocial implications such as increased worry (43%). Conclusions:,Knowledge of genetic status increases awareness of thrombosis risk among patients, but magnitude of risk is often overestimated. Affected individuals indicate that there is a lack of available information about FV Leiden and that additional educational resources are needed. [source] |