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Verbal Information (verbal + information)
Selected AbstractsAn audit of the value of patch testing and its effect on quality of lifeCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2003P. N. Woo We have assessed the value of patch testing from the patient's perspective and examined the impact of patch testing on their quality of life (QoL). 140 patients were recruited over 5 months. 2 questionnaires were designed to investigate the patient's views on patch testing. The 1st questionnaire was completed at the final visit to the clinic and the 2nd was posted 6 weeks later. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire was completed on both occasions. There was a significant improvement of the DLQI score in all patch-tested subjects (P = 0·003). Patients with involvement of the trunk had worse QoL. At the 4-day visit, 77 patients (55%) expressed the opinion that patch testing had been helpful. 6 weeks later, 71 patients replied. 47 patients were diagnosed as having allergic contact dermatitis: 87% of them found that patch testing had been useful, 91% were able to avoid the allergen(s) and 57% reported improvement/clearing in their skin condition. 58% of the 24 patients with negative results also found that patch testing had been beneficial. Overall, patient perception was that they understood verbal information (92%) better than written information (76%). Patch testing is beneficial to patients, leading to improved QoL. Patient perception was that they understood verbal advice better than written information. [source] Use of mouthguards by basketball players in Victoria, AustraliaDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Helen Cornwell Abstract ,,,Basketball is a popular sport in Australia. Although orofacial injuries are common, mouthguard (MG) wear in basketball appears to be low. The purposes of this study were: to measure mouthguard wear by basketball players before and after a promotional intervention; to assess players' knowledge of the value of mouthguards for prevention of injury; and to describe their experience of orofacial injury. Two questionnaires (baseline and follow-up) were administered to a convenience sample of 496 basketball players in Victoria, Australia. Players recruited were youths (12,15-year olds, n = 208) and adults (18 years and over, n = 288), from all basketball levels (social to elite). Completion of the baseline questionnaire was followed immediately by an intervention comprising written and verbal information, a mouthguard blank and instructions on mouthguard construction. The follow-up questionnaire was mailed to all respondents 10,12 weeks later; 135 youths (65%) and 157 adults (54%) completed this. Mouthguard wear at baseline was low but was more frequent at games (62%) than at training (25%). Despite 90% of players acknowledging the protective value of a mouthguard, wear by youths did not increase following the intervention, and wear by adults increased by only 14% for training and 10% at games. Previous orofacial injury was recorded at baseline by 23% of players, but few had requested compensation from Basketball Australia (youths, 17%; adults, 30%). Two predictor variables were statistically identified as related to mouthguard wear: previous orofacial injury and age group. Mouthguard wear was significantly more frequent amongst players with previous injury; such players were 2.76 times more likely to be wearers than those without previous injury. Youths were 2.31 times more likely to wear mouthguards than adults. Only 34 players (12% of respondents at follow-up) had a mouthguard constructed from the blank provided. Although youth and adult groups differed, the overall extent of mouthguard use was disappointingly low. Despite wide recognition of mouthguard value, the intervention had little effect on promoting their use. [source] Neural correlates of the spacing effect in explicit verbal semantic encoding support the deficient-processing theoryHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 4 2010Daniel E. Callan Abstract Spaced presentations of to-be-learned items during encoding leads to superior long-term retention over massed presentations. Despite over a century of research, the psychological and neural basis of this spacing effect however is still under investigation. To test the hypotheses that the spacing effect results either from reduction in encoding-related verbal maintenance rehearsal in massed relative to spaced presentations (deficient processing hypothesis) or from greater encoding-related elaborative rehearsal of relational information in spaced relative to massed presentations (encoding variability hypothesis), we designed a vocabulary learning experiment in which subjects encoded paired-associates, each composed of a known word paired with a novel word, in both spaced and massed conditions during functional magnetic resonance imaging. As expected, recall performance in delayed cued-recall tests was significantly better for spaced over massed conditions. Analysis of brain activity during encoding revealed that the left frontal operculum, known to be involved in encoding via verbal maintenance rehearsal, was associated with greater performance-related increased activity in the spaced relative to massed condition. Consistent with the deficient processing hypothesis, a significant decrease in activity with subsequent episodes of presentation was found in the frontal operculum for the massed but not the spaced condition. Our results suggest that the spacing effect is mediated by activity in the frontal operculum, presumably by encoding-related increased verbal maintenance rehearsal, which facilitates binding of phonological and word level verbal information for transfer into long-term memory. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Transformed Social Interaction, Augmented Gaze, and Social Influence in Immersive Virtual EnvironmentsHUMAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005Jeremy N. Bailenson Immersive collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) are simulations in which geographically separated individuals interact in a shared, three-dimensional, digital space using immersive virtual environment technology. Unlike videoconference technology, which transmits direct video streams, immersive CVEs accurately track movements of interactants and render them nearly simultaneously (i.e., in real time) onto avatars, three-dimensional digital representations of the interactants. Nonverbal behaviors of interactants can be rendered veridically or transformed strategically (i.e., rendered nonveridically). This research examined augmented gaze, a transformation in which a given interactant's actual head movements are transformed by an algorithm that renders his or her gaze directly at multiple interactants simultaneously, such that each of the others perceives that the transformed interactant is gazing only at him or her. In the current study, a presenter read a persuasive passage to two listeners under various transformed gaze conditions, including augmented gaze. Results showed that women agreed with a persuasive message more during augmented gaze than other gaze conditions. Men recalled more verbal information from the passage than women. Implications for theories of social interaction and computer-mediated communication are discussed. [source] Neuropsychological functioning in buprenorphine maintained patients versus abstinent heroin abusers on naltrexone hydrochloride therapyHUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 7 2009Lambros Messinis Abstract Rationale Methadone and buprenorphine are among the most widely employed pharmacological treatments currently available for opioid addiction. Cognitive effects of buprenorphine in abstinent heroin abusers are nevertheless far from being understood. Methods Neuropsychological performance of 18 buprenorphine-maintained patients (BMP) was evaluated relative to that of 32 currently abstinent heroin abusers on naltrexone hydrochloride therapy (FHAN), and 34 non-drug dependent controls. The three groups were demographically balanced. Clinical groups reported histories of similar patterns of drug use and had increased periods of abstinence from any illicit substance use including heroin. Results The BMP group performed poorer than controls on the RAVLT (encoding and delayed recall of verbal information), CTT (conceptual flexibility, executive functions) and the RBANS figure copy (visual perception) and delayed recall of visual information. There were no significant differences in any of the cognitive measures between the BMP and FHAN groups or between the FHAN group and controls. Furthermore, the non-differing percentage of abnormal cases between the two patient groups led us to infer that treatment with either BPM or FHAN is not accompanied by qualitative differences in the cognitive profiles of these patients. Conclusion Overall, results suggest that treatment with naltrexone in abstinent heroin abusers may result in less impairment of cognitive functions compared to treatment with buprenorphine. These findings are relevant for improved prognosis and treatment strategies in opioid dependence. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effects of ECT on cognitive functioning in the elderly: a reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 8 2008Caroline E. M. Tielkes Abstract Background Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as a single course or in maintenance form (M-ECT) is an effective treatment in depressed elderly. However, ECT may have adverse effects on cognition. Objective To review all studies from 1980,2006 on ECT and cognition in the elderly with a minimum age of 55 years or a mean age of 55 years, and with valid measurements of cognition before and after ECT. Results Nine out of the 15 eligible studies were focused exclusively on the elderly. Three studies reported verbal learning- and recall problems post ECT, while three studies found positive effects of ECT on memory, speed of processing and concentration. Global cognitive functioning in patients with cognitive impairment improved in all studies. At follow up, most studies reported improvement of cognitive functions. Learning verbal information and executive functioning were impaired in M-ECT patients whereas global cognition remained stable after M-ECT over a year. Conclusions To date research of ECT on cognitive functioning in the elderly is very limited. Small sample size, lack of controls, use of a single screening instrument and a short follow up period may explain the conflicting results. Given the clinical importance, more extensive research on cognition in elderly treated with ECT is urgently needed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An Internet-Based Survey of Icelandic Nurses on Their Use of and Attitudes Toward NANDA, NIC, and NOCINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2003Gyda Bjornsdottir PURPOSE To gain understanding of how Icelandic nurses can be supported during a mandated change to the use of NANDA and NIC in clinical documentation practices. METHODS All members of the Icelandic Nurses Association of working age were invited to participate in an Internet-based survey. Each nurse was assigned a unique password mailed to his/her home along with information on how to access the survey Web site. Each nurse could submit answers only once. On submission, data were automatically coded and saved in a database under encrypted numerical identifiers. FINDINGS A total of 463 nurses (18% response rate) participated by submitting answers. The sample was representative of the population in terms of demographic characteristics. Information resources most valued when planning nursing care included text-based progress notes (77%), nursing care plans (52%), doctor's orders (49%), verbal information (48%), and documented nursing diagnoses (37%). Of the participants, 58% said NANDA was used in their workplace; 28% said no standardized nursing documentation was used; 19% reported using NIC always or sometimes when documenting nursing interventions; and 20% never used NIC. NOC use was reported only by researchers. Of the sample, 86% reported that it is important or necessary for nurses to standardize documentation practices; 30% found NANDA useful in education; 56% found it useful for clinical work; 17% for research; and 7% found it not useful at all. Nine percent believed that NANDA diagnoses were not descriptive enough of patients' problems, and 23% found their wording problematic. No statistically significant differences were found between reported use of or attitudes toward NANDA and NIC when comparing nurses who use electronic patient record systems that support NANDA and NIC documentation and those who use paper documentation only. DISCUSSION The sample may have been somewhat biased toward computer use and classification system use for standardized and computerized documentation. However, results indicate that although Icelandic nurses give free-text progress notes and verbal information a higher priority than nursing diagnoses as an information resource for care planning, they have a positive attitude toward NANDA. NANDA and NIC are still used inconsistently in clinical practice, and 28% of participants claimed not to use any form of standardized documentation. CONCLUSIONS In an effort to standardize clinical documentation among nurses, Icelandic health authorities must follow their documentation mandates with educational and technologic support to facilitate the use of NANDA, NIC, and (after its translation) NOC in nursing documentation practices. Electronic patient record system developers must find ways to further facilitate standardized nursing documentation because currently there seems to be no difference between users and nonusers in terms of how they use NANDA and NIC in their documentation practices. [source] The influence of education on the interpretation of pharmaceutical pictograms for communicating medicine instructionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 1 2003Ros Dowse senior lecturer Objective To assess the influence of formal education on the interpretation of pharmaceutical pictograms. Method A total of 46 pictograms were used: 23 were extracted directly from the USP-DI, and 23 with corresponding meanings were designed in accordance with the local culture (local pictograms). One hundred and thirty Xhosa respondents, who ranged from having no formal education to tertiary level education, were interviewed with the aid of an interpreter. Demographic data were collected, a literacy test was conducted and respondents were tested for their interpretation of all 46 pictograms. Preference for either the USP-DI or the local pictogram was determined. Setting Respondents were interviewed in primary health care clinics, a variety of work settings or in their homes in Grahamstown, South Africa. Key findings Standard of education had a significant influence on the interpretation of 24 of the 46 pictograms. Generally, significant differences in interpretation were apparent between those with only primary school education and those who had completed at least some senior school education (P < 0.05). The group with tertiary education was significantly better than the other groups (P < 0.05). Only 15 of the 46 pictograms met the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 85% correct criterion. Conclusion Interpretation was dependent on education and the development of visual literacy skills, but potential for misinterpretation in all educational groups was noted. These results suggest that pictograms should only be used as a communication aid in combination with text or verbal information from the health care provider. [source] Susceptibility of spatial and verbal working memory to demands of the central executive1JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2004HIROHITO KONDO Abstract:, We used a dual-task paradigm to examine the degree to which domain-specific spatial and verbal subsystems depend on the domain-general central executive. Forty participants were asked to retain spatial or verbal information while performing a concurrent secondary task related to simple arithmetic. The secondary tasks consisted of three cognitive processes: single-digit addition, a digit-carrying operation, and digit reading. The single-digit addition and carry operation include central executive functioning, while digit reading relies solely on the phonological loop. The single-digit addition caused a performance decrement on the spatial working memory task, while the digit reading impaired performance on the verbal working memory task. The carry operation interfered with recall accuracy on both working memory tasks. The spatial working memory task was significantly correlated with the verbal working memory task only when the secondary task was more demanding on the central executive. Our results suggest that spatial working memory rather than verbal working memory is susceptible to failure of central executive functioning and that the central executive plays an important role in regulating the cognitive demands of different domains. [source] Consumer product evaluation based on tactile sensory informationJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 3 2010Alain d'Astous This paper presents the results of an experiment in which consumers were asked to examine visually and touch samples of fabric. The participants were either given or not given verbal information relevant to the product category, and provided answers to the dependent variables immediately or after a 4-minute delay. The results showed that memory, confidence in memory, and confidence in product evaluation were positively influenced by the availability of verbal information and therefore support the proposition that relevant verbal information can improve the encoding, retention, and retrieval of consumer experiences that include sensory information and lead to preferences that are better defined. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of interval between diagnosis and time of survey upon preferred information format for prostate cancer patientsJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2009CF Sharpley Summary Previous data indicate that receiving adequate information about their cancer can assist patients to cope with treatment and comply with treatment regimes. The aim of the present study was to determine whether time since diagnosis affected patients' evaluations of the information they had received at the time of their diagnosis. Two hundred and thirty-seven patients who had received a diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer 4 months earlier completed a questionnaire about their ratings of, and preferences for, various types of information, their anxiety and depression levels and some background data. The most common and preferred form of information that the patients in the current study received was verbal information during an interview with their oncologist. Demographic factors and levels of anxiety and depression did not influence patient information preferences. Time since diagnosis was associated with elevated anxiety and depression, and consequent lower recall of having received information, but also with positive inflation of the value of the material that they did recall having received. Patients may not recall information given to them early after diagnosis and may make unreliable evaluations of its value to them due to psychological state. [source] Attributing Social Meaning to Ambiguous Visual Stimuli in Higher-functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Social Attribution TaskTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 7 2000Ami Klin More able individuals with autism and Asperger syndrome (AS) have been shown to pass relatively high level theory of mind (ToM) tasks without displaying commensurate levels of social adaptation in naturalistic settings. This paper presents a social cognitive procedure,the Social Attribution Task (SAT),that reduces factors thought to facilitate ToM task performance without facilitating real-life social functioning. Sixty participants with autism (N= 20), AS (N= 20), and normally developing adolescents and adults (N= 20) with normative IQs were asked to provide narratives describing Heider and Simmel's (1944) silent cartoon animation in which geometric shapes enact a social plot. These narratives were coded in terms of the participants' abilities to attribute social meaning to the geometric cartoon. The SAT provides reliable and quantified scores on seven indices of social cognition. Results revealed marked deficits in both clinical groups across all indices. These deficits were not related to verbal IQ or level of metalinguistic skills. Individuals with autism and AS identified about a quarter of the social elements in the story, a third of their attributions were irrelevant to the social plot, and they used pertinent ToM terms very infrequently. They were also unable to derive psychologically based personality features from the shapes' movements. When provided with more explicit verbal information on the nature of the cartoon, individuals with AS improved their performance slightly more than those with autism, but not significantly so. [source] Language crimes and the cognitive interview: testing its efficacy in retrieving a conversational eventAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2008Laura Campos Frequently, the only available evidence in ,language crimes' (e.g. verbal sexual harassment) is witness statements about criminal conversations. However, previous research has showed that recall for sentences in conversation is very poor. The main aim of this research was to find out how to solve this problem. The cognitive interview (CI) is an interview technique which has shown to be more effective in recalling criminal episodes than a comparison interview. In addition, our experience in research on the CI had been highly satisfactory; therefore, we decided to use the CI as a tool in the research on memory for conversation, so far ignored. Thus, this study tested, for the first time, whether the CI would be also successful in obtaining complete and accurate accounts for a criminal conversation. Different forms of correct recall (verbatim/gist) of the verbal information as well as different types of errors (distortions/fabrications) were also examined. It was predicted that the CI would elicit more correct information without an increase in errors than a comparison interview (i.e. a free-recall protocol). Results confirmed these hypotheses. Interpretations of the overall findings are offered within the context of theoretical principles concerning the retrieval of information from memory. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Older patients request more information: a survey of use of written patient education materials in general practiceAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 1 2003Kryss T. McKenna Objectives: To determine GPs' reported use of written education materials with older patients and older patients' reported receipt of these materials. To determine GPs' and older patients' perceptions of written materials. Method: Using self-report questionnaires, two populations were surveyed; a randomised sample of SO GPs (29 males and 21 females) practising in Brisbane's southern suburbs and a convenience sample of 188 older community-dwelling people (aged over 64 years). Results: All GPs reported using written materials with patients, although 28% had not given any to the last 10 patients. This increased to 46% when patients were older. Twenty percent of patients wanted more written information from their GP, while some GPs believed that older patients preferred verbal information and gave out written information only when they perceived patient interest. All GPs reported giving written materials at the time of consultation and over two-thirds discussed the content with patients. Just over 50% of patients reported receiving written information from GPs in the last six months and only half of these again discussed it directly with their GP. Overall, patients were more positive than GPs about the value of written education materials. Conclusions: Older patients' desire for written information may be better met if they are more assertive in requesting this of GPs and GPs may better serve their patients' needs if they make written information more readily available to them. Better access to materials and more financial incentives to give them out might also increase GPs' use of written materials. [source] Information provision to clients with stroke and their carers: Self-reported practices of occupational therapistsAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010Louise Gustafsson Background:,The literature promotes the use of a wide range of educational materials for teaching and training clients with chronic conditions such as stroke. Client education is a valuable tool used by occupational therapists to facilitate client and carer ability to manage the stroke-affected upper limb. The aim of this study was to identify what information was provided to clients and carers, how this information was delivered, when the information was delivered and the client factors that influenced the method of information provision. Methods:,Convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit occupational therapists working in stroke. Twenty-eight participants completed the study questionnaire anonymously and their responses were summarised descriptively. Results:,There was a clinically important trend for carers to receive less information than clients. Written and/or verbal information was the favoured method for delivering information related to handling (57%), soft-tissue injury minimisation (46.4%) and oedema management (50%). Information was delivered with decreasing frequency from admission (86%) to discharge (64%). More than 90% of participants indicated that the client's cognitive ability, visual ability, level of communication, primary language and perceptual ability were considered prior to the delivery of information. Discussion:,Participants regularly conveyed information to clients and carers with respect to management of the stroke-affected upper limb. However, an increased emphasis on the development of practical self-management skills, awareness of the impact of personal factors and a timeline for information provision may prove useful. [source] Use of the internet by colorectal cancer patientsCOLORECTAL DISEASE, Issue 1 2006S. M. Powell Abstract Objective, To identify the frequency of Internet use by colorectal cancer patients. Materials and methods, Fifty patients interviews. Results, Only four patients (8%) had used the internet to access information about colorectal cancer though 36% would have used it if a site had been recommended. Conclusion, The Internet is a resource rarely used by patients but there is potential for its use as an adjunct to written and verbal information. [source] | |||||||||||||