WorldWideScience

Sample records for personal care compositions

  1. Caring for people with dementia in residential aged care: successes with a composite person-centered care model featuring Montessori-based activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Gail; Morley, Catherine; Walters, Wendy; Malta, Sue; Doyle, Colleen

    2015-01-01

    Person-centered models of dementia care commonly merge aspects of existing models with additional influences from published and unpublished evidence and existing government policy. This study reports on the development and evaluation of one such composite model of person-centered dementia care, the ABLE model. The model was based on building the capacity and ability of residents living with dementia, using environmental changes, staff education and organizational and community engagement. Montessori principles were also used. The evaluation of the model employed mixed methods. Significant behavior changes were evident among residents of the dementia care Unit after the model was introduced, as were reductions in anti-psychotic and sedative medication. Staff reported increased knowledge about meeting the needs of people with dementia, and experienced organizational culture change that supported the ABLE model of care. Families were very satisfied with the changes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Person-centred care after acute coronary syndrome, from hospital to primary care - A randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fors, Andreas; Ekman, Inger; Taft, Charles; Björkelund, Cecilia; Frid, Kerstin; Larsson, Maria Eh; Thorn, Jörgen; Ulin, Kerstin; Wolf, Axel; Swedberg, Karl

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate if person-centred care can improve self-efficacy and facilitate return to work or prior activity level in patients after an event of acute coronary syndrome. 199 patients with acute coronary syndrome < 75 years were randomly assigned to person-centred care intervention or treatment as usual and followed for 6 months. In the intervention group a person-centred care process was added to treatment as usual, emphasising the patient as a partner in care. Care was co-created in collaboration between patients, physicians, registered nurses and other health care professionals and documented in a health plan. A team-based partnership across three health care levels included transparent knowledge about the disease and medical state to achieve agreed goals during recovery. Main outcome measure was a composite score of changes in general self-efficacy ≥ 5 units, return to work or prior activity level and re-hospitalisation or death. The composite score showed that more patients (22.3%, n=21) improved in the intervention group at 6 months compared to the control group (9.5%, n=10) (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-6.2; P=0.015). The effect was driven by improved self-efficacy ≥ 5 units in the intervention group. Overall general self-efficacy improved significantly more in the intervention group compared with the control group (P=0.026). There was no difference between groups on re-hospitalisation or death, return to work or prior activity level. A person-centred care approach emphasising the partnership between patients and health care professionals throughout the care chain improves general self-efficacy without causing worsening clinical events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Balancing personalized medicine and personalized care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornetta, Kenneth; Brown, Candy Gunther

    2013-03-01

    The current description of personalized medicine by the National Institutes of Health is "the science of individualized prevention and therapy." Although physicians are beginning to see the promise of genetic medicine coming to fruition, the rapid pace of sequencing technology, informatics, and computer science predict a revolution in the ability to care for patients in the near future. The enthusiasm expressed by researchers is well founded, but the expectations voiced by the public do not center on advancing technology. Rather, patients are asking for personalized care: a holistic approach that considers physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. This perspective considers psychological, religious, and ethical challenges that may arise as the precision of preventive medicine improves. Psychological studies already highlight the barriers to single gene testing and suggest significant barriers to the predictive testing envisioned by personalized medicine. Certain religious groups will likely mount opposition if they believe personalized medicine encourages embryo selection. If the technology prompts cost-containment discussions, those concerned about the sanctity of life may raise ethical objections. Consequently, the availability of new scientific developments does not guarantee advances in treatment because patients may prove unwilling to receive and act on personalized genetic information. This perspective highlights current efforts to incorporate personalized medicine and personalized care into the medical curriculum, genetic counseling, and other aspects of clinical practice. Because these efforts are generally independent, the authors offer recommendations for physicians and educators so that personalized medicine can be implemented in a manner that meets patient expectations for personalized care.

  4. The impact of personality on person-centred care: a study of care staff in Swedish nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elfstrand Corlin, Tinna; Kajonius, Petri J; Kazemi, Ali

    2017-06-01

    In this study, we explore how personal and situational factors relate to the provision of person-centred care (PCC) in nursing homes. Specifically, we focus on the relationship between the care staff's personality traits and provision of PCC and to what extent perceptions of the working environment influences this relationship. The ultimate goal of elderly care is to meet the older person's needs and individual preferences (PCC). Interpersonal aspects of care and the quality of relationship between the care staff and the older person are therefore central in PCC. A cross-sectional Swedish sample of elderly care staff (N = 322) completed an electronic survey including measures of personality (Mini-IPIP) and person-centred care (Individualized Care Inventory, ICI). A principal component analysis was conducted on the ICI-data to separate the user orientation (process quality) of PCC from the preconditions (structure quality) of PCC. Among the five factors of personality, neuroticism was the strongest predictor of ICI user orientation. ICI preconditions significantly mediated this relationship, indicating the importance of a supportive working environment. In addition, stress was introduced as a potential explanation and was shown to mediate the impact of neuroticism on ICI preconditions. Personality traits have a significant impact on user orientation, and the perception of a supportive and stress free working environment is an important prerequisite for achieving high-quality person-centred elderly care. Understanding how personality is linked to the way care staff interacts with the older person adds a new perspective on provision of person-centred elderly care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Person-centred care in nursing documentation.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Broderick, Margaret C

    2012-12-07

    BACKGROUND: Documentation is an essential part of nursing. It provides evidence that care has been carried out and contains important information to enhance the quality and continuity of care. Person-centred care (PCC) is an approach to care that is underpinned by mutual respect and the development of a therapeutic relationship between the patient and nurse. It is a core principle in standards for residential care settings for older people and is beneficial for both patients and staff (International Practice Development in Nursing and Healthcare, Chichester, Blackwell, 2008 and The Implementation of a Model of Person-Centred Practice in Older Person Settings, Dublin, Health Service Executive, 2010a). However, the literature suggests a lack of person-centredness within nursing documentation (International Journal of Older People Nursing 2, 2007, 263 and The Implementation of a Model of Person-Centred Practice in Older Person Settings, Dublin, Health Service Executive, 2010a). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore nursing documentation in long-term care, to determine whether it reflected a person-centred approach to care and to describe aspects of PCC as they appeared in nursing records. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive study using the PCN framework (Person-centred Nursing; Theory and Practice, Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell, 2010) as the context through which nursing assessments and care plans were explored. RESULTS: Findings indicated that many nursing records were incomplete, and information regarding psychosocial aspects of care was infrequent. There was evidence that nurses engaged with residents and worked with their beliefs and values. However, nursing documentation was not completed in consultation with the patient, and there was little to suggest that patients were involved in decisions relating to their care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The structure of nursing documentation can be a major obstacle to the recording of PCC and appropriate care planning. Documentation

  6. Cancer Survivorship Care: Person Centered Care in a Multidisciplinary Shared Care Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacqueline Loonen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Survivors of childhood and adult-onset cancer are at lifelong risk for the development of late effects of treatment that can lead to serious morbidity and premature mortality. Regular long-term follow-up aiming for prevention, early detection and intervention of late effects can preserve or improve health. The heterogeneous and often serious character of late effects emphasizes the need for specialized cancer survivorship care clinics. Multidisciplinary cancer survivorship care requires a coordinated and well integrated health care environment for risk based screening and intervention. In addition survivors engagement and adherence to the recommendations are also important elements. We developed an innovative model for integrated care for cancer survivors, the “Personalized Cancer Survivorship Care Model”, that is being used in our clinic. This model comprises 1. Personalized follow-up care according to the principles of Person Centered Care, aiming to empower survivors and to support self management, and 2. Organization according to a multidisciplinary and risk based approach. The concept of person centered care is based on three components: initiating, integrating and safeguarding the partnership with the patient. This model has been developed as a universal model of care that will work for all cancer survivors in different health care systems. It could be used for studies to improve self efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of cancer survivorship care.

  7. Storytelling in person-centred care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Elizabeth

    2006-01-01

    Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used successfully to pass on knowledge, wisdom and expertise from educators to students. A story is more easily remembered and new concepts in nursing taught in story form are understood more readily. By the same token, the story of a resident's history allows caregivers to really understand who that person is and was, and in turn provide the care that will suit the unique needs of that resident. The person-centered care concept revolves around this uniqueness of person and the process of storytelling serves the understanding of the resident, the crafting of the care package itself, and communicating that knowledge to other caregivers.

  8. Personalized health care: from theory to practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyderman, Ralph

    2012-08-01

    The practice of medicine stands at the threshold of a transformation from its current focus on the treatment of disease events to an emphasis on enhancing health, preventing disease and personalizing care to meet each individual's specific health needs. Personalized health care is a new and strategic approach that is driven by personalized health planning empowered by personalized medicine tools, which are facilitated by advances in science and technology. These tools improve the capability to predict health risks, to determine and quantify the dynamics of disease development, and to target therapeutic approaches to the needs of the individual. Personalized health care can be implemented today using currently available technologies and know-how and thereby provide a market for the rational introduction of new personalized medicine tools. The need for early adoption of personalized health care stems from the necessity to reduce the egregious and wasteful burden of preventable chronic diseases, which is not effectively addressed by our current approach to care. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Personality factors of critical care nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, C D; Wilson, S F; Guido, G W

    1988-07-01

    Two hundred members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses responded to a mail-out survey done to determine the psychologic profile of critical care nurses in terms of self-esteem, gender identity, and selected personality characteristics. The instruments used were Cattell's 16 PR, the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ), and the Texas Social Behavior Inventory (TSBI). Their personality factors tended to be aggressive, assertive, competitive, persevering, moralistic, resourceful, and mechanical. The nurses who enjoyed the field most were of the androgynous or masculine type and had high levels of self-esteem. On the basis of these findings, the nurse recruiter or faculty member doing career counseling could assess the personality characteristics, gender identity, and self-esteem levels of interested nurses. The goal would be to identify nurses who would both enjoy the field and remain active in critical care nursing after orientation. The goal could also be to help nurses dissatisfied with critical care nursing to seek means of improving their self-esteem.

  10. Reconciling concepts of space and person-centred care of the older person with cognitive impairment in the acute care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Carole; Edvardsson, David

    2017-07-01

    Although a large body of literature exists propounding the importance of space in aged care and care of the older person with dementia, there is, however, only limited exploration of the 'acute care space' as a particular type of space with archetypal constraints that maybe unfavourable to older people with cognitive impairment and nurses wanting to provide care that is person-centred. In this article, we explore concepts of space and examine the implications of these for the delivery of care to older people who are cognitively impaired. Our exploration is grounded in theorisations of space offered by key geographers and phenomenologists, but also draws on how space has been constructed within the nursing literature that refers specifically to acute care. We argue that space, once created, can be created and that nursing has a significant role to play in the process of its recreation in the pursuit of care that is person-centred. We conclude by introducing an alternative logic of space aimed at promoting the creation of more salutogenic spaces that invokes a sense of sanctuary, safeness, and inclusion, all of which are essential if the care provided to the older person with cognitive impairment is apposite to their needs. The concept of 'person-centred space' helps to crystallize the relationship between space and person-centred care and implies more intentional manipulation of space that is more conducive to caring and healing. Significantly, it marks a return to Nightingale's wisdom, that is, to put the person in the best possible conditions for nature to act upon them. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. A Concept Analysis of Personalized Health Care in Nursing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Claire Jungyoun

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to identify the concept of personalized health care in nursing and to address future direction in person-centered nursing care. Personalized health care has attracted increased attention in the twenty-first century. As more and more preclinical studies are focusing on cost-effective and patient-centered care, there also has been an identified need for a personalized health care in nursing. Yet the term lacks clear definition and interests among healthcare professionals. Rodgers' strategy for concept analysis was used in this analysis. A literature review for 1960-2014 was conducted for the following keywords: nursing care, personalized, and health care. The analysis demonstrates that personalized health care in nursing is an intangible asset, including explicit attributes (interprofessional collaboration and individualized care approach) and implicit attributes (managing personal vulnerabilities: molecular-based health information and self-health-seeking behaviors). The result of this analysis provides a guide for further conceptual and empirical research and clinical practice in the personalized healthcare era. This concept analysis represents an effort to describe the attributes of a concept regarded as representing an important feature of nursing care and to promote discourse that will enhance maturation of the concept into one that is established with clearly delineated characteristics. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Developing personal values: trainees' attitudes toward strikes by health care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Su-Ting T; Srinivasan, Malathi; Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Kravitz, Richard L; Wilkes, Michael S

    2011-05-01

    Worldwide, health care providers use strikes and job actions to influence policy. For health care providers, especially physicians, strikes create an ethical tension between an obligation to care for current patients (e.g., to provide care and avoid abandonment) and an obligation to better care for future patients by seeking system improvements (e.g., improvements in safety, to access, and in the composition and strength of the health care workforce). This tension is further intensified when the potential benefit of a strike involves professional self-interest and the potential risk involves patient harm or death. By definition, trainees are still forming their professional identities and values, including their opinions on fair wages, health policy, employee benefits, professionalism, and strikes. In this article, the authors explore these ethical tensions, beginning with a discussion of reactions to a potential 2005 nursing strike at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center. The authors then propose a conceptual model describing factors that may influence health care providers' decisions to strike (including personal ethics, personal agency, and strike-related context). In particular, the authors explore the relationship between training level and attitudes toward taking a job action, such as going on strike. Because trainees' attitudes toward strikes continue to evolve during training, the authors maintain that open discussion around the ethics of health care professionals' strikes and other methods of conflict resolution should be included in medical education to enhance professionalism and systems-based practice training. The authors include sample case vignettes to help initiate these important discussions. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

  13. Personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care in adolescents and young adults with Type 1 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chas Skinner, T.; Hampson, Sarah E.; Fife-Schaw, Chris

    2002-01-01

    This study compared 3 models of association between personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care in a cross-sectional design. These models were as follows: (a) Emotional stability determines self-care indirectly through personal model beliefs, and conscientiousness is a direct predictor of ....... Participants (N = 358, aged 12-30 years) with Type 1 diabetes completed measures of personality, personal model beliefs, and self-care. Structural equation modeling indicated that Model C was the best fit to the data....

  14. Towards person-centredness in aged care - exploring the impact of leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Backman, Annica; Sjögren, Karin; Lindkvist, Marie; Lövheim, Hugo; Edvardsson, David

    2016-09-01

    To explore the association between leadership behaviours among managers in aged care, and person-centredness of care and the psychosocial climate. Theory suggests that leadership is important for improving person-centredness in aged care, however, empirical evidence is lacking. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from Swedish aged care staff (n = 3661). Valid and reliable questionnaires assessing leadership behaviours, person-centeredness of care and the psychosocial climate were used. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression including interaction terms. Leadership behaviours were significantly related to the person-centredness of care and the psychosocial climate. The level of person-centredness of care moderated the impact of leadership on the psychosocial climate. The leadership behaviour of managers significantly impacts person-centred care practice and contributes to the psychosocial climate for both staff and residents in aged care. This study is the first empirically to confirm that middle managers have a central leadership role in developing and supporting person-centred care practice, thereby creating a positive psychosocial climate and high quality care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... it free Find out why Close Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story NINRnews Loading... Unsubscribe from NINRnews? ... and her family. The story demonstrates how palliative care can positively influence a patient's and family's experience ...

  16. Effects of person-centered care on residents and staff in aged-care facilities: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brownie S

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Sonya Brownie, Susan NancarrowSchool of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, AustraliaBackground: Several residential aged-care facilities have replaced the institutional model of care to one that accepts person-centered care as the guiding standard of practice. This culture change is impacting the provision of aged-care services around the world. This systematic review evaluates the evidence for an impact of person-centered interventions on aged-care residents and nursing staff.Methods: We searched Medline, Cinahl, Academic Search Premier, Scopus, Proquest, and Expanded Academic ASAP databases for studies published between January 1995 and October 2012, using subject headings and free-text search terms (in UK and US English spelling including person-centered care, patient-centered care, resident-oriented care, Eden Alternative, Green House model, Wellspring model, long-term care, and nursing homes.Results: The search identified 323 potentially relevant articles. Once duplicates were removed, 146 were screened for inclusion in this review; 21 were assessed for methodological quality, resulting in nine articles (seven studies that met our inclusion criteria. There was only one randomized, controlled trial. The majority of studies were quasi-experimental pre-post test designs, with a control group (n = 4. The studies in this review incorporated a range of different outcome measures (ie, dependent variables to evaluate the impact of person-centered interventions on aged-care residents and staff. One person-centered intervention, ie, the Eden Alternative, was associated with significant improvements in residents' levels of boredom and helplessness. In contrast, facility-specific person-centered interventions were found to impact nurses' sense of job satisfaction and their capacity to meet the individual needs of residents in a positive way. Two studies found that person-centered care was actually associated with an

  17. Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in fish: results of a national pilot study in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez, Alejandro J; Brain, Richard A; Usenko, Sascha; Mottaleb, Mohammad A; O'Donnell, John G; Stahl, Leanne L; Wathen, John B; Snyder, Blaine D; Pitt, Jennifer L; Perez-Hurtado, Pilar; Dobbins, Laura L; Brooks, Bryan W; Chambliss, C Kevin

    2009-12-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are being increasingly reported in a variety of biological matrices, including fish tissue; however, screening studies have presently not encompassed broad geographical areas. A national pilot study was initiated in the United States to assess the accumulation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in fish sampled from five effluent-dominated rivers that receive direct discharge from wastewater treatment facilities in Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; and West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. Fish were also collected from the Gila River, New Mexico, USA, as a reference condition expected to be minimally impacted by anthropogenic influence. High performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of pharmaceuticals revealed the presence of norfluoxetine, sertraline, diphenhydramine, diltiazem, and carbamazepine at nanogram-per-gram concentrations in fillet composites from effluent-dominated sampling locations; the additional presence of fluoxetine and gemfibrozil was confirmed in liver tissue. Sertraline was detected at concentrations as high as 19 and 545 ng/g in fillet and liver tissue, respectively. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of personal care products in fillet composites revealed the presence of galaxolide and tonalide at maximum concentrations of 2,100 and 290 ng/g, respectively, and trace levels of triclosan. In general, more pharmaceuticals were detected at higher concentrations and with greater frequency in liver than in fillet tissues. Higher lipid content in liver tissue could not account for this discrepancy as no significant positive correlations were found between accumulated pharmaceutical concentrations and lipid content for either tissue type from any sampling site. In contrast, accumulation of the personal care products galaxolide and tonalide was significantly related to lipid content. Results suggest that the detection of

  18. Concepts of person-centred care: a framework analysis of five studies in daily care practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margreet

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Person-centred care is used as a term to indicate a ‘made to measure’ approach in care. But what does this look like in daily practice? The person-centred nursing framework developed by McCormack and McCance (2010 offers specific concepts but these are still described in rather general terms. Empirical studies, therefore, could help to clarify them and make person-centredness more tangible for nurses. Aims: This paper describes how a framework analysis aimed to clarify the concepts described in the model of McCormack and McCance in order to guide professionals using them in practice. Methods: Five separate empirical studies focusing on older adults in the Netherlands were used in the framework analysis. The research question was: ‘How are concepts of person-centred care made tangible where empirical data are used to describe them?’ Analysis was done in five steps, leading to a comparison between the description of the concepts and the empirical significance found in the studies. Findings: Suitable illustrations were found for the majority of concepts. The results show that an empirically derived specification emerges from the data. In the concept of ‘caring relationship’ for example, it is shown that the personal character of each relationship is expressed by what the nurse and the older person know about each other. Other findings show the importance of values being present in care practices. Conclusions: The framework analysis shows that concepts can be clarified when empirical studies are used to make person-centred care tangible so nurses can understand and apply it in practice. Implications for practice: The concepts of the person-centred nursing framework are recognised when: Nurses know unique characteristics of the person they care for and what is important to them, and act accordingly Nurses use values such as trust, involvement and humour in their care practice Acknowledgement of emotions and compassion create

  19. Guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tinda Rabie

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: The number of older persons is growing at an alarming rate, yet the South African healthcare sector is not giving this issue the required attention. Moreover, the healthcare sector serves four-fifths of the country's population and primary healthcare (PHC facilities are overcrowded, and thus professional nurses are prevented from providing sufficient self-care health education to older persons. Aim: To develop guidelines for the three role players — the public health sector, professional nurse and older person — to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa. Design: Quantitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design. Methods: A literature review followed by a self-care assessment of a sample of older persons using the Appraisal of Self-care Agency (ASA-A and Exercise of Self-care Agency (ESCA questionnaires which led to the identification of conclusions and self-care deficits. Results: Based on Menon's psychological health empowerment model, and from the conclusions and self-care deficits, nine self-care guidelines were developed for the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons. Conclusion: This is the first systematic development of guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa. Implications for practice: The implementation of the self-care guidelines by the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons will improve the healthcare of older persons at home which will in turn improve their quality of life, reduce unintentional self-neglect, as well as assist in alleviating overcrowding in clinics because unnecessary visits to the clinic will drop.

  20. Personal care workers in Australian aged care: retention and turnover intentions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radford, Katrina; Shacklock, Kate; Bradley, Graham

    2015-07-01

    This study examined factors influencing personal care workers' intentions to stay or leave Australian aged care employment - especially for older workers. Retention of personal care workers is particularly important in aged care as they provide the majority of the direct care via community aged care or long-term aged care environments. However, there is limited research on what drives their turnover and retention. A survey was conducted during 2012 collecting 206 responses from workers within community and long-term aged care in four organisations in Australia. Perceived supervisor support, on-the-job embeddedness and area of employment were identified as predictors of both intention to stay and to leave, although the relationship strength differed. Community care workers were more likely to stay and reported more supervisor support than long-term care workers. Unexpectedly, age and health status were not predictors of staying or leaving. While there are similarities between retention and turnover motivators, there are also differences. Within a global context of health worker shortages, such new knowledge is keenly sought to enhance organisational effectiveness and sustain the provision of quality aged care. Retention strategies for older workers should involve increasing supervisor support, and seeking to embed workers more fully within their organisation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. [Talk to them: Narrative care within a person-centered care framework].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villar, Feliciano; Serrat, Rodrigo

    The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of narrative care in the attention of older people who receive care in institutions, underlining how its use provides a better understanding of the Person Centered Care (PCC) model and valuable strategies to put it into practice. To achieve this goal, firstly, we describe the relevance of a narrative approach for understanding the experience of the old person who receive care in institutions, with regards to individual aspects as well as to her/his relationships with professionals and the institutional discourse which contextualize these relationships. Secondly, we specify different ways in which the use of narratives could have an impact on the improvement of the quality of attention and well-being of older people receiving care in institutions. Copyright © 2016 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Patient guardians as an instrument for person centered care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basu, Lopa; Frescas, Ruben; Kiwelu, Humphrey

    2014-05-08

    Person-centered care involves keeping the person at the center of the care planning and decision-making process. While the theory behind person-centered care is commonly shared, its application in healthcare settings is more challenging. In a number of African countries, a lesson emerges involving the application of person-centered care through the use of patient guardians. Patient guardians, often family or close friends, act as an extension of the patient's hospital care team. Medical teams engage with these self-designated individuals who invest their time and efforts in the care of the patient. More importantly, the guardian continues this role and relationship when the patient is released from the hospital to return home. Healthcare workers view patient guardians as a valuable resource. In a structured manner, guardians become stewards of information regarding topics such as hand hygiene and infection control. The knowledge gained can help the recovering patient upon discharge and potentially spread the information to others in the community. Further study of this model may show clear applicability to help improve health literacy in underserved settings in both low-income and high-income countries.

  3. Borderline personality disorder in the primary care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubovsky, Amelia N; Kiefer, Meghan M

    2014-09-01

    Borderline personality disorder is estimated to be present in approximately 6% of outpatient primary care settings. However, the time and energy spent on this population can greatly exceed what primary care doctors are able to spend. This article gives an overview of borderline personality disorder, including the clinical characteristics, epidemiology, and comorbidities, as well as pharmacologic and most important behavioral management. It is our hope that, with improved understanding of the disorder and skills for managing this population, caring for patients with the disorder can be more satisfying and less taxing for both primary care doctors and their patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Can health care providers recognize a fibromyalgia personality?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Da Silva, J.A.P.; Jacobs, J.W.G.; Branco, J.; Canaipa, R.; Gaspar, M.F.; Griep, E.N.; van Helmond, T.; Oliveira, P.J.; Zijlstra, T.R.; Geenen, R.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To determine if experienced health care providers (HCPs) can recognise patients with fibromyalgia (FM) based on a limited set of personality items, exploring the existence of a FM personality. METHODS: From the 240-item NEO-PI-R personality questionnaire, 8 HCPs from two different

  5. Organisational and environmental characteristics of residential aged care units providing highly person-centred care: a cross sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjögren, Karin; Lindkvist, Marie; Sandman, Per-Olof; Zingmark, Karin; Edvardsson, David

    2017-01-01

    Few studies have empirically investigated factors that define residential aged care units that are perceived as being highly person-centred. The purpose of this study was to explore factors characterising residential aged care units perceived as being highly person-centred, with a focus on organisational and environmental variables, as well as residents' and staff' characteristics. A cross-sectional design was used. Residents ( n  = 1460) and staff ( n  = 1213) data from 151 residential care units were collected, as well as data relating to characteristics of the organisation and environment, and data measuring degree of person-centred care. Participating staff provided self-reported data and conducted proxy ratings on residents . Descriptive and comparative statistics, independent samples t-test, Chi 2 test, Eta Squared and Phi coefficient were used to analyse data. Highly person-centred residential aged care units were characterized by having a shared philosophy of care, a satisfactory leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration and social support from colleagues and leaders, a dementia-friendly physical environment, staff having time to spend with residents, and a smaller unit size. Residential aged care units with higher levels of person-centred care had a higher proportion of staff with continuing education in dementia care, and a higher proportion of staff receiving regular supervision, compared to units with lower levels of person-centred care. It is important to target organisational and environmental factors, such as a shared philosophy of care, staff use of time, the physical environment, interdisciplinary support, and support from leaders and colleagues, to improve person-centred care in residential care units. Managers and leaders seeking to facilitate person-centred care in daily practice need to consider their own role in supporting, encouraging, and supervising staff.

  6. Guidance on maintaining personal hygiene in nail care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malkin, Bridget; Berridge, Pat

    Nail care is important in the maintenance of personal hygiene and is an essential aspect of patient care. Confusion about who should perform nail care for patients has resulted in poor practice and cycles of non-activity. This article provides guidance for nurses on performing routine nail care.

  7. Assessment of primary care services and perceived barriers to care in persons with disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Amanda L; Hirsch, Mark A; Hammond, Flora M; Norton, H James; Bockenek, William L

    2009-10-01

    To determine what percentage of persons with disabilities have a primary care provider, participate in routine screening and health maintenance examinations, and identify perceived physical or physician barriers to receiving care. A total of 344 surveys, consisting of 66 questions, were collected from adults with disabilities receiving care at an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. A total of 89.5% (95% CI 86.3%-92.8%) of participants reported having a primary care physician. Younger persons (P brain injury (P use, and safety with relationships at home ranged from 26.6% to 37.5% compared with screening for depression, diet, exercise, and smoking (64.5%-70%). Completion rates of age- and gender-appropriate health maintenance examinations ranged from 42.4% to 90%. A total of 2.67% of participants reported problems with physical access at their physician's office, and 36.4% (95% CI 30.8%-42.1%) of participants reported having to teach their primary care physician about their disability. Most persons with disabilities have a primary care physician. In general, completion rates for routine screening and health maintenance examinations were high. Perceived deficits in primary care physicians' knowledge of disability issues seem more prevalent than physical barriers to care.

  8. Models of home care services for persons with dementia: a narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Low, Lee-Fay; Fletcher, Jennifer

    2015-10-01

    Worldwide trends of increasing dementia prevalence, have put economic and workforce pressures to shifting care for persons with dementia from residential care to home care. We reviewed the effects of the four dominant models of home care delivery on outcomes for community-dwelling persons with dementia. These models are: case management, integrated care, consumer directed care, and restorative care. This narrative review describes benefits and possible drawbacks for persons with dementia outcomes and elements that comprise successful programs. Case management for persons with dementia may increase use of community-based services and delay nursing home admission. Integrated care is associated with greater client satisfaction, increased use of community based services, and reduced hospital days however the clinical impacts on persons with dementia and their carers are not known. Consumer directed care increases satisfaction with care and service usage, but had little effect on clinical outcomes. Restorative models of home care have been shown to improve function and quality of life however these trials have excluded persons with dementia, with the exception of a pilot study. There has been a little research into models of home care for people with dementia, and no head-to-head comparison of the different models. Research to inform evidence-based policy and service delivery for people with dementia needs to evaluate both the impact of different models on outcomes, and investigate how to best deliver these models to maximize outcomes.

  9. Resident Reactions to Person-Centered Communication by Long-Term Care Staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savundranayagam, Marie Y; Sibalija, Jovana; Scotchmer, Emma

    2016-09-01

    Long-term care staff caregivers who are person centered incorporate the life history, preferences, and feelings of residents with dementia during care interactions. Communication is essential for person-centered care. However, little is known about residents' verbal reactions when staff use person-centered communication. Accordingly, this study investigated the impact of person-centered communication and missed opportunities for such communication by staff on resident reactions. Conversations (N = 46) between staff-resident dyads were audio-recorded during routine care tasks over 12 weeks. Staff utterances were coded for person-centered communication and missed opportunities. Resident utterances were coded for positive reactions, such as cooperation, and negative reactions, such as distress. Linear regression analyses revealed that the more staff used person-centered communication, the more likely that residents reacted positively. Additionally, the more missed opportunities in a conversation, the more likely that the residents reacted negatively. Conversation illustrations elaborate on the quantitative findings and implications for staff training are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

  10. Health Care Finance Executive Personalities Revisited: A 10-Year Follow-up Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieneck, Cristian; Nowicki, Michael

    2015-01-01

    A dynamic health care industry continues to call upon health care leaders to possess not one but multiple competencies. Inherent personality characteristics of leaders often play a major role in personal as well as organizational success to include those in health care finance positions of responsibility. A replication study was conducted to determine the Myers-Briggs personality-type differences between practicing health care finance professionals in 2014, as compared with a previous 2003 study. Results indicate a significant shift between both independent samples of health care finance professionals over the 10-year period from original high levels of introversion to that of extraversion, as well as higher sensing personality preferences, as compared with the original sample's high level of intuition preferences. Further investigation into the evolving role of the health care finance manager is suggested, while continued alignment of inherent, personal characteristics is suggested to meet ongoing changes in the industry.

  11. Exploring experience and perspectives of foreign-born direct care workers in dementia care: Accounts of Korean American personal care aides caring for older Korean Americans with dementia symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang E; Casado, Banghwa Lee; Hong, Michin

    2018-05-01

    This focus group study explored experience of Korean American personal care aides caring for older Korean Americans with dementia symptoms. Personal care aides described dementia caregiving as challenging, demanding and stressful, yet they cared for their clients with love and affection, particularly with jeong (i.e., a Korean cultural concept of love, affection, sympathy, and bondage). They learned about dementia mostly through their caregiving experience and expressed their need and strong desire to learn more about dementia. They felt for family struggle and observed family conflict and filial obligation. They advocated the value of personal care aides' involvement in dementia care. This study revealed a pressing need for dementia training for personal care aides and called for an outreach effort to recruit and train direct care workers with potential of providing culturally competent care for traditionally underserved ethnic minorities.

  12. Power, empowerment, and person-centred care: using ethnography to examine the everyday practice of unregistered dementia care staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scales, Kezia; Bailey, Simon; Middleton, Joanne; Schneider, Justine

    2017-02-01

    The social positioning and treatment of persons with dementia reflects dominant biomedical discourses of progressive and inevitable loss of insight, capacity, and personality. Proponents of person-centred care, by contrast, suggest that such loss can be mitigated within environments that preserve rather than undermine personhood. In formal organisational settings, person-centred approaches place particular responsibility on 'empowered' direct-care staff to translate these principles into practice. These staff provide the majority of hands-on care, but with limited training, recognition, or remuneration. Working within a Foucauldian understanding of power, this paper examines the complex ways that dementia care staff engage with their own 'dis/empowerment' in everyday practice. The findings, which are drawn from ethnographic studies of three National Health Service (NHS) wards and one private care home in England, are presented as a narrative exploration of carers' general experience of powerlessness, their inversion of this marginalised subject positioning, and the related possibilities for action. The paper concludes with a discussion of how Foucault's understanding of power may help define and enhance efforts to empower direct-care staff to provide person-centred care in formal dementia care settings. © 2016 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

  13. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... thanks 3-months free Find out why Close Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story NINRnews Loading... Unsubscribe ... This vignette shares the story of Rachel—a pediatric neuroblastoma patient—and her family. The story demonstrates ...

  14. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Queue Queue __count__/__total__ Find out why Close Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story NINRnews Loading... Unsubscribe ... This vignette shares the story of Rachel—a pediatric neuroblastoma patient—and her family. The story demonstrates ...

  15. Person-centred care during prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation, nurses' views: an interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cederwall, Carl-Johan; Olausson, Sepideh; Rose, Louise; Naredi, Silvana; Ringdal, Mona

    2018-03-19

    To determine: 1) if the three elements of person-centred care (initiating, working and safeguarding the partnership) were present, and 2) to identify evidence of barriers to person-centred care during prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation. Secondary analysis of semi structured interviews with 19 critical care nurses using theoretical thematic analysis. This study was conducted in three Swedish intensive care units, one in a regional hospital and two in a university hospital. Three themes and nine subthemes related to person-centred care were identified. The three themes included: 1) 'finding a person behind the patient' related to the 'initiating the partnership' phase, 2) 'striving to restore patient́s sense of control' related to 'working the partnership' phase and 3) 'impact of patient involvement' related to 'safeguarding the partnership' phase of person-centred care'. Additionally a further theme 'barriers to person-centred care' was identified. We found evidence of all three person-centred care routines. Barriers to person-centred care comprised of lack team collaboration and resources. Facilitating patients to actively participate in decision-making during the weaning process may optimise weaning outcomes and warrants further research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Criquet, Maryline; Roure, Romain; Dayan, Liliane; Nollent, Virginie; Bertin, Christiane

    2012-01-01

    Colloidal oatmeal is a natural ingredient used in the formulation of a range of personal care products for relief of skin dryness and itchiness. It is also used as an adjunctive product in atopic dermatitis. The safety of personal care products used on vulnerable skin is of particular importance and the risk of developing further skin irritations and/or allergies should be minimized. In a series of studies, we tested the safety of personal care products containing oatmeal (creams, cleansers, lotions) by assessing their irritant/allergenic potential on repeat insult patch testing, in safety-in-use and ocular studies using subjects with nonsensitive and sensitive skin. We also tested the skin moisturizing and repair properties of an oatmeal-containing skin care product for dry skin. We found that oatmeal-containing personal care products had very low irritant potential as well as a very low allergenic sensitization potential. Low-level reactions were documented in 1.0% of subjects during the induction phase of repeat insult patch testing; one of 2291 subjects developed a persistent but doubtful low-level reaction involving edema during the challenge phase in repeat insult patch testing. No allergies were reported by 80 subjects after patch testing after in-use application. Sustained skin moisturizing was documented in subjects with dry skin that lasted up to 2 weeks after product discontinuation. Our results demonstrate that colloidal oatmeal is a safe and effective ingredient in personal care products. No allergies were reported by consumers of 445,820 products sold during a 3-year period.

  17. Consumer Demand on Halal Cosmetics and Personal Care Products in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muniaty Aisyah

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to analyze the influential factors involved in Moslem consumers’ decision to purchase halal cosmetics and personal care products in Indonesia by using the Theory of Planned Behavior. 100 questionnaires were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling, collected from respondents of female consumers who purchased Wardah cosmetics and personal care products in South Jakarta and South Tangerang. The findings show that attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and purchase intention are positively related to the consumers’ decision to purchase halal cosmetics and personal care products. By addressing the consumers’ traits that can predict halal cosmetics and personal care products necessity, marketers could generate proper marketing strategies to validate consumers’ demand which in turn will stimulate the growth of halal products industry in Indonesia.DOI: 10.15408/aiq.v9i1.1867

  18. Robotic assistants in personal care: A scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilyea, A; Seth, N; Nesathurai, S; Abdullah, H A

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study is to present an overview of the technological advances in the field of robotics developed for assistance with activities of daily living (ADL), and to present areas where further research is required. Four databases were searched for articles presenting either a novel design of one of these personal care robotic system or trial results relating to these systems. Articles presenting nine different robotic personal care systems were examined, six of which had been developed after 2005. These six also all have publications relating to their trials. In the majority of trials, patient independence was improved with operation of the robotic device for a specific subset of ADL. A map of the current state of the field of personal care robotics is presented in this study. Areas requiring further research include improving feedback and awareness, as well as refining control methods and pre-programmed behaviors. Developing an affordable, easy to use system would help fill the current gap in the commercial market. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Is Personality Associated with Health Care Use by Older Adults?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Bruce; Veazie, Peter J; Chapman, Benjamin P; Manning, Willard G; Duberstein, Paul R

    2013-01-01

    Context The patterns of health care utilization in the United States pose well-established challenges for public policy. Although economic and sociological research has resulted in considerable knowledge about what influences the use of health services, the psychological literature in this area is underdeveloped. Importantly, it is not known whether personality traits are associated with older adults’ use of acute and long-term care services. Methods Data were collected from 1,074 community-dwelling seniors participating in a Medicare demonstration. First they completed a self-report questionnaire measuring the “Big Five” personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. During the next two years, the participants maintained daily journals of their use of health care services. We used regression models based on the Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization to test for associations. Findings Our hypothesis that higher Neuroticism would be associated with greater health care use was confirmed for three services—probability of any emergency department (ED) use, likelihood of any custodial nursing home use, and more skilled nursing facility (SNF) days for SNF users—but was disconfirmed for hospital days for those hospitalized. Higher Openness to Experience was associated with a greater likelihood of custodial home care use, and higher Agreeableness and lower Conscientiousness with a higher probability of custodial nursing home use. For users, lower Openness was associated with more ED visits and SNF days, and lower Conscientiousness with more ED visits. For many traits with significant associations, the predicted use was 16 to 30 percent greater for people high (low) versus low (high) in specific traits. Conclusions Personality traits are associated with Medicare beneficiaries’ use of many expensive health care services, findings that have implications for health services research and

  20. Safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Criquet M

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Maryline Criquet,1 Romain Roure,1 Liliane Dayan,2 Virginie Nollent,1 Christiane Bertin11Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France, Issy les Moulineaux, 2Independent consultant dermatologist, Paris, FranceBackground: Colloidal oatmeal is a natural ingredient used in the formulation of a range of personal care products for relief of skin dryness and itchiness. It is also used as an adjunctive product in atopic dermatitis. The safety of personal care products used on vulnerable skin is of particular importance and the risk of developing further skin irritations and/or allergies should be minimized.Methods: In a series of studies, we tested the safety of personal care products containing oatmeal (creams, cleansers, lotions by assessing their irritant/allergenic potential on repeat insult patch testing, in safety-in-use and ocular studies using subjects with nonsensitive and sensitive skin. We also tested the skin moisturizing and repair properties of an oatmeal-containing skin care product for dry skin.Results: We found that oatmeal-containing personal care products had very low irritant potential as well as a very low allergenic sensitization potential. Low-level reactions were documented in 1.0% of subjects during the induction phase of repeat insult patch testing; one of 2291 subjects developed a persistent but doubtful low-level reaction involving edema during the challenge phase in repeat insult patch testing. No allergies were reported by 80 subjects after patch testing after in-use application. Sustained skin moisturizing was documented in subjects with dry skin that lasted up to 2 weeks after product discontinuation.Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that colloidal oatmeal is a safe and effective ingredient in personal care products. No allergies were reported by consumers of 445,820 products sold during a 3-year period.Keywords: Avena sativa, colloids, protective agents, atopic dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, allergenic dermatitis, skin

  1. Public dental health care program for persons with disability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Lisa Bøge; Hede, Børge; Petersen, Poul Erik

    2005-01-01

    The objectives of the study were (1) to describe the organization and content of the Danish public oral health care program for persons with disability, and (2) to analyse possible variations in relation to the goals and requirements set by the health authorities. Data were collected by means......) payment of service, (4) providers of oral health care, (5) special training of staff, 6) dental services delivered, (7) ethical issues, and (8) patient rights. Less than one-third of persons estimated by the health authorities were enrolled in the program. On average, 0.4% of the municipal population...... of knowledge of oral health and oral health care for persons with disability were barriers to equal access to the program. Preventive dental services were the most frequent services delivered, although relatively few oral hygienists were involved in the program. Special training was most frequent in large...

  2. Personality and Health Care Decision-Making Style

    OpenAIRE

    Kathryn E. Flynn; Maureen A. Smith

    2007-01-01

    Using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate Survey (N = 5,830), a population-based cohort of older adults (most aged 63–66 years), we explored relationships between five factors of personality and four preference types that account for multiple components of the health care decision-making process (information exchange, deliberation, and selection of treatment choice). After adjustment for personal, health, social, and economic factors, we found that increased conscientiousness and openne...

  3. Using a measure of person-perception skills to identify outstanding home care workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosch, Kerry; Medvene, Louis; Walker, Diane

    2011-01-01

    This study involved university-community collaboration with an international home care company for the purpose of developing a tool to identify talented caregivers. Tested was the hypothesis that workers' ability to provide care in person-centered ways would be positively associated with their ability to describe others in complex ways--that is, their person-perception skills. Company coordinators functioning as supervisors used an innovative 10-item instrument to screen 554 home health aides for their person centeredness. The most and least person-centered workers were evaluated for their person-perception skills. Person centeredness was positively associated with the complexity of home care workers' descriptions of others.

  4. Personal Care Product Use in Men and Urinary Concentrations of Select Phthalate Metabolites and Parabens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nassan, Feiby L; Coull, Brent A; Gaskins, Audrey J

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Personal care products (PCPs) are exposure sources to phthalates and parabens; however, their contribution to men's exposure is understudied. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between PCP use and urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and parabens in men. METHODS...... in urinary concentrations associated with PCP use using linear mixed and Tobit mixed regressions. We also estimated weights for each PCP in a weighted binary score regression and modeled the resulting composite weighted PCP use. RESULTS: Four hundred men contributed 1,037 urine samples (mean of 3/man...

  5. Reconciling conceptualizations of relationships and person-centred care for older people with cognitive impairment in acute care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Carole; Edvardsson, David

    2018-04-01

    Relationships are central to enacting person-centred care of the older person with cognitive impairment. A fuller understanding of relationships and the role they play facilitating wellness and preserving personhood is critical if we are to unleash the productive potential of nursing research and person-centred care. In this article, we target the acute care setting because much of the work about relationships and older people with cognitive impairment has tended to focus on relationships in long-term care. The acute care setting is characterized by archetypal constraints which differentiate it from long-term care, in terms of acuity and haste, task-orientated work patterns and influence from "the rule of medicine," all of which can privilege particular types of relating. In this article, we drew on existing conceptualizations of relationships from theory and practice by tapping in to the intellectual resources provided by nurse researchers, the philosophy of Martin Buber and ANT scholars. This involved recounting two examples of dyadic and networked relationships which were re-interpreted using two complementary theoretical approaches to provide deeper and more comprehensive conceptualizations of these relationships. By re-presenting key tenets from the work of key scholars on the topic relationships, we hope to hasten socialization of these ideas into nursing into the acute care setting. First, by enabling nurses to reflect on how they might work toward cultivating relationships that are more salutogenic and consistent with the preservation of personhood. Second, by stimulating two distinct but related lines of research enquiry which focus on dyadic and networked relationships with the older person with cognitive impairment in the acute care setting. We also hope to reconcile the schism that has emerged in the literature between preferred approaches to care of the older person with cognitive impairment, that is person-centred care versus relationship-centred care

  6. Personalizing health care: feasibility and future implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godman, Brian; Finlayson, Alexander E; Cheema, Parneet K; Zebedin-Brandl, Eva; Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea, Inaki; Jones, Jan; Malmström, Rickard E; Asola, Elina; Baumgärtel, Christoph; Bennie, Marion; Bishop, Iain; Bucsics, Anna; Campbell, Stephen; Diogene, Eduardo; Ferrario, Alessandra; Fürst, Jurij; Garuoliene, Kristina; Gomes, Miguel; Harris, Katharine; Haycox, Alan; Herholz, Harald; Hviding, Krystyna; Jan, Saira; Kalaba, Marija; Kvalheim, Christina; Laius, Ott; Lööv, Sven-Ake; Malinowska, Kamila; Martin, Andrew; McCullagh, Laura; Nilsson, Fredrik; Paterson, Ken; Schwabe, Ulrich; Selke, Gisbert; Sermet, Catherine; Simoens, Steven; Tomek, Dominik; Vlahovic-Palcevski, Vera; Voncina, Luka; Wladysiuk, Magdalena; van Woerkom, Menno; Wong-Rieger, Durhane; Zara, Corrine; Ali, Raghib; Gustafsson, Lars L

    2013-08-13

    Considerable variety in how patients respond to treatments, driven by differences in their geno- and/ or phenotypes, calls for a more tailored approach. This is already happening, and will accelerate with developments in personalized medicine. However, its promise has not always translated into improvements in patient care due to the complexities involved. There are also concerns that advice for tests has been reversed, current tests can be costly, there is fragmentation of funding of care, and companies may seek high prices for new targeted drugs. There is a need to integrate current knowledge from a payer's perspective to provide future guidance. Multiple findings including general considerations; influence of pharmacogenomics on response and toxicity of drug therapies; value of biomarker tests; limitations and costs of tests; and potentially high acquisition costs of new targeted therapies help to give guidance on potential ways forward for all stakeholder groups. Overall, personalized medicine has the potential to revolutionize care. However, current challenges and concerns need to be addressed to enhance its uptake and funding to benefit patients.

  7. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... is starting stop Loading... Watch Queue Queue __count__/__total__ It’s YouTube. Uninterrupted. Loading... Want music and videos with zero ads? Get YouTube Red. Working... Not now Try it free Find out why Close Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story NINRnews Loading... Unsubscribe from NINRnews? ...

  8. Developing person-centred practice in hip fracture care for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie, Jane; Macmillan, Maureen; Currie, Colin; Matthews-Smith, Gerardine

    2016-12-14

    To facilitate a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to developing person-centred practice in hip fracture care for older people. Collaborative inquiry, a form of action research, was used to collect data for this study. It involved exploration of dilemmas, questions and problems that are part of human experience. Clinical leaders from different disciplines (n=16), who work with older people with hip fractures at different stages of the care pathway, participated in a series of facilitated action meetings. The practice development techniques used in this study included: identifying the strengths and limitations of the current service, values clarification, creating a shared vision, sharing clinical stories, reviewing case records, and reflecting on the experiences of three older people and two caregivers. Hip fracture care was based on meeting service targets, national guidelines and audits. Care was fragmented across different service delivery units, with professional groups working independently. This resulted in suboptimal communication between members of the multidisciplinary group of clinical leaders and care that was process-driven rather than person-centred. Spending time away from clinical practice enabled the multidisciplinary group to collaborate to understand care from the patients' and caregivers' perspectives, and to reflect critically on the care experience as a whole. To develop a person-centred workplace culture, the multidisciplinary team requires facilitated time for reflection. Ongoing facilitative leadership would enable the multidisciplinary team to collaborate effectively to deliver safe, effective person-centred practice in hip fracture care for older people.

  9. 28 CFR 43.2 - Obligations of persons receiving care and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Obligations of persons receiving care and treatment. 43.2 Section 43.2 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) RECOVERY OF COST OF HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CARE AND TREATMENT FURNISHED BY THE UNITED STATES § 43.2 Obligations of persons...

  10. [Personal budget for persons in need of care. A socio-economic change with new perspectives for supply and demand].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Dirk

    2005-11-01

    In October 2004, in Germany a pre-operating study was started in order to prove the feasibility and consequences of the use of personal budgets by persons who are in need of nursing care. About 1000 care dependent persons living in seven regions are included in this triannual study. For three years they receive a budget amounting to 100 percent of their right of benefit in kind according to the German compulsory long-term care insurance. This budget has to be used exclusively for care-related services and must not be spent for assistance delivered by family members or neighbours. From socio-economic perspectives, the personal budget will result in a promotion of individuals instead of certain services or service institutions. An analysis shows, that the consequences might be an increased efficiency and effectiveness as well as structural changes within the supply of nursing care services. But to achieve these advantages, certain conditions must be provided. At first, the amount of the budget has to correspond to the individual need of care, which can change over time. Secondly, a misapplication of the personal fund has to be prevented without to exclude the potential of local or family dedication. And finally, new ways of quality assurance are requested due to the scope for development, which arises through deregulation.

  11. Contents of polyethylene microplastic in some selected personal care products in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Strand, Jakob

    Some personal care products include primary microplastic particles as particulate material, which may not be efficiently removed in WWTPs and therefore they will probably end up in aquatic environments. Microplastics in personal care products were focus in a prime time program DR Kontant...... on national TV - April 30, 2013. For this program Aarhus University contributed with analyses of microplastic particles (>40 μm) in some selected products and in the field. The results for microplastic contents in the nine analysed personal care products are presented here....

  12. Care and Service at Home for Persons With Dementia in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bökberg, Christina; Ahlström, Gerd; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Soto-Martin, Maria E; Cabrera, Esther; Verbeek, Hilde; Saks, Kai; Stephan, Astrid; Sutcliffe, Caroline; Karlsson, Staffan

    2015-09-01

    To describe available and utilized formal care and service at home for persons with dementia, from diagnosis to end-of-life stage, in eight European countries. A descriptive cross-country design concerning eight European countries as a part of the European research project RightTimePlaceCare. The research team in each country used a mapping system to collect country-specific information concerning dementia care and service system. The mapping system consists of 50 types of care and service activities. Sixteen of the 50 predefined activities concerning care and service at home were selected for this study and subdivided into three categories, following the stages of dementia. Availability was reported to be higher than utilization, and the findings indicated more similarities than differences among the eight countries involved. Even though there were several available activities of "basic care and services" and "healthcare interventions," they were utilized by few in most countries. Furthermore, "specialized dementia care and services" were sparsely available and even more sparsely utilized in the participating countries. The findings indicated that persons with dementia in Europe received formal care and service on a general, basic level but seldom adjusted to their specific needs. This study describes the gap between service provision and utilization enabling nurses to develop individually adjusted care plans for persons with dementia during the progress of the disease. The findings do not include matters of quality of care or how to best organize effective care and services. However, the activities of care and services presented here should shed light on what room there is for improvement when it comes to enabling persons with dementia to go on living at home. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  13. The financial hazard of personalized medicine and supportive care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carrera, Percivil Melendez; Olver, Ian

    2015-01-01

    Personalized medicine is revolutionizing the delivery of oncological care, promising benefits both at the patient and health system levels. The cost of targeted therapies, unfortunately, is becoming more expensive and unaffordable. Where supportive care in cancer concerns the prevention and

  14. Spirit-guided care: Christian nursing for the whole person.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Lyn S; Walker, Mark S

    2013-01-01

    Healthcare today is challenged to provide care that goes beyond the medical model of meeting physical needs. Despite a strong historical foundation in spiritual whole person care, nurses struggle with holistic caring. We propose that for the Christian nurse, holistic nursing can be described as Spirit-guided care--removing oneself as the moiatiating force and allowing Christ, in the furm of the Holy Spirit, to flow through and guide the nurse in care of patients and families.

  15. The third person in the room: The needs of care partners of older people in home care services-A systematic review from a person-centred perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anker-Hansen, Camilla; Skovdahl, Kirsti; McCormack, Brendan; Tønnessen, Siri

    2018-04-01

    To identify and synthesise the needs of care partners of older people living at home with assistance from home care services. "Ageing in place" is a promoted concept where care partners and home care services play significant roles. Identifying the needs of care partners and finding systematic ways of meeting them can help care partners to cope with their role. This study is based on the PRISMA reporting guidelines. The systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. In total, 16 studies were included in the review, eleven qualitative and five quantitative. Three main categories were revealed in the analysis: the need for quality interaction, the need for a shared approach to care and the need to feel empowered. Care partners of older people have several, continuously unmet needs. A person-centred perspective can contribute new understandings of how to meet these needs. A knowledge gap has been identified regarding the needs of care partners of older people with mental health problems. There is a need to develop a tool for systematic collaboration between home care services and care partners, so that the identified needs can be met in a more thorough, systematic and person-centred way. The carers in home care services need competence to identify and meet the needs of care partners. The implementation of person-centred values in home care services can contribute to meet the needs of care partners to a greater extent than today. Future research on the needs of care partners of older people with mental health problems needs to be undertaken. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Adaptive leadership and person-centered care: a new approach to solving problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corazzini, Kirsten N; Anderson, Ruth A

    2014-01-01

    Successfully transitioning to person-centered care in nursing homes requires a new approach to solving care issues. The adaptive leadership framework suggests that expert providers must support frontline caregivers in their efforts to develop high-quality, person-centered solutions.

  17. The Use of Cosmetics and Personal Care Products During Pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deniz Aksu Arica

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective:Personal care products and cosmetics are substances that have various chemical contents whose reliability is not exactly known. There is not enough study to demonstrate the safety of their use in pregnancy. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the usage frequency of personal care products and cosmetics. Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a pre-prepared questionnaire was filled out by 179 pregnant women. In this questionnaire, the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants and the usage frequency of cosmetics/personal care products were evaluated in 26 different categories. Results:In our study, the most frequently used products in pregnancy were general hygiene products such as toothpaste, shampoo, and soap. Hand cream, wet wipes, shower gel, hair conditioner, and moisturizer use were following these products, respectively. When evaluated according to the education levels, it was found that the usage of hair dye, powder and foundation in primary school graduates were significantly higher than university graduates. The use of sun protection products in fair skin types was found significantly higher than in dark ones. Conclusion:Our study reveals which personal care products and cosmetics are used more often during pregnancy. Our data will provide the exposure studies associated with cosmetic use in pregnancy to be planned more accurately.

  18. The impact of organisational culture on the delivery of person-centred care in services providing respite care and short breaks for people with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkley, Catherine; Bamford, Claire; Poole, Marie; Arksey, Hilary; Hughes, Julian; Bond, John

    2011-07-01

    Ensuring the development and delivery of person-centred care in services providing respite care and short breaks for people with dementia and their carers has a number of challenges for health and social service providers. This article explores the role of organisational culture in barriers and facilitators to person-centred dementia care. As part of a mixed-methods study of respite care and short breaks for people with dementia and their carers, 49 telephone semi-structured interviews, two focus groups (N= 16) and five face-to-face in-depth interviews involving front-line staff and operational and strategic managers were completed in 2006-2007. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts identified five themes on aspects of organisational culture that are perceived to influence person-centred care: understandings of person-centred care, attitudes to service development, service priorities, valuing staff and solution-focused approaches. Views of person-centred care expressed by participants, although generally positive, highlight a range of understandings about person-centred care. Some organisations describe their service as being person-centred without the necessary cultural shift to make this a reality. Participants highlighted resource constraints and the knowledge, attitudes and personal qualities of staff as a barrier to implementing person-centred care. Leadership style, the way that managers' support and value staff and the management of risk were considered important influences. Person-centred dementia care is strongly advocated by professional opinion leaders and is prescribed in policy documents. This analysis suggests that person-centred dementia care is not strongly embedded in the organisational cultures of all local providers of respite-care and short-break services. Provider organisations should be encouraged further to develop a shared culture at all levels of the organisation to ensure person-centred dementia care. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing

  19. Examining courtesy stigma among foreign health care workers caring for persons with Alzheimer's disease: A focus group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Perla; Hess, Adi

    2016-01-01

    Studies have shown that courtesy stigma is common among informal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Guided by attribution theory and using focus group methodology, we examined this topic among 12 foreign health care workers. Findings revealed that stigma is noticeable in the everyday reality of foreign workers caring for persons with dementia and that its management is shaped by beliefs and knowledge about the disease in their original countries, and by knowledge gained as caregivers. Greater understanding of stigma among foreign workers is crucial for advancing knowledge in the area and for improving the care provided to persons with Alzheimer's disease.

  20. The composite first person narrative: Texture, structure, and meaning in writing phenomenological descriptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wertz, Marcia Stanley; Nosek, Marcianna; McNiesh, Susan; Marlow, Elizabeth

    2011-04-12

    This paper illustrates the use of composite first person narrative interpretive methods, as described by Todres, across a range of phenomena. This methodology introduces texture into the presently understood structures of phenomena and thereby creates new understandings of the phenomenon, bringing about a form of understanding that is relationally alive that contributes to improved caring practices. The method is influenced by the work of Gendlin, Heidegger, van Manen, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty. The method's applicability to different research topics is demonstrated through the composite narratives of nursing students learning nursing practice in an accelerated and condensed program, obese female adolescents attempting weight control, chronically ill male parolees, and midlife women experiencing distress during menopause. Within current research, these four phenomena have been predominantly described and understood through quantified articulations that give the reader a structural understanding of the phenomena, but the more embodied or "contextual" human qualities of the phenomena are often not visible. The "what is it like" or the "unsaid" aspects of such human phenomena are not clear to the reader when proxies are used to "account for" a variety of situated conditions. This novel method is employed to re-present narrative data and findings from research through first person accounts that blend the voices of the participants with those of the researcher, emphasizing the connectedness, the "we" among all participants, researchers, and listeners. These re-presentations allow readers to develop more embodied understandings of both the texture and structure of each of the phenomena and illustrate the use of the composite account as a way for researchers to better understand and convey the wholeness of the experience of any phenomenon under inquiry.

  1. Differences in risk behaviors, care utilization, and comorbidities in homeless persons based on HIV status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, R David; Dykema, Shana

    2014-01-01

    This cross-sectional pilot project measured differences by HIV status in chronic health conditions, primary care and emergency department use, and high-risk behaviors of homeless persons through self-report. Using selective random sampling, 244 individuals were recruited from a homeless shelter. The reported HIV prevalence was 6.56% (n = 16), with the odds of HIV higher in persons reporting crack cocaine use. HIV-infected persons were more likely to report a source of regular medical care and less likely to use the emergency department than uninfected persons. Validation of findings through exploration of HIV and health care access in homeless persons is needed to confirm that HIV-infected homeless persons are more likely to have primary care. Distinctions between primary care and specialty HIV care also need to be explored in this context. If findings are consistent, providers who care for the homeless could learn more effective ways to engage homeless patients. Copyright © 2014 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal

    OpenAIRE

    Criquet, Maryline; Roure, Romain; Dayan, Liliane; Nollent, Virginie; Bertin, Christiane

    2012-01-01

    Maryline Criquet,1 Romain Roure,1 Liliane Dayan,2 Virginie Nollent,1 Christiane Bertin11Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France, Issy les Moulineaux, 2Independent consultant dermatologist, Paris, FranceBackground: Colloidal oatmeal is a natural ingredient used in the formulation of a range of personal care products for relief of skin dryness and itchiness. It is also used as an adjunctive product in atopic dermatitis. The safety of personal care products used on vu...

  3. The care-planning conference: Exploring aspects of person-centred interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jobe, Ingela; Lindberg, Birgitta; Nordmark, Sofi; Engström, Åsa

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the care-planning conference from the participants' and researchers' perspectives, focusing on exploring aspects of person-centred interactions. A single-instrumental, qualitative case study design was used describing a care-planning conference taking place in the home of an older woman and her daughter. Data collection consisted of observation and digital recording of the care-planning conference and individual interviews with all the participants before and after the conference. Data were analysed in several phases: first, a narrative description followed by a general description and, thereafter, qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed that the care-planning conference conducted had no clear purpose and did not fulfil all parts of the planning process. Three themes emerged related to aspects of person-centred interactions. The theme "expectations meet reality" showed different expectations, and participants could not really connect during the conference. The theme "navigate without a map" revealed health professionals' lack of knowledge about the care-planning process. The theme "lose the forest for the trees" described that the conference was conducted only as part of the health professionals' duties. Management and healthcare professionals cannot automatically assume that they are delivering person-centred care. Healthcare professionals need to be sensitive to the context, use the knowledge and tools available and continuously evaluate and reassess the work carried out.

  4. Health care as perceived by persons with inflammatory bowel disease - a focus group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesnovska, Katarina Pihl; Hollman Frisman, Gunilla; Hjortswang, Henrik; Hjelm, Katarina; Börjeson, Sussanne

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of health care among persons living with inflammatory bowel disease. The quality of care plays an important role in the life of persons with a chronic disease. To define what persons with inflammatory bowel disease perceive as high-quality care, greater focus must be placed on the individual's own perspective of living with the condition. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted based on focus groups. Five focus groups were conducted with adult persons living with inflammatory bowel disease, 14 men and 12 women aged 19-76 years. The interviews were performed between January-June 2014. The perceptions of health care from the perspective of persons living with inflammatory bowel disease were summarised in two categories: 'professional attitudes of healthcare staff' and 'structure of the healthcare organisation'. Persons with inflammatory bowel disease want to be encountered with respect, experience trust and obtain information at the right time. They also expect shared decision-making, communication and to encounter competent healthcare professionals. Furthermore, the expectations on and perceptions of the structure of the healthcare organisation comprise access to care, accommodation, continuity of care, as well as the pros and cons of specialised care. The findings show the importance of establishing a respectful and trusting relationship, facilitating healthcare staff and persons with inflammatory bowel disease to work as a team in fulfilling individual care needs - but there is room for improvement in terms of quality of care. A person-centred approach, which places the individual and her/his family at the centre, considering them experts on their own health and enabling them to collaborate with healthcare staff, seems important to reach a high-quality healthcare organisation for patients with Inflammatory bowel disease. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Person-centered care planning and service engagement: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanhope, Victoria; Tondora, Janis; Davidson, Larry; Choy-Brown, Mimi; Marcus, Steven C

    2015-04-22

    Service disengagement is a pervasive challenge the mental health care system faces. Mental health services are of little value should persons with mental illnesses continue to opt out of receiving them. Consumers attribute disengagement from care to an absence of choice in their treatment. In response, the mental health system is adopting a person-centered model, based upon recovery principles, to engage consumers more actively in their care. Person-centered care planning is a promising practice involving collaboration to develop and implement an actionable plan to assist the person in achieving personal recovery goals. This study design combines a parallel-group randomized controlled trial of community mental health organizations with qualitative methods to assess the effectiveness of person-centered care planning. Participants at 14 sites in Delaware and Connecticut will be randomized to treatment as usual or the person-centered care planning intervention. Participants will be in leadership (n = 70) or supervisory or direct care (n = 210) roles. The person-centered care planning intervention involves intensive staff training and 12 months of ongoing technical assistance. Quantitative survey data will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months measuring person-centered care planning competency and organizational factors. Consumer outcomes (engagement, medication adherence, functioning and consumer satisfaction) will be assessed by Medicaid and state-level data. Qualitative data focused on process factors will include staff and consumer interviews and focus groups. In this intent-to-treat analysis, we will use mixed-effects multivariate regression models to evaluate the differential impact of the person-centered care planning intervention on each consumer and implementation outcome as well as the extent to which clinician assessments of organizational factors are associated with the implementation outcome. Mixed methods will triangulate and strengthen the

  6. Influence of worldview on health care choices among persons with chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buck, Tina; Baldwin, Carol M; Schwartz, Gary E

    2005-06-01

    The aim of this research was to examine relationships between the Pepperian worldviews of people with chronic pain and the health care choices that they make. A convenience sample survey was done. University Medical Center Pain Clinic, Tucson, Arizona. Men and women patients (n = 96) with nonmalignant chronic pain. World Hypothesis Scale; Health Care Choice List. Findings indicate that the combination of age and formistic worldview are statistically significant predictors of conventional health care choices by participants in this study. Older patients and persons with a predominantly formistic worldview were less likely to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a choice among this sample with chronic nonmalignant pain. Borderline significant associations were noted between persons with formistic or mechanistic worldviews and conventional health care choices, and persons with contextualistic, organismic, or equal scores in two worldview categories and CAM health care choices. Although rates of CAM use did not significantly differ from conventional choices, the prevalence rate for CAM use was high (55.2%) based on national findings. Results of this study provide a link to understanding how underlying philosophies can contribute to the reasons people with chronic pain make health care decisions. Further exploration of worldviews might very well contribute to best practices for consumer health care by engaging in communication styles and belief systems consistent with consumers' personal schemas.

  7. Person-Centered Care Practices in Long-Term Care in the Deep South: Consideration of Structural, Market, and Administrator Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, M Lindsey; Snow, A Lynn; Parmelee, Patricia A; Davis, Jullet A

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify structural, market, and administrator factors of nursing homes that are related to the implementation of person-centered care. Administrators of Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes in the Deep South were invited to complete a standardized survey about their facility and their perceptions and attitudes regarding person-centered care practices (PCCPs). Nursing home structural and market factors were obtained from public websites, and these data were matched with administrator data. Consistent with the resource-based theory of competitive advantage, nursing homes with greater resources and more competition were more likely to implement PCCPs. Implementation of person-centered care was also higher in nursing homes with administrators who perceived culture change implementation to be feasible in their facilities. Given that there is a link between resource availability and adoption of person-centered care, future research should investigate the cost of such innovations.

  8. Successful aging - the nurse - aged person interaction process in primary health care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria João Soares Rodrigues de Sousa Fernandes

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available With the aging population and the natural increase of nursing care within gerontology, there is increasing interest in how the nurse interacts with the aged person and utilizes their role to protect and promote successful aging behaviors. The goal lies in understanding the nurse−aged person interaction process. This is a naturalistic study of qualitative paradigm and inductive reasoning, developed in the context of primary health care. We observed the interaction process between nurse and older person in various Health Centers and Day/Socializing Centers and supplemented the information with an interview. The grounded theory analysis method of Corbin & Strauss was used, which provides the triangulation of data and uses theoretical sampling. The nurse−aged person interaction is established in a joint process of recreation of the gerontologic care predisposing, fostering and strengthening knowledge about the essence of life. The elderly person who is the object of nurse care, builds their lived experience by aiming towards integrity, establishing individual and social interaction and enhancing experiences. From this whole interaction process, a central concept emerges: clarification of the aged person’s lived experience.

  9. Trajectories of personal control in cancer patients receiving psychological care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhu, Lei; Schroevers, Maya J.; van der Lee, Marije; Garssen, Bert; Stewart, Roy E.; Sanderman, Robbert; Ranchor, Adelita V.

    Objective: This study aimed to (1) identify subgroups of cancer patients with distinct personal control trajectories during psychological care, (2) examine whether socio-demographic, clinical, and psychological care characteristics could distinguish trajectories, and (3) examine differential

  10. Trajectories of personal control in cancer patients receiving psychological care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhu, Lei; Schroevers, Maya J.; van der Lee, Marije; Garssen, Bert; Stewart, Roy E.; Sanderman, Robbert; Ranchor, A.V.

    2015-01-01

    Objective This study aimed to (1) identify subgroups of cancer patients with distinct personal control trajectories during psychological care, (2) examine whether socio-demographic, clinical, and psychological care characteristics could distinguish trajectories, and (3) examine differential patterns

  11. OI Issues: Dental Care for Persons with OI

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Better Bones Upcoming Events Online Store OI Issues: Dental Care for Persons with OI Introduction Osteogenesis imperfecta ( ... jaws and may or may not affect the teeth. About half of the people who have OI ...

  12. Personal Care Product Use in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Implications for Exposure Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carly Lang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Concern regarding the potential for developmental health risks associated with certain chemicals (e.g., phthalates, antibacterials used in personal care products is well documented; however, current exposure data for pregnant women are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of personal care product use in pregnancy and the post-partum period. Usage patterns of personal care products were collected at six different time points during pregnancy and once in the postpartum period for a cohort of 80 pregnant women in Ottawa, Canada. The pattern of use was then described and groups of personal care product groups commonly used together were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. The results showed that product use varied by income and country of birth. General hygiene products were the most commonly used products and were consistently used over time while cosmetic product use declined with advancing pregnancy and post-delivery. Hand soaps and baby products were reported as used more frequently after birth. This study is the first to track personal care product use across pregnancy and into the postpartum period, and suggests that pregnant populations may be a unique group of personal care product users. This information will be useful for exposure assessments.

  13. The composite first person narrative: Texture, structure, and meaning in writing phenomenological descriptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcia Stanley Wertz

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper illustrates the use of composite first person narrative interpretive methods, as described by Todres, across a range of phenomena. This methodology introduces texture into the presently understood structures of phenomena and thereby creates new understandings of the phenomenon, bringing about a form of understanding that is relationally alive that contributes to improved caring practices. The method is influenced by the work of Gendlin, Heidegger, van Manen, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty. The method's applicability to different research topics is demonstrated through the composite narratives of nursing students learning nursing practice in an accelerated and condensed program, obese female adolescents attempting weight control, chronically ill male parolees, and midlife women experiencing distress during menopause. Within current research, these four phenomena have been predominantly described and understood through quantified articulations that give the reader a structural understanding of the phenomena, but the more embodied or “contextual” human qualities of the phenomena are often not visible. The “what is it like” or the “unsaid” aspects of such human phenomena are not clear to the reader when proxies are used to “account for” a variety of situated conditions. This novel method is employed to re-present narrative data and findings from research through first person accounts that blend the voices of the participants with those of the researcher, emphasizing the connectedness, the “we” among all participants, researchers, and listeners. These re-presentations allow readers to develop more embodied understandings of both the texture and structure of each of the phenomena and illustrate the use of the composite account as a way for researchers to better understand and convey the wholeness of the experience of any phenomenon under inquiry.

  14. Identifying Robust Co-Occurrence Patterns in Personal Care Product Purchases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Personal care products (PCPs) are used for beautification and personal hygiene, and because they are applied to the skin, hair, and mouth, they provide an efficient delivery vehicle for chemicals into our bodies. Although efforts have been made to enumerate the chemicals in indiv...

  15. Spanish validation of the Person-centered Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, Teresa; Suárez-Álvarez, Javier; Yanguas, Javier; Muñiz, José

    2016-01-01

    Person-centered Care (PCC) is an innovative approach which seeks to improve the quality of care services given to the care-dependent elderly. At present there are no Spanish language instruments for the evaluation of PCC delivered by elderly care services. The aim of this work is the adaptation and validation of the Person-centered Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT) for a Spanish population. The P-CAT was translated and adapted into Spanish, then given to a sample of 1339 front-line care professionals from 56 residential elderly care homes. The reliability and validity of the P-CAT were analyzed, within the frameworks of Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory models. The Spanish P-CAT demonstrated good reliability, with an alpha coefficient of .88 and a test-retest reliability coefficient of .79. The P-CAT information function indicates that the test measures with good precision for the majority of levels of the measured variables (θ values between -2 and +1). The factorial structure of the test is essentially one-dimensional and the item discrimination indices are high, with values between .26 and .61. In terms of predictive validity, the correlations which stand out are between the P-CAT and organizational climate (r = .689), and the burnout factors; personal accomplishment (r = .382), and emotional exhaustion (r = - .510). The Spanish version of the P-CAT demonstrates good psychometric properties for its use in the evaluation of elderly care homes both professionally and in research.

  16. Randomized Trial Comparing Telephone Versus In-Person Weight Loss Counseling on Body Composition and Circulating Biomarkers in Women Treated for Breast Cancer: The Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrigan, Maura; Cartmel, Brenda; Loftfield, Erikka; Sanft, Tara; Chagpar, Anees B; Zhou, Yang; Playdon, Mary; Li, Fangyong; Irwin, Melinda L

    2016-03-01

    Obesity is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer mortality. The gold standard approach to weight loss is in-person counseling, but telephone counseling may be more feasible. We examined the effect of in-person versus telephone weight loss counseling versus usual care on 6-month changes in body composition, physical activity, diet, and serum biomarkers. One hundred breast cancer survivors with a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m(2) were randomly assigned to in-person counseling (n = 33), telephone counseling (n = 34), or usual care (UC) (n = 33). In-person and telephone counseling included 11 30-minute counseling sessions over 6 months. These focused on reducing caloric intake, increasing physical activity, and behavioral therapy. Body composition, physical activity, diet, and serum biomarkers were measured at baseline and 6 months. The mean age of participants was 59 ± 7.5 years old, with a mean BMI of 33.1 ± 6.6 kg/m(2), and the mean time from diagnosis was 2.9 ± 2.1 years. Fifty-one percent of the participants had stage I breast cancer. Average 6-month weight loss was 6.4%, 5.4%, and 2.0% for in-person, telephone, and UC groups, respectively (P = .004, P = .009, and P = .46 comparing in-person with UC, telephone with UC, and in-person with telephone, respectively). A significant 30% decrease in C-reactive protein levels was observed among women randomly assigned to the combined weight loss intervention groups compared with a 1% decrease among women randomly assigned to UC (P = .05). Both in-person and telephone counseling were effective weight loss strategies, with favorable effects on C-reactive protein levels. Our findings may help guide the incorporation of weight loss counseling into breast cancer treatment and care. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  17. The economic burden of personality disorders in mental health care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Soeteman, D.I.; Hakkaart-van Roijen, L.; Verheul, R.; Busschbach, J.J.V.

    2008-01-01

    Objective: Some evidence suggests that personality disorders are associated with a high economic burden due to, for example, a high demand on psychiatric, health, and social care services. However, state-of-the-art cost studies for the broad range of personality disorder diagnoses are lacking. The

  18. Socio-demographic determinants and effect of structured personal diabetes care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heltberg, Andreas; Siersma, Volkert; Andersen, John Sahl

    2017-01-01

    of any diabetes-related endpoint and death during 19 years after diagnosis, and cardiovascular risk factors, behaviour, attitudes and process-of-care variables 6 years after diagnosis. Results: Structured personal care reduced the risk of any diabetes-related endpoint and the effect of the intervention...... was modified by geographical area (interaction p = 0.034) with HR of 0.71 (95%CI: 0.60–0.85) and of 1.07 (95%CI: 0.77–1.48), for patients in urban and rural areas, respectively. Otherwise, there was no effect modification of education, employment and civil status on the intervention for the final endpoints....... There were no noticeable socio-demographic differences in the effect of the intervention on cardiovascular risk factors, behaviour, attitudes, and process-of-care. Conclusion: Structured personal care reduced the aggregate outcome of any diabetes-related endpoint and independent of socio-demographic factors...

  19. Spectrophotometric determination of triclosan in personal care products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Huihui; Ma, Hongbing; Tao, Guanhong

    2009-09-01

    A spectrophotometric method for the determination of triclosan in personal care products was proposed. It was based on the reaction of sodium nitrite with p-sulfanilic acid in an acidic medium to form diazonium ion, with which triclosan further formed an azo compound in an alkaline medium. The resulting yellow colored product has a maximum absorption at 452 nm. A good linear relationship ( r = 0.9999) was obtained in the range of 0-30 mg L -1 triclosan. A detection limit of 0.079 g L -1 was achieved and the relative standard deviation was 0.24% ( n = 11) at 14 mg L -1 triclosan. The proposed method has been applied to the analyses of triclosan in several personal care products and the results were in good agreement with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography.

  20. Usage pattern of personal care products in California households.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiangmei May; Bennett, Deborah H; Ritz, Beate; Cassady, Diana L; Lee, Kiyoung; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

    2010-11-01

    Given the concern over the potential for health risks associated with certain ingredients (e.g., phthalates) in personal care products, usage patterns of ∼30 types of personal care products (e.g., shampoo, sunscreen, fragrance, etc.) were collected in 604 California households through a telephone interview. Preferences in selecting products, e.g., scented or unscented, aerosol, and brand loyalty, were also investigated. Participants were recruited in three age groups, children (mostly preschoolers), their parents, and adults age 55 or older. Use frequencies of various product types varied by sex, age group, race, education, and climatic region. Product use by parent and child from the same household were correlated. Use frequencies of products in the same class (e.g., skincare) were moderately correlated, which may impact aggregate exposures. Use frequencies observed in this study were generally in the same range as those reported in the EPA Exposure Factor Handbook, but we found differences for some individual products. Our study provides additional data on population-based usage patterns of a large collection of commonly used personal care products pertaining to several age groups and socio-demographic strata. This information will be valuable for exposure and risk assessments. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Structured Decision-Making: Using Personalized Medicine to Improve the Value of Cancer Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirsch, Bradford R.; Abernethy, Amy P.

    2012-01-01

    Cancer care is often inconsistently delivered with inadequate incorporation of patient values and objective evidence into decision-making. Utilization of time limited trials of care with predefined decision points that are based on iteratively updated best evidence, tools that inform providers about a patient’s experience and values, and known information about a patient’s disease will allow superior matched care to be delivered. Personalized medicine does not merely refer to the incorporation of genetic information into clinical care, it involves utilization of the wide array of data points relevant to care, many of which are readily available at the bedside today. By pushing uptake of personalized matching available today, clinicians can better address the triple aim of improved health, lowers costs, and enhanced patient experience, and we can prepare the health care landscape for the iterative inclusion of progressively more sophisticated information as newer tests and information become available to support the personalized medicine paradigm. PMID:25562407

  2. Associations among personal care product use patterns and exogenous hormone use in the NIEHS Sister Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Kyla W; Baird, Donna D; Herring, Amy H; Engel, Lawrence S; Nichols, Hazel B; Sandler, Dale P; Troester, Melissa A

    2017-09-01

    It is hypothesized that certain chemicals in personal care products may alter the risk of adverse health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to use a data-centered approach to classify complex patterns of exposure to personal care products and to understand how these patterns vary according to use of exogenous hormone exposures, oral contraceptives (OCs) and post-menopausal hormone therapy (HT). The NIEHS Sister Study is a prospective cohort study of 50,884 US women. Limiting the sample to non-Hispanic blacks and whites (N=47,019), latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use based on responses to 48 survey questions. Personal care products were categorized into three product types (beauty, hair, and skincare products) and separate latent classes were constructed for each type. Adjusted prevalence differences (PD) were calculated to estimate the association between exogenous hormone use, as measured by ever/never OC or HT use, and patterns of personal care product use. LCA reduced data dimensionality by grouping of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use into mutually exclusive latent classes (three latent classes for beauty product use, three for hair, and four for skin care. There were strong differences in personal care usage by race, particularly for haircare products. For both blacks and whites, exogenous hormone exposures were associated with higher levels of product use, especially beauty and skincare products. Relative to individual product use questions, latent class variables capture complex patterns of personal care product usage. These patterns differed by race and were associated with ever OC and HT use. Future studies should consider personal care product exposures with other exogenous exposures when modeling health risks.

  3. Caring for homeless persons with serious mental illness in general hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Leah K; Baggett, Travis P; Stern, Theodore A; O'Connell, Jim J; Shtasel, Derri

    2013-01-01

    The care of homeless persons with serious mental illness remains a common and challenging problem in general hospital settings. This article aims to review data on homelessness and its psychiatric comorbidities, and to expand the skills of providers who encounter homeless individuals in general hospital settings. Literature review reveals patient, provider, and systems factors that contribute to suboptimal health outcomes in homeless individuals. Diagnostic rigor, integrated medical and psychiatric care, trauma-informed interventions, special considerations in capacity evaluations, and health care reform initiatives can improve the treatment of homeless persons with serious mental illness. Copyright © 2013 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Nurses' personal and ward accountability and missed nursing care: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srulovici, Einav; Drach-Zahavy, Anat

    2017-10-01

    Missed nursing care is considered an act of omission with potentially detrimental consequences for patients, nurses, and organizations. Although the theoretical conceptualization of missed nursing care specifies nurses' values, attitudes, and perceptions of their work environment as its core antecedents, empirical studies have mainly focused on nurses' socio-demographic and professional attributes. Furthermore, assessment of missed nursing care has been mainly based on same-source methods. This study aimed to test the joint effects of personal and ward accountability on missed nursing care, by using both focal (the nurse whose missed nursing care is examined) and incoming (the nurse responsible for the same patients at the subsequent shift) nurses' assessments of missed nursing care. A cross-sectional design, where nurses were nested in wards. A total of 172 focal and 123 incoming nurses from 32 nursing wards in eight hospitals. Missed nursing care was assessed with the 22-item MISSCARE survey using two sources: focal and incoming nurses. Personal and ward accountability were assessed by the focal nurse with two 19-item scales. Nurses' socio-demographics and ward and shift characteristics were also collected. Mixed linear models were used as the analysis strategy. Focal and incoming nurses reported occasional missed nursing care of the focal nurse (Mean=1.87, SD=0.71 and Mean=2.09, SD=0.84, respectively; r=0.55, ppersonal socio-demographic characteristics, higher personal accountability was significantly associated with decreased missed care (β=-0.29, p0.05). The interaction effect was significant (β=-0.31, ppersonal accountability and missed nursing care. Similar patterns were obtained for the incoming nurses' assessment of focal nurse's missed care. Use of focal and incoming nurses' missed nursing care assessments limited the common source bias and strengthened our findings. Personal and ward accountability are significant values, which are associated with

  5. Long term care needs and personal care services under Medicaid: a survey of administrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palley, H A; Oktay, J S

    1991-01-01

    Home and community based care services constitute a public initiative in the development of a long term care service network. One such home based initiative is the personal care service program of Medicaid. The authors conducted a national survey of administrators of this program. They received a response from 16 administrators of such programs in 1987-1988. The responses raise significant issues regarding training, access to and equity of services, quality of services, administrative oversight and the coordination of home-based care in a network of available services. Based on administrator responses, the authors draw several conclusions.

  6. Effectiveness of person-centered care on people with dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim SK

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Sun Kyung Kim, Myonghwa Park Education and Research Center for Evidence Based Nursing Knowledge, College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea Background: Person-centered care is a holistic and integrative approach designed to maintain well-being and quality of life for people with dementia, and it includes the elements of care, the individual, the carers, and the family.Aim: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of person-centered care for people with dementia.Methods: Literature searches were undertaken using six databases including Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database, and KoreaMed using the following keywords: cognition disorder, dementia, person-centered care, patient-centered care, client-centered care, relationship-centered care, and dementia care. The searches were limited to interventional studies written in English and Korean and included randomized controlled studies and noncontrolled studies for people with dementia living in any setting.Results: Nineteen interventional studies, including 3,985 participants, were identified. Of these, 17 studies were from long-term care facilities and two studies were from homecare settings. The pooled data from randomized controlled studies favored person-centered care in reducing agitation, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and depression and improving the quality of life. Subgroup analysis identified greater effectiveness of person-centered care when implemented for people with less severe dementia. For agitation, short-term interventions had a greater effect (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.434; 95% conference interval [CI]: -0.701 to -0.166 than long-term interventions (SMD: -0.098; 95% CI: -0.190 to 0.007. Individualized activities resulted in a significantly greater beneficial effect than standard care (SMD: 0.513; 95% CI: -0.994 to -0.032. However, long-term, staff education, and

  7. Personality traits, self-care behaviours and glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skinner, T. C.; Bruce, D. G.; Davis, T. M.E.

    2014-01-01

    Aims: To determine whether the personality traits of conscientiousness and agreeableness are associated with self-care behaviours and glycaemia in Type 2 diabetes. Methods: The Big Five Inventory personality traits Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Neuroticism and Openness were...... modelling was used to determine whether personality was associated with BMI, smoking, self-monitoring of blood glucose and medication taking. Multivariable regression was used to investigate which traits were independently associated with these self-care behaviours and HbA1c. Results: Patients with higher......, longer diabetes duration, diabetes treatment, self-monitoring of blood glucose (negatively) and less medication taking (P ≤ 0.009), but no personality trait added to the model. Conclusions: Although there was no independent association between personality traits and HbA1c, the relationship between high...

  8. Health professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration in mental health care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Sommerseth

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Rita Sommerseth, Elin DysvikUniversity of Stavanger, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Studies, Stavanger, NorwayObjective: The basic aim in this paper is to discuss health care professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration and involvement in mental health rehabilitation and suggest ways of improving this perspective. Furthermore, the paper explains the supportive systems that are at work throughout the process of rehabilitation.Method: The study design is a qualitative approach using three focus group interviews with a total of 17 informants with different professional backgrounds such as nurses, social workers, and social pedagogies. In addition, one nurse and one social worker participated in a semistructured in-depth interview to judge validity.Results: Our results may demonstrate deficits concerning mental health care on several levels. This understanding suggests firstly, that a person-centered perspective and involvement still are uncommon. Secondly, multidisciplinary work seems uncommon and only sporadically follows recommendations. Thirdly, family support is seldom involved. Lastly, firm leadership and knowledge about laws and regulations seems not to be systematically integrated in daily care.Conclusion: Taking these matters together, the improvement of a person-centered perspective implies cooperation between different services and levels in mental health care. In order to bring about improvement the health care workers must critically consider their own culture, coordination of competence must be increased, and leadership at an institutional and organizational level must be improved so that scarce rehabilitation resources are used to the optimal benefit of people with a mental illness.Keywords: multidisciplinary teams, person-centered collaboration, supportive systems, rehabilitation

  9. Effects of a continuum of care intervention on frail older persons' life satisfaction: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berglund, Helene; Hasson, Henna; Kjellgren, Karin; Wilhelmson, Katarina

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse effects of a comprehensive continuum of care (intervention group) on frail older persons' life satisfaction, as compared to those receiving usual care (control group). The intervention included geriatric assessment, case management, interprofessional collaboration, support for relatives and organising of care-planning meetings in older persons' own homes. Improvements in older persons' subjective well-being have been shown in studies including care planning and coordination by a case manager. However, effects of more complex continuum of care interventions on frail older persons' life satisfaction are not well explored. Randomised controlled study. The validated LiSat-11 scale was used in face-to-face interviews to assess older persons' life satisfaction at baseline and at three, six and 12 months after the baseline. The odds ratio for improving or maintaining satisfaction was compared for intervention and control groups from baseline to three-month, three- to six-month as well as six- to 12-month follow-ups. Older persons who received the intervention were more likely to improve or maintain satisfaction than those who received usual care, between 6 and 12 month follow-ups, for satisfaction regarding functional capacity, psychological health and financial situation. A comprehensive continuum of care intervention comprising several components had a positive effect on frail older persons' satisfaction with functional capacity, psychological health and financial situation. Frail older persons represent a great proportion of the persons in need of support from the health care system. Health care professionals need to consider continuum of care interventions' impact on life satisfaction. As life satisfaction is an essential part of older persons' well-being, we propose that policy makers and managers promote comprehensive continuum of care solutions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The impact of the Dementia ABC educational programme on competence in person-centred dementia care and job satisfaction of care staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokstad, Anne Marie Mork; Døble, Betty Sandvik; Engedal, Knut; Kirkevold, Øyvind; Benth, Jūratė Šaltytė; Selbaek, Geir

    2017-06-01

    The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of the Dementia ABC educational programme on the participants' competence in person-centred care and on their level of job satisfaction. The development of person-centred care for people with dementia is highly recommended, and staff training that enhances such an approach may positively influence job satisfaction and the possibility of recruiting and retaining competent care staff. The study is a longitudinal survey, following participants over a period of 24 months with a 6-month follow-up after completion of the programme. A total of 1,795 participants from 90 municipalities in Norway are included, and 580 from 52 municipalities completed all measurements. The person-centred care assessment tool (P-CAT) is used to evaluate person-centredness. The psychosocial workplace environment and job satisfaction questionnaire is used to investigate job satisfaction. Measurements are made at baseline, and after 12, 24 and 30 months. A statistically significant increase in the mean P-CAT subscore of person-centred practice and the P-CAT total score is found at 12, 24 and 30 months compared to baseline. A statistically significant decrease in scores in the P-CAT subscore for organisational support is found at all points of measurement compared to baseline. Statistically significant increases in satisfaction with workload, personal and professional development, demands balanced with qualifications and variation in job tasks as elements of job satisfaction are reported. The evaluation of the Dementia ABC educational programme identifies statistically significant increases in scores of person-centredness and job satisfaction, indicating that the training has a positive impact. The results indicate that a multicomponent training programme including written material, multidisciplinary reflection groups and workshops has a positive impact on the development of person-centred care practice and the job satisfaction of care

  11. Post-Hospital Medical Respite Care and Hospital Readmission of Homeless Persons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kertesz, Stefan G.; Posner, Michael A.; O’Connell, James J.; Swain, Stacy; Mullins, Ashley N.; Michael, Shwartz; Ash, Arlene S.

    2009-01-01

    Medical respite programs offer medical, nursing, and other care as well as accommodation for homeless persons discharged from acute hospital stays. They represent a community-based adaptation of urban health systems to the specific needs of homeless persons. This paper examines whether post-hospital discharge to a homeless medical respite program was associated with a reduced chance of 90-day readmission compared to other disposition options. Adjusting for imbalances in patient characteristics using propensity scores, Respite patients were the only group that was significantly less likely to be readmitted within 90 days compared to those released to Own Care. Respite programs merit attention as a potentially efficacious service for homeless persons leaving the hospital. PMID:19363773

  12. Meeting psychosocial needs for persons with dementia in home care services - a qualitative study of different perceptions and practices among health care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Anette; Hauge, Solveig; Bergland, Ådel

    2017-09-11

    The majority of persons with dementia are home-dwelling. To enable these persons to stay in their own homes as long as possible, a holistic, individual and flexible care is recommended. Despite a requirement for meeting psychological, social and physical needs, home care services seem to focus on patients' physical needs. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore how the psychosocial needs of home-dwelling, older persons with dementia were perceived, emphasized and met by home care services. A descriptive, qualitative approach was used. Data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews with 24 health care providers in home care services from four municipalities. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation. This study showed major differences in how health care providers perceived the psychosocial needs of older home-dwelling persons with dementia and how they perceived their responsibilities for meeting those psychosocial needs. The differences in the health care providers' perceptions seemed to significantly influence the provided care. Three co-existing logics of care were identified: the physical need-oriented logic, the renouncement logic and the integrated logic. The differences in how health care providers perceived the psychosocial needs of persons with dementia and their responsibilities for meeting those needs, influenced how the psychosocial needs were met. These differences indicates a need for a clarification of how psychosocial needs should be conceptualized and who should be responsible for meeting these needs. Further, increased competence and increased consciousness of psychosocial needs and how those needs can be met, are essential for delivering high-quality holistic care that enables persons with dementia to live in their own home for as long as possible.

  13. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care - A Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Øvretveit, John

    2017-09-25

    Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning "digitalisation" of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care.

  14. [Refusal of personal hygiene care and nursing responsibility].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peyé, Anne

    2013-03-01

    Situations of patients refusing personal hygiene care are frequent. Sources of difficulties and questioning for caregivers, they can lead to maltreatment. In order to avoid this pitfall, it is essential to support the teams in their approach around representations of caregiving and nursing responsibility.

  15. The importance of person-centred care and co-creation of care for the well-being and job satisfaction of professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities

    OpenAIRE

    Meer, Leontine; Nieboer, Anna; Finkenflügel, Harry; Cramm, Jane

    2018-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Person-centred care and co-creation of care (productive interactions between clients and professionals) are expected to lead to better outcomes for clients. Professionals play a prominent role in the care of people with intellectual disabilities at residential care facilities. Thus, person-centred care and co-creation of care may be argued to lead to better outcomes for professionals as well. This study aimed to identify relationships of person-centred care and co-crea...

  16. Translating person-centered care into practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zoffmann, Vibeke; Hörnsten, Åsa; Storbækken, Solveig

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Person-centred care [PCC] can engage people in living well with a chronic condition. However, translating PCC into practice is challenging. We aimed to compare the translational potentials of three approaches: motivational interviewing [MI], illness integration support [IIS] and guided...... tools. CONCLUSION: Each approach has a primary application: MI, when ambivalence threatens positive change; IIS, when integrating newly diagnosed chronic conditions; and GSD, when problem solving is difficult, or deadlocked. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Professionals must critically consider the context...

  17. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in environmental waters

    OpenAIRE

    Pedrouzo Lanuza, Marta

    2010-01-01

    En la presente Tesis Doctoral se han desarrollado diferentes métodos analíticos para la determinación de pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) en aguas medioambientales. El término PPCPs engloba todos los fármacos, drogas de abuso, hormonas y los excipientes activos incluidos en productos de uso personal, así como los metabolitos, conjugados y sub-productos de transformación. Los métodos desarrollados han estado basados en extracción en fase sólida o extracción con barras magnéti...

  18. Computer modeling with randomized-controlled trial data informs the development of person-centered aged care homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenoweth, Lynn; Vickland, Victor; Stein-Parbury, Jane; Jeon, Yun-Hee; Kenny, Patricia; Brodaty, Henry

    2015-10-01

    To answer questions on the essential components (services, operations and resources) of a person-centered aged care home (iHome) using computer simulation. iHome was developed with AnyLogic software using extant study data obtained from 60 Australian aged care homes, 900+ clients and 700+ aged care staff. Bayesian analysis of simulated trial data will determine the influence of different iHome characteristics on care service quality and client outcomes. Interim results: A person-centered aged care home (socio-cultural context) and care/lifestyle services (interactional environment) can produce positive outcomes for aged care clients (subjective experiences) in the simulated environment. Further testing will define essential characteristics of a person-centered care home.

  19. Personal-Care Products Formulated with Natural Antioxidant Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Luisa Soto

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential use of some vegetal raw materials in personal-care products. Four ethanolic extracts (grape pomace, Pinus pinaster wood chips, Acacia dealbata flowers, and Lentinus edodes were prepared and total phenolics, monomeric sugars, and antioxidant capacity were determined on alcoholic extracts. Six of the most important groups of cosmetics products (hand cream, body oil, shampoo, clay mask, body exfoliating cream, and skin cleanser were formulated. Participants evaluated some sensory attributes and overall acceptance by a 10-point scale; the results showed differences among age-intervals, but not between males and females. The results confirmed that all extracts presented characteristics appropriate for their use in cosmetic formulations and their good acceptability by consumers into all cosmetic products. Texture/appearance, spreadability, and skin feeling are important attributes among consumer expectations, but odor and color were the primary drivers and helped differentiate the natural extracts added into all personal-care products.

  20. Communicative challenges in the home care of older persons: a qualitative exploration.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sundler, A.J.; Eide, H.; Dulmen, S. van; Holmström, I.K.

    2016-01-01

    Aim To explore communicative challenges in encounters between nurse assistants and older persons during home care visits. Background The older population is increasing worldwide. Currently, there is a shift in care for older people from institutional care to home

  1. Usage patterns of personal care products: Important factors for exposure assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Biesterbos, J.W.H.; Dudzina, T.; Delmaar, C.J.; Bakker, M.I.; Russel, F.G.M.; Goetz, N. von; Scheepers, P.T.J.; Roeleveld, N.

    2013-01-01

    Complete information regarding the use of personal care products (PCPs) by consumers is limited, but such information is crucial for realistic consumer exposure assessment. To fill this gap, a database was created with person-oriented information regarding usage patterns and circumstances of use for

  2. Derivation and validation of the Personal Support Algorithm: an evidence-based framework to inform allocation of personal support services in home and community care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinn, Chi-Ling Joanna; Jones, Aaron; McMullan, Janet Legge; Ackerman, Nancy; Curtin-Telegdi, Nancy; Eckel, Leslie; Hirdes, John P

    2017-11-25

    Personal support services enable many individuals to stay in their homes, but there are no standard ways to classify need for functional support in home and community care settings. The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based clinical tool to inform service planning while allowing for flexibility in care coordinator judgment in response to patient and family circumstances. The sample included 128,169 Ontario home care patients assessed in 2013 and 25,800 Ontario community support clients assessed between 2014 and 2016. Independent variables were drawn from the Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care and interRAI Community Health Assessment that are standardised, comprehensive, and fully compatible clinical assessments. Clinical expertise and regression analyses identified candidate variables that were entered into decision tree models. The primary dependent variable was the weekly hours of personal support calculated based on the record of billed services. The Personal Support Algorithm classified need for personal support into six groups with a 32-fold difference in average billed hours of personal support services between the highest and lowest group. The algorithm explained 30.8% of the variability in billed personal support services. Care coordinators and managers reported that the guidelines based on the algorithm classification were consistent with their clinical judgment and current practice. The Personal Support Algorithm provides a structured yet flexible decision-support framework that may facilitate a more transparent and equitable approach to the allocation of personal support services.

  3. Derivation and validation of the Personal Support Algorithm: an evidence-based framework to inform allocation of personal support services in home and community care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Ling Joanna Sinn

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Personal support services enable many individuals to stay in their homes, but there are no standard ways to classify need for functional support in home and community care settings. The goal of this project was to develop an evidence-based clinical tool to inform service planning while allowing for flexibility in care coordinator judgment in response to patient and family circumstances. Methods The sample included 128,169 Ontario home care patients assessed in 2013 and 25,800 Ontario community support clients assessed between 2014 and 2016. Independent variables were drawn from the Resident Assessment Instrument-Home Care and interRAI Community Health Assessment that are standardised, comprehensive, and fully compatible clinical assessments. Clinical expertise and regression analyses identified candidate variables that were entered into decision tree models. The primary dependent variable was the weekly hours of personal support calculated based on the record of billed services. Results The Personal Support Algorithm classified need for personal support into six groups with a 32-fold difference in average billed hours of personal support services between the highest and lowest group. The algorithm explained 30.8% of the variability in billed personal support services. Care coordinators and managers reported that the guidelines based on the algorithm classification were consistent with their clinical judgment and current practice. Conclusions The Personal Support Algorithm provides a structured yet flexible decision-support framework that may facilitate a more transparent and equitable approach to the allocation of personal support services.

  4. Improving the care of older persons in Australian prisons using the Policy Delphi method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Karen; Newman, Claire; Doona, Katherine

    2016-09-01

    There are currently no internationally recognised and approved processes relating to the care of older persons with dementia in prison. This research aimed to develop tools and procedures related to managing the care of, including the identification and assessment of, older persons with dementia who are imprisoned in New South Wales, Australia. A modified approach to the Policy Delphi method, using both surveys and facilitated discussion groups, enabled experts to come together to discuss improving the quality of care provision for older persons with dementia in prison and achieve research aims. © The Author(s) 2014.

  5. Improving person-centred care in nursing homes through dementia-care mapping: design of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ven, G. van de; Draskovic, I.; Adang, E.M.M.; Donders, R.; Post, A.; Zuidema, S.U.; Koopmans, R.T.C.M.; Vernooij-Dassen, M.J.F.J.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The effectiveness and efficiency of nursing-home dementia care are suboptimal: there are high rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms among the residents and work-related stress among the staff. Dementia-care mapping is a person-centred care method that may alleviate both the resident and the

  6. Person-centered care and engagement via technology of residents with dementia in aged care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Anita M Y; Loi, Samantha M; Westphal, Alissa; Lautenschlager, Nicola T

    2017-12-01

    Touchscreen technology (TT) is a resource that can improve the quality of life of residents with dementia, and care staff, in residential aged care facilities (RACF) through a person-centered care approach. To enable the use of TTs to engage and benefit people with dementia in RACFs, education is needed to explore how these devices may be used, what facilitates use, and how to address barriers. We sought to provide education and explore RACF staff views and barriers on using TT to engage their residents with dementia. An educational session on using TT with residents with dementia was given to staff from three long-term RACFs in Melbourne, Australia. A cross-sectional convenience sample of 17 staff members (personal care attendants, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, allied health clinicians, and domestic staff) who attended were administered questionnaires pre- and post-sessions. As a result of the education seminar, they were significantly more confident in their ability to use TT devices with residents. TT, and education to staff about its use with residents with dementia, is a useful strategy to enhance RACF staff knowledge and confidence, thereby enhancing the use of technology in RACFs in order to improve care standards in people with dementia.

  7. The coming revolution in personal care robotics: what does it mean for nurses?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C

    2014-01-01

    The business sector provides regular reportage on the development of personal care robots to enable elders and people with disabilities to remain in their homes. Technology in this area is advancing rapidly in Asia, Europe, and North America. To date, the nursing literature has not addressed how nurses will assist these vulnerable populations in the selection and use of robotic technology or how robotics could effect nursing care and patient outcomes. This article provides an overview of development in the area of personal care robotics to address societal needs reflecting demographic trends. Selected relevant issues related to the human-robotic interface including ethical concerns are identified. Implications for nursing education and the delivery of nursing services are identified. Collaboration with engineers in the development of personal care robotic technology has the potential to contribute to the creation of products that optimally address the needs of elders and people with disabilities.

  8. The relationship between prenatal care, personal alcohol abuse and alcohol abuse in the home environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    GREKIN, EMILY R.; ONDERSMA, STEVEN J.

    2013-01-01

    Aims Nearly one-fourth of African-American women receive no prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy. The aim of the current study is to identify factors that underlie inadequate prenatal care among African-American women. Maternal alcohol abuse has been examined as one risk factor for inadequate prenatal care, but findings have been inconsistent, perhaps because (a) alcohol use during pregnancy is substantially under-reported and (b) studies have not considered the wider social network in which maternal alcohol use takes place. The current study attempts to clarify relationships between personal alcohol use, alcohol use in the home environment, and prenatal care in a sample of post-partum women. Methods Participants were 107 low-income, primarily African-American women. All participants completed a computer-based screening which assessed personal and environmental alcohol use, prenatal care and mental health. Findings Environmental alcohol use was related to delayed prenatal care while personal alcohol use was not. More specifically, after controlling for demographic variables, the presence of more than three person-episodes of binge drinking in a woman’s home environment increased the odds of seriously compromized prenatal care by a factor of seven. Conclusions Findings suggest the need to further assess environmental alcohol use and to examine the reliability of personal alcohol use measures. PMID:24391354

  9. Economic evaluation of home-based telebehavioural health care compared to in-person treatment delivery for depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bounthavong, Mark; Pruitt, Larry D; Smolenski, Derek J; Gahm, Gregory A; Bansal, Aasthaa; Hansen, Ryan N

    2018-02-01

    Introduction Home-based telebehavioural healthcare improves access to mental health care for patients restricted by travel burden. However, there is limited evidence assessing the economic value of home-based telebehavioural health care compared to in-person care. We sought to compare the economic impact of home-based telebehavioural health care and in-person care for depression among current and former US service members. Methods We performed trial-based cost-minimisation and cost-utility analyses to assess the economic impact of home-based telebehavioural health care versus in-person behavioural care for depression. Our analyses focused on the payer perspective (Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs) at three months. We also performed a scenario analysis where all patients possessed video-conferencing technology that was approved by these agencies. The cost-utility analysis evaluated the impact of different depression categories on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model assumptions. Results In the base case analysis the total direct cost of home-based telebehavioural health care was higher than in-person care (US$71,974 versus US$20,322). Assuming that patients possessed government-approved video-conferencing technology, home-based telebehavioural health care was less costly compared to in-person care (US$19,177 versus US$20,322). In one-way sensitivity analyses, the proportion of patients possessing personal computers was a major driver of direct costs. In the cost-utility analysis, home-based telebehavioural health care was dominant when patients possessed video-conferencing technology. Results from probabilistic sensitivity analyses did not differ substantially from base case results. Discussion Home-based telebehavioural health care is dependent on the cost of supplying video-conferencing technology to patients but offers the opportunity to

  10. Personal is Political: Caring Economy & Partnership in the Philippines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann Amberg

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Center for Partnership Studies’ program Alumni are applying their leadership skills as community advocates in powerful ways worldwide. “Personal is Political” features certified Caring Economy Advocate Theresa Balayon’s work in the Philippines. In a context of a Partnership framework, Theresa facilitates local events with gender development activists and policy makers, witnessing their stories as women, to encourage awareness of the need for cultural change toward a more caring economic system.

  11. [Personalized nursing care in hospital and its effects on the patient-nurse trust relationship].

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Juárez, María del Rosario; López-Alonso, Sergio R; Moreno-Verdugo, Ana; Guerra-González, Sara; Fernández-Corchero, Juana; Márquez-Borrego, M José; Orozco-Cózar, M José; Ramos-Bosquet, Gádor

    2013-01-01

    To determine the level of implementation of an inpatient personalized nursing care model in four hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service, and to determine if there is an association between this model and the perception of trust in the nurse by the patient. An observational cross-sectional study included the patients discharged during a period of 12 months from hospital wards that used the Inpatient Personalized Nursing Care Model of the Andalusian Health Service (based on Primary Nursing Model). The level of implemention was evaluated using the Nursing Care Personalized Index (IPC), made by «patient report» methodology, and the nurse-patient trust relationship was evaluated at the same time as the IPC. Statistical analysis included descriptive data analysis, Chi-squared test, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression, with and without stratifying by hospitals wards. A total of 817 patient were included. The implementation of the inpatient personalized nursing care model varied between 61 and 79%. The IPC values showed a strong association with the nurse-patient trust relationship, and that for each point increase in the IPC score, the probability of a nurse-patient trust relationship increased between 50 and 130% (0.120.58). The implementation of a personalized nursing care model in the wards studied was higher in the surgicals wards and at regular level in medical wards. Furthermore, the influence of the inpatient personalized nursing care model on the nurse-patient trust relationship has been demonstrated using the IPC model. This trust is the main component for the establishment of a therapeutic relationship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  12. Caring about dying persons and their families: Interpretation, practice and emotional labour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funk, Laura M; Peters, Sheryl; Roger, Kerstin Stieber

    2018-02-20

    The importance of emotional support for dying persons and their families has been well established, yet we know less about how care workers understand emotional processes related to death and dying, or how these understandings are connected to care practices and emotional labour at the end of life. The aim of this study was to explore how healthcare workers interpret and respond to emotional needs of dying persons and their families. Qualitative data were collected between 2013 and 2014 through in-depth, in-person interviews with 14 nurses and 12 healthcare aides in one Western Canadian city. Transcripts were analysed using an inductive, interpretive thematic coding approach and the analytic lens of emotional labour. Dominant interpretive frames of a "good death" informed participants' emotionally supportive practice. This included guiding patients and families to "open up" about their emotions to activate the grief process. There was concern that incomplete grieving would result in anger being directed towards care staff. The goal of promoting emotional sharing informed the work of "caring about." Although palliative philosophies opened up moral and professional space for "caring about" in the context of organisational norms which often discouraged these practices, the tension between the two, and the lack of time for this work, may encourage surface expressions rather than authentic emotional care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Importance of Personalized Health-Care Models: A Case Study in Activity Recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zdravevski, Eftim; Lameski, Petre; Trajkovik, Vladimir; Pombo, Nuno; Garcia, Nuno

    2018-01-01

    Novel information and communication technologies create possibilities to change the future of health care. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is seen as a promising supplement of the current care models. The main goal of AAL solutions is to apply ambient intelligence technologies to enable elderly people to continue to live in their preferred environments. Applying trained models from health data is challenging because the personalized environments could differ significantly than the ones which provided training data. This paper investigates the effects on activity recognition accuracy using single accelerometer of personalized models compared to models built on general population. In addition, we propose a collaborative filtering based approach which provides balance between fully personalized models and generic models. The results show that the accuracy could be improved to 95% with fully personalized models, and up to 91.6% with collaborative filtering based models, which is significantly better than common models that exhibit accuracy of 85.1%. The collaborative filtering approach seems to provide highly personalized models with substantial accuracy, while overcoming the cold start problem that is common for fully personalized models.

  14. The role of patient personality in the identification of depression in older primary care patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCray, Laura W; Bogner, Hillary R; Sammel, Mary D; Gallo, Joseph J

    2007-11-01

    Our aim was to evaluate whether personality factors significantly contribute to the identification of depression in older primary care patients, even after controlling for depressive symptoms. We examined the association between personality factors and the identification of depression among 318 older adults who participated in the Spectrum study. High neuroticism (unadjusted Odds Ratio (OR) 2.36, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.42, 3.93]) and low extraversion (adjusted OR 2.24, CI [1.26, 4.00]) were associated with physician identification of depression. Persons with high conscientiousness were less likely to be identified as depressed by the doctor (adjusted OR 0.45, CI [0.22, 0.91]). Personality factors influence the identification of depression among older persons in primary care over and above the relationship of depressive symptoms with physician identification. Knowledge of personality may influence the diagnosis and treatment of depression in primary care. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Art, music, story: The evaluation of a person-centred arts in health programme in an acute care older persons' unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Karen; Tesch, Leigh; Dawborn, Jacqueline; Courtney-Pratt, Helen

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the impact of an arts in health programme delivered by a specialised artist within an acute older person's unit. Acute hospitals must meet the increasingly complex needs of older people who experience multiple comorbidities, often including cognitive impairment, either directly related to their admission or longer term conditions, including dementia. A focus on physical illness, efficiency and tasks within an acute care environment can all divert attention from the psychosocial well-being of patients. This focus also decreases capacity for person-centred approaches that acknowledge and value the older person, their life story, relationships and the care context. The importance of arts for health and wellness, including responsiveness to individual need, is well established: however, there is little evidence about its effectiveness for older people in acute hospital settings. We report on a collaborative arts in health programme on an acute medical ward for older people. The qualitative study used collaborative enquiry underpinned by a constructivist approach to evaluate an arts programme that involved participatory art-making activities, customised music, song and illustration work, and enlivening the unit environment. Data sources included observation of art activities, semi-structured interviews with patients and family members, and focus groups with staff. Data were transcribed and thematically analysed using a line by line approach. The programme had positive impacts for the environment, patients, families and staff. The environment exhibited changes as a result of programme outputs; patients and families were engaged and enjoyed activities that aided recovery from illness; and staff also enjoyed activities and importantly learnt new ways of working with patients. An acute care arts in health programme is a carefully nuanced programme where the skills of the arts health worker are critical to success. Utilising such skill, continued focus on person

  16. Reducing care-resistant behaviors during oral hygiene in persons with dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jablonski Rita A

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nursing home residents with dementia are often dependent on others for mouth care, yet will react with care-resistant behavior when receiving assistance. The oral health of these elders deteriorates in the absence of daily oral hygiene, predisposing them to harmful systemic problems such as pneumonia, hyperglycemia, cardiac disease, and cerebral vascular accidents. The purpose of this study is to determine whether care-resistant behaviors can be reduced, and oral health improved, through the application of an intervention based on the neurobiological principles of threat perception and fear response. The intervention, called Managing Oral Hygiene Using Threat Reduction, combines best mouth care practices with a constellation of behavioral techniques that reduce threat perception and thereby prevent or de-escalate care-resistant behaviors. Methods/Design Using a randomized repeated measures design, 80 elders with dementia from 5 different nursing homes will be randomized at the individual level to the experimental group, which will receive the intervention, or to the control group, which will receive standard mouth care from research team members who receive training in the proper methods for providing mouth care but no training in resistance recognition or prevention/mediation. Oral health assessments and care-resistant behavior measurements will be obtained during a 7-day observation period and a 21-day intervention period. Individual growth models using multilevel analysis will be used to estimate the efficacy of the intervention for reducing care-resistant behaviors in persons with dementia, and to estimate the overall efficacy of the intervention using oral health outcomes. Activity-based costing methods will be used to determine the cost of the proposed intervention. Discussion At the conclusion of this study, the research team anticipates having a proven intervention that prevents and reduces care-resistant within the

  17. Advancing a conceptual model to improve maternal health quality: The Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudhinaraset, May; Afulani, Patience; Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Donnay, France; Montagu, Dominic

    2017-11-06

    Background: Globally, substantial health inequities exist with regard to maternal, newborn and reproductive health. Lack of access to good quality care-across its many dimensions-is a key factor driving these inequities. Significant global efforts have been made towards improving the quality of care within facilities for maternal and reproductive health. However, one critically overlooked aspect of quality improvement activities is person-centered care. Main body: The objective of this paper is to review existing literature and theories related to person-centered reproductive health care to develop a framework for improving the quality of reproductive health, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This paper proposes the Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity, which describes three levels of interdependent contexts for women's reproductive health: societal and community determinants of health equity, women's health-seeking behaviors, and the quality of care within the walls of the facility. It lays out eight domains of person-centered care for maternal and reproductive health. Conclusions: Person-centered care has been shown to improve outcomes; yet, there is no consensus on definitions and measures in the area of women's reproductive health care. The proposed Framework reviews essential aspects of person-centered reproductive health care.

  18. Understanding of advance care planning by family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvin, Amy O; Engebretson, Joan C; Sardual, S Alexander

    2014-11-01

    The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore hemodialysis patients' family members' understanding of end-of-life decision-making processes. The project aimed to address (a) family members' constructions of advance care planning (ACP), including their roles and responsibilities, and (b) family members' perceptions of health care providers' roles and responsibilities in ACP. Eighteen family members of persons undergoing hemodialysis were recruited primarily from outpatient dialysis facilities and interviewed individually. Confirmed transcript data were analyzed, coded, and compared, and categories were established. Interpretations were validated throughout the interviews and peer debriefing sessions were used at a later stage in the analysis. The overarching construct identified was one of Protection. Family members protect patients by (a) Sharing Burdens, (b) Normalizing Life, and (c) Personalizing Care. Recommendations for future research include the need to explore ACP of persons undergoing hemodialysis who do not have a family support system. © The Author(s) 2013.

  19. Palm-based lauryl alcohol ethoxylate behavioural study and recommendations in personal care applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ngee, Lim Hong; Anuar Kassim; Atan Sharif; Dzulkefly Kuang; Rosnah Ismail; Ming, Huang Nay

    2008-01-01

    Palm-based lauryl alcohol ethoxylate was synthesized with 6 moles of ethylene oxide using an ethoxylation reactor. The 6 moles of ethylene oxide chain length was approximately the same length as the palm-based lauryl alcohol. The synthesized lauryl alcohol ethoxylate consisted of an average of 6 moles of ethylene oxide and was labeled as C 12 EO 6 . The molecular structure of lauryl alcohol ethoxylate was determined by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The ternary phase diagrams for olive or olein oil/water/C 12 E 6 systems were investigated at 25 degree Celsius. The important features of the ternary phase diagrams are the emulsion and the concentrated emulsion phases. Optical microscope, particle size analyser and rheometer were used to characterize the different compositions of emulsions. Different consistencies of emulsions were recommended for the personal care applications. (author)

  20. Substance use among persons with homeless experience in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stringfellow, Erin J; Kim, Theresa W; Gordon, Adam J; Pollio, David E; Grucza, Richard A; Austin, Erika L; Johnson, N Kay; Kertesz, Stefan G

    2016-01-01

    Community survey data suggest high prevalence of substance use disorders among currently homeless individuals. There are less data regarding illicit drug and alcohol use problems of homeless-experienced persons engaged in primary care. They may have less severe use and require different care responses from primary care teams. The authors surveyed currently and formerly homeless, i.e., homeless-experienced, persons engaged in primary care at five federally funded programs in the United States, administering the World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The ASSIST definitions of lower, moderate, and high risk were used to assess a spectrum of lifetime and recent substance use, from any use to likely dependence, and to identify sociodemographic and health status characteristics associated with severity of use. Almost one half of the sample (N = 601) had recently (within the past three months) used alcohol, and one third had recently used an illicit drug. The most commonly used illicit drugs in the past three months were cannabis (19%), cocaine (16%), and opioids (7.5%). Over one half (59%) of respondents had ASSIST-defined moderate- or high-risk substance use. A significant proportion (31%) of those identified as at moderate risk had no recent substance use, but did report past problematic use. Ten percent of the lower-risk group had past problematic use of alcohol. Severity of use was associated with worse health status, but not with housing status or type of homelessness experienced. Less severe (moderate-risk) use and past problematic use, potentially indicative of remitted substance use disorders, were more common than high-risk use in this primary care, homeless-experienced sample. These findings highlight the urgency of identifying effective ways to reduce risky substance use and prevent relapse in homeless-experienced persons.

  1. Adult antisocial personality traits are associated with experiences of low parental care and maternal overprotection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reti, I M; Samuels, J F; Eaton, W W; Bienvenu, O J; Costa, P T; Nestadt, G

    2002-08-01

    To investigate the role of parenting in the development of adult antisocial personality traits. A total of 742 community-based subjects were assessed for adult DSM-IV antisocial personality disorder traits and for measures of parental behavior experienced as children, including by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Three fundamental dimensions of parental behavior - care, behavioral restrictiveness and denial of psychological autonomy - were derived by factor analysis from the PBI. These dimensions significantly correlated with measures of parental behavior considered influential in later antisocial behavior. Adult antisocial traits in males were associated with low maternal care and high maternal behavioral restrictiveness, and in females, antisocial traits were associated with low paternal care and high maternal denial of psychological autonomy. These dimensions did not, however, explain all variance parental behavior has on adult antisocial personality traits. Adult antisocial personality traits are associated with experiences of low parental care and maternal overprotection.

  2. Racial/Ethnic and social class differences in preventive care practices among persons with diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barnett Elizabeth

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Persons with diabetes are at increased risk for serious complications including CVD, stroke, retinopathy, amputation, and nephropathy. Minorities have the highest incidence and prevalence of diabetes and related complications compared to other racial groups. Preventive care practices such as smoking cessation, eye examinations, feet examinations, and yearly checkups can prevent or delay the incidence and progression of diabetes related complications. The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in diabetes preventive care practices by several socio-demographic characteristics including social class. Methods Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey for 1998–2001 were used for analyses. The study population consisted of persons who indicated having diabetes on the BRFSS, 35 yrs and older, and Non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, or Hispanic persons. Logistic regression was used in analyses. Results Contrary to our hypotheses, Blacks and Hispanics engaged in preventive care more frequently than Whites. Whites were less likely to have seen a doctor in the previous year, less likely to have had a foot exam, more likely to smoke, and less likely to have attempted smoking cessation. Persons of lower social class were at greatest risk for not receiving preventive care regardless of race/ethnicity. Persons with no health care coverage were twice as likely to have not visited the doctor in the previous year and twice as likely to have not had an eye exam, 1.5 times more likely to have not had a foot exam or attempted smoking cessation. Conclusion This study showed that persons of lower social class and persons with no health insurance are at greatest risk for not receiving preventive services.

  3. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care – A Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Øvretveit

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning “digitalisation” of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care.

  4. Digital Technologies Supporting Person-Centered Integrated Care – A Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Shared electronic health and social care records in some service systems are already showing some of the benefits of digital technology and digital data for integrating health and social care. These records are one example of the beginning “digitalisation” of services that gives a glimpse of the potential of digital technology and systems for building coordinated and individualized integrated care. Yet the promise has been greater than the benefits, and progress has been slow compared to other industries. This paper describes for non-technical readers how information technology was used to support integrated care schemes in six EU services, and suggests practical ways forward to use the new opportunities to build person-centered integrated care. PMID:29588629

  5. Quality of care for frail older persons in a homecare setting: what is it and how can it be measured?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska; Sela, Adi Hannah; Iecovich, Esther; Golander, Hava

    2017-11-02

    As more older persons opt to age in place, there is a growing trend to hire migrant workers as live-in caregivers to care for them. This raises the need to examine the quality of care they receive within this unique care setting. The objective of this pilot study was to establish the components of quality of care as provided by migrant live-in caregivers. We interviewed a convenience sample of older persons cared for by migrant live-in caregivers and their relatives. When relatives reported that older persons could not be interviewed due to advanced dementia, only relatives were interviewed. Overall, 72 older persons and 117 relatives were interviewed. We used the Quality of Care Questionnaire (QuCQ) developed for this study to examine the main components of quality of care in this population. Factor analysis using older persons' data revealed two factors. In the first factor, "caretaking," items concerning provision of prompt care exhibited the highest loadings. Items measuring interpersonal aspects of the care dynamic had the highest loadings in the second factor, thus labeled "relationship." The factor analysis based on relatives' data yielded similarities and differences with the one based on older persons' data. Yet, there were significant correlations between relative and older persons' responses when using the older persons' factor structure. According to older persons and relatives, quality of care depends on the extent to which older persons' care-related needs, as well as social ones, are addressed. Appropriate evaluation of quality of care in the live-in setting is important for its improvement.

  6. Psychiatric symptomatology and personality in a population of primary care patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja Biała

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available introduction and objective. Psychiatric disorders (and their high rates of prevalence in primary care have been widely analyzed, but the problem of underdiagnosis remains unresolved. This becomes increasingly more important in rural health centres in the face of lack of epidemiological data from these centres. The aim of this study is focused on the relationship between general health, psychiatric symptomatology and personality characteristics in the context of an adequate diagnosis. materials and methods. 518 primary care patients in 6 Polish urban clinical centres were studied using (in order of administration: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28 and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R. results. The investigated sample was representative for urban primary care patients. The findings confirmed a significant association between neuroticism and general health. The strongest relation with current functioning and mental distress of the patients (GHQ general score was observed in case of symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. The symptoms of depression may be the most difficult to identify (psychiatric symptoms assessed using GHQ sub-scales. conclusions. According to the GHQ assumptions and confirmed by the presented study, sub-threshold psychiatric symptomatology affects the functioning of primary care patients and their general health. This correlates with personality factors. Improving adequacy of diagnosis becomes extremely important, as it may often be the only chance for appropriate therapy of mental problems for people living in rural areas due to lower availability of specialistic mental services. Further epidemiological studies concerning rural primary care and prevalence of the spectrum of mental disorders need to be conducted.

  7. Guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tinda Rabie

    2015-06-01

    Implications for practice: The implementation of the self-care guidelines by the public health sector, professional nurses and older persons will improve the healthcare of older persons at home which will in turn improve their quality of life, reduce unintentional self-neglect, as well as assist in alleviating overcrowding in clinics because unnecessary visits to the clinic will drop.

  8. Infrastructure for Personalized Medicine at Partners HealthCare

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott T. Weiss

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Partners HealthCare Personalized Medicine (PPM is a center within the Partners HealthCare system (founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital whose mission is to utilize genetics and genomics to improve the care of patients in a cost effective manner. PPM consists of five interconnected components: (1 Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM, a CLIA laboratory performing genetic testing for patients world-wide; (2 Translational Genomics Core (TGC, a core laboratory providing genomic platforms for Partners investigators; (3 Partners Biobank, a biobank of samples (DNA, plasma and serum for 50,000 Consented Partners patients; (4 Biobank Portal, an IT infrastructure and viewer to bring together genotypes, samples, phenotypes (validated diagnoses, radiology, and clinical chemistry from the electronic medical record to Partners investigators. These components are united by (5 a common IT system that brings researchers, clinicians, and patients together for optimal research and patient care.

  9. The Impact of Person-Organization Fit on Nurse Job Satisfaction and Patient Care Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risman, K L; Erickson, Rebecca J; Diefendorff, James M

    2016-08-01

    In the current healthcare context, large health care organizations may increasingly emphasize profit, biomedicine, efficiency, and customer service in the delivery of care. This orientation toward nursing work by large organizations may be perceived by nurses as incompatible with professional caring. Ordinary Least Squares regression was used to explore the impact of person-organization fit (i.e., value congruence between self and employing organization) on nurses' general job satisfaction and quality of patient care (n=753). Nurses' perceived person-organization fit is a significant predictor of general job satisfaction and quality of patient care. The implications of our findings are discussed and recommendations for nursing leaders and future research are made. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The emergence of personal growth amongst healthcare professionals who care for dying children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaune, Laura; Muskat, Barbara; Anthony, Samantha J

    2018-06-01

    ABSTRACTObjective:Compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious traumatization are prominent topics in the current literature on the impact of the rewarding but challenging work of healthcare professionals who care for patients with life-limiting illnesses. The positive effects of caregiving constitute a newly emerging outcome that has been relatively unexplored in the pediatric literature, and yet they may play an important role in contributing to the satisfaction and well-being of the healthcare professionals who care for children who have a life-limiting illness. This paper reports the results of a secondary analysis of qualitative interview transcripts that explored the experiences of hospital-based pediatric healthcare providers caring for children with varied life-limiting illnesses. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 healthcare professionals (9 social workers, 8 nurses, and 8 physicians). The majority of participants were women (80%), with an age range between 20 and 60 years, and most (84%) had the experience of caring for more than 15 dying children. Thematic analysis was conducted using interpretive description and constant comparison. Every healthcare professional interviewed experienced personal growth as a result of their providing care for dying children. Three dimensions of personal growth were most consistently reported: (1) new or altered life perspectives, (2) enhanced personal resources, and (3) benevolence. A deeper understanding of the phenomenon of personal growth could help healthcare organizations to implement innovative approaches that would counterbalance compassion fatigue, and thereby enhance both healthcare provider well-being and child and family outcomes.

  11. The relationships between the combination of person- and organization-related conditions and patients' perceptions of palliative care quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandsdalen, Tuva; Høye, Sevald; Rystedt, Ingrid; Grøndahl, Vigdis Abrahamsen; Hov, Reidun; Wilde-Larsson, Bodil

    2017-12-06

    Little is known about the combination of person- and organization- related conditions and the relationships with patients' perspectives of care quality. Such a combination could contribute knowledge reflecting the complexity of clinical practice, and enhance individualized care. The aim was to investigate the relationships between the combination of person- and organization-related conditions and patients' perceptions of palliative care quality. A cross-sectional study, including 191 patients in the late palliative phase (73% response rate) admitted to hospice inpatient care (n = 72), hospice day care (n = 51), palliative units in nursing homes (n = 30) and home care (n = 38), was conducted between November 2013 and December 2014, using the instrument Quality from the Patients' Perspective specific to palliative care (QPP-PC). Data were analysed, using analysis of covariance, to explore the amount of the variance in the dependent variables (QPP-PC) that could be explained by combination of the independent variables - Person- and organization-related conditions, - while controlling for differences in covariates. Patients scored the care received and the subjective importance as moderate to high. The combination of person- and organization - related conditions revealed that patients with a high sense of coherence, lower age (person - related conditions) and being in a ward with access to and availability of physicians (organization-related condition) might be associated with significantly higher scores for the quality of care received. Gender (women), daily contact with family and friends, and low health-related quality of life (person-related conditions) might be associated with higher scores for subjective importance of the aspects of care quality. Healthcare personnel, leaders and policy makers need to pay attention to person- and organization-related conditions in order to provide person-centered palliative care of high quality. Further studies from

  12. Microbiological risk assessment for personal care products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, S E; Parker, M D; Amézquita, A; Pitt, T L

    2016-12-01

    Regulatory decisions regarding microbiological safety of cosmetics and personal care products are primarily hazard-based, where the presence of a potential pathogen determines decision-making. This contrasts with the Food industry where it is a commonplace to use a risk-based approach for ensuring microbiological safety. A risk-based approach allows consideration of the degree of exposure to assess unacceptable health risks. As there can be a number of advantages in using a risk-based approach to safety, this study explores the Codex Alimentarius (Codex) four-step Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA) framework frequently used in the Food industry and examines how it can be applied to the safety assessment of personal care products. The hazard identification and hazard characterization steps (one and two) of the Codex MRA framework consider the main microorganisms of concern. These are addressed by reviewing the current industry guidelines for objectionable organisms and analysing reports of contaminated products notified by government agencies over a recent 5-year period, together with examples of reported outbreaks. Data related to estimation of exposure (step three) are discussed, and examples of possible calculations and references are included. The fourth step, performed by the risk assessor (risk characterization), is specific to each assessment and brings together the information from the first three steps to assess the risk. Although there are very few documented uses of the MRA approach for personal care products, this study illustrates that it is a practicable and sound approach for producing products that are safe by design. It can be helpful in the context of designing products and processes going to market and with setting of microbiological specifications. Additionally, it can be applied reactively to facilitate decision-making when contaminated products are released on to the marketplace. Currently, the knowledge available may only allow a

  13. COLLAGE 360: A Model of Person-Centered Care To Promote Health Among Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Elizabeth P; Schreiber, Robert; Morris, John N; Russotto, Aline; Flashner-Fineman, Susan

    2016-01-01

    Health care leaders and providers have introduced the assumption the typical elder, even in the presence of complex, chronic disease and prevailing illness, is capable of assuming greater personal responsibility for their health care, with a shift from provider-centered to a person-centered model of care. For older adults who often and repeatedly face challenges managing and maintaining their health status, guidance and support is needed. In this study, COLLAGE 360 , a comprehensive assessment system and wellness coaching program that focuses on prevention and wellness, care coordination and self-management of health care was implemented in one continuing care retirement community. Following completion of two assessment tools via directed conversation with a wellness coach, older adults developed an individualized vitality plan that outlined life goals, supporting goals and action plans for goal achievement. Results from this program suggest engagement in the assessment and wellness coaching process via the COLLAGE 360 program translated into sample older adults sensing that they live in a more supportive environment when compared with elders not receiving any wellness coaching. In addition, the older adults had positive effects in the areas of mood, loneliness, social interaction, health status, and life satisfaction. Strategies to improve health and well being need an extended focus beyond the older adult's medical conditions and consider psychological, spiritual and social needs with personal preferences being paramount. These issues are foundational to a person-centered, health promotion approach needed among this population.

  14. The evolving role of the personal support worker in home care in Ontario, Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saari, Margaret; Patterson, Erin; Kelly, Shawna; Tourangeau, Ann E

    2018-03-01

    To meet increasing demand for home care, the role of personal support workers (PSWs) is shifting from providing primarily personal and supportive care to include care activities previously provided by regulated health professionals (RHPs). Much of the research examining this shift focuses on specialty programmes, with few studies investigating the daily care being provided by PSWs, frequency of care activities being provided by PSWs, and characteristics of the population receiving more complex tasks. Between January and April 2015, a review of 517 home-care service user charts was undertaken in Ontario, Canada, to: (1) describe the range of tasks being performed by PSWs in home care, (2) identify tasks transferred by RHPs to PSWs, and (3) examine characteristics of service users receiving transferred care. Findings indicate that normally, PSWs provide personal and supportive care commensurate with their training. However, in approximately one quarter of care plans reviewed, PSWs also completed more complex care activities transferred to them by RHPs. Service users receiving transferred care were older and had higher levels of cognitive and functional impairment. Although there is potential for the expansion of home-care services through increased utilisation of PSWs, healthcare leadership must ensure that the right provider is being utilised at the right time and in the right place to ensure safe and effective quality care. Thus, several actions are recommended: PSW core competencies be clearly articulated, processes used to transfer care activities from RHPs to PSWs be standardised and a team-based approach to the delivery of home-care services be considered. Utilisation of a team-based model can help establish positive relationships among home-care providers, provide increased support for PSWs, allow for easier scheduling of initial training and ensure regular reassessments of PSW competence among PSWs providing added skills. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. The importance of person-centred care and co-creation of care for the well-being and job satisfaction of professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Meer, Leontine; Nieboer, Anna Petra; Finkenflügel, Harry; Cramm, Jane Murray

    2018-03-01

    Person-centred care and co-creation of care (productive interactions between clients and professionals) are expected to lead to better outcomes for clients. Professionals play a prominent role in the care of people with intellectual disabilities at residential care facilities. Thus, person-centred care and co-creation of care may be argued to lead to better outcomes for professionals as well. This study aimed to identify relationships of person-centred care and co-creation of care with the well-being and job satisfaction of professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities (PWID). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2015 among professionals working at a disability care organisation in the Netherlands. All 1146 professionals involved in the care of people with intellectual disabilities who required 24-hours care were invited to participate. The response rate was 41% (n = 466). Most respondents (87%) were female, and the mean age was 42.8 ± 11.5 years (22-65). The majority of respondents (70%) worked ≥22 hours per week and had worked for the organisation for ≥5 years (88%). Most of the respondents (76.8%) were direct care workers either in residential homes (59.3%) or in day activities (17.5%). After controlling for background variables, person-centred care and co-creation of care were associated positively with job satisfaction and well-being of professionals. The provision of person-centred care and co-creation of care may lead to better well-being and job satisfaction among professionals working with PWID. This finding is important, as such professionals often experience significant levels of work stress and burnout. © 2017 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.

  16. Medical Students' Personal Qualities and Values as Correlates of Primary Care Interest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Nicole J.; Jones, Bonnie J.

    2004-01-01

    Medical schools must use selection methods that validly measure applicants' noncognitive qualities, but primary-care (PC) schools have a particular need. This study correlated entering students' personality and values scores with their professed interest in PC. 93 medical students completed instruments assessing personality (16PF & PSP), values,…

  17. Making Personalized Health Care Even More Personalized: Insights From Activities of the IOM Genomics Roundtable.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Sean P; Johnson, Samuel G; Berger, Adam C; Feero, W Gregory; Terry, Sharon F; Green, Larry A; Phillips, Robert L; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S

    2015-01-01

    Genomic research has generated much new knowledge into mechanisms of human disease, with the potential to catalyze novel drug discovery and development, prenatal and neonatal screening, clinical pharmacogenomics, more sensitive risk prediction, and enhanced diagnostics. Genomic medicine, however, has been limited by critical evidence gaps, especially those related to clinical utility and applicability to diverse populations. Genomic medicine may have the greatest impact on health care if it is integrated into primary care, where most health care is received and where evidence supports the value of personalized medicine grounded in continuous healing relationships. Redesigned primary care is the most relevant setting for clinically useful genomic medicine research. Taking insights gained from the activities of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health, we apply lessons learned from the patient-centered medical home national experience to implement genomic medicine in a patient-centered, learning health care system. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

  18. Improving person-centred care in nursing homes through dementia-care mapping: design of a cluster-randomised controlled trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background The effectiveness and efficiency of nursing-home dementia care are suboptimal: there are high rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms among the residents and work-related stress among the staff. Dementia-care mapping is a person-centred care method that may alleviate both the resident and the staff problems. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of dementia-care mapping in nursing-home dementia care. Methods/Design The study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial, with nursing homes grouped in clusters. Studywise minimisation is the allocation method. Nursing homes in the intervention group will receive a dementia-care-mapping intervention, while the control group will receive usual care. The primary outcome measure is resident agitation, to be assessed with the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory. The secondary outcomes are resident neuropsychiatric symptoms, assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory - Nursing Homes and quality of life, assessed with Qualidem and the EQ-5D. The staff outcomes are stress reactions, job satisfaction and job-stress-related absenteeism, and staff turnover rate, assessed with the Questionnaire about Experience and Assessment of Work, the General Health Questionnaire-12, and the Maastricht Job Satisfaction Scale for Health Care, respectively. We will collect the data from the questionnaires and electronic registration systems. We will employ linear mixed-effect models and cost-effectiveness analyses to evaluate the outcomes. We will use structural equation modelling in the secondary analysis to evaluate the plausibility of a theoretical model regarding the effectiveness of the dementia-care mapping intervention. We will set up process analyses, including focus groups with staff, to determine the relevant facilitators of and barriers to implementing dementia-care mapping broadly. Discussion A novelty of dementia-care mapping is that it offers an integral person

  19. Improving person-centred care in nursing homes through dementia-care mapping: design of a cluster-randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van de Ven Geertje

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The effectiveness and efficiency of nursing-home dementia care are suboptimal: there are high rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms among the residents and work-related stress among the staff. Dementia-care mapping is a person-centred care method that may alleviate both the resident and the staff problems. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of dementia-care mapping in nursing-home dementia care. Methods/Design The study is a cluster-randomised controlled trial, with nursing homes grouped in clusters. Studywise minimisation is the allocation method. Nursing homes in the intervention group will receive a dementia-care-mapping intervention, while the control group will receive usual care. The primary outcome measure is resident agitation, to be assessed with the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory. The secondary outcomes are resident neuropsychiatric symptoms, assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory - Nursing Homes and quality of life, assessed with Qualidem and the EQ-5D. The staff outcomes are stress reactions, job satisfaction and job-stress-related absenteeism, and staff turnover rate, assessed with the Questionnaire about Experience and Assessment of Work, the General Health Questionnaire-12, and the Maastricht Job Satisfaction Scale for Health Care, respectively. We will collect the data from the questionnaires and electronic registration systems. We will employ linear mixed-effect models and cost-effectiveness analyses to evaluate the outcomes. We will use structural equation modelling in the secondary analysis to evaluate the plausibility of a theoretical model regarding the effectiveness of the dementia-care mapping intervention. We will set up process analyses, including focus groups with staff, to determine the relevant facilitators of and barriers to implementing dementia-care mapping broadly. Discussion A novelty of dementia-care mapping is that it offers an

  20. The tension between person centred and task focused care in an acute surgical setting: A critical ethnography

    OpenAIRE

    Sharp, Sandra.; Mcallister, Margaret.; Broadbent, Mark.

    2017-01-01

    Problem: Person centred care is a key indicator of quality care and a policy direction in many hospitals yet some patients experience care that falls short of this standard.Background: Health services worldwide are prioritising the delivery of person centred in order to address historical concerns over patient safety and quality care and to improve workplace morale. Workplaceculture is known to affect nurses’ care giving.Question: This research aimed to uncover the cultural factors that hinde...

  1. Personalizing death in the intensive care unit: the 3 Wishes Project: a mixed-methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Deborah; Swinton, Marilyn; Toledo, Feli; Clarke, France; Rose, Trudy; Hand-Breckenridge, Tracey; Boyle, Anne; Woods, Anne; Zytaruk, Nicole; Heels-Ansdell, Diane; Sheppard, Robert

    2015-08-18

    Dying in the complex, efficiency-driven environment of the intensive care unit can be dehumanizing for the patient and have profound, long-lasting consequences for all persons attendant to that death. To bring peace to the final days of a patient's life and to ease the grieving process. Mixed-methods study. 21-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit. Dying patients and their families and clinicians. To honor each patient, a set of wishes was generated by patients, family members, or clinicians. The wishes were implemented before or after death by patients, families, clinicians (6 of whom were project team members), or the project team. Quantitative data included demographic characteristics, processes of care, and scores on the Quality of End-of-Life Care-10 instrument. Semistructured interviews of family members and clinicians were transcribed verbatim, and qualitative description was used to analyze them. Participants included 40 decedents, at least 1 family member per patient, and 3 clinicians per patient. The 159 wishes were implemented and classified into 5 categories: humanizing the environment, tributes, family reconnections, observances, and "paying it forward." Scores on the Quality of End-of-Life Care-10 instrument were high. The central theme from 160 interviews of 170 persons was how the 3 Wishes Project personalized the dying process. For patients, eliciting and customizing the wishes honored them by celebrating their lives and dignifying their deaths. For families, it created positive memories and individualized end-of-life care for their loved ones. For clinicians, it promoted interprofessional care and humanism in practice. Impaired consciousness limited understanding of patients' viewpoints. The 3 Wishes Project facilitated personalization of the dying process through explicit integration of palliative and spiritual care into critical care practice. Hamilton Academy of Health Science Research Organization, Canadian Intensive Care Foundation.

  2. Perspectives of health and self-care among older persons-To be implemented in an interactive information and communication technology-platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Göransson, Carina; Wengström, Yvonne; Ziegert, Kristina; Langius-Eklöf, Ann; Eriksson, Irene; Kihlgren, Annica; Blomberg, Karin

    2017-12-01

    To acquire knowledge regarding the contents to be implemented in an interactive information and communication technology-platform perceived to be relevant to health and self-care among older persons based on the literature, healthcare professionals and the older persons themselves. The growing ageing population places demands on the healthcare system to promote healthy ageing and to strengthen the older person's self-care ability. This requires innovative approaches to facilitate communication between the older person and healthcare professionals, and to increase the older person's participation in their care. An information and communication technology-platform could be used for this purpose, but the content needs to be relevant to both the older persons and the healthcare professionals. Descriptive qualitative design. This study was based on three samplings: a scoping review of the literature (n = 20 articles), interviews with healthcare professionals (n = 5) and a secondary analysis of interviews with older persons (n = 8) and nursing assistants (n = 7). The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four areas were identified to be of relevance to older persons' perceived health: frame of mind, having relationships and social activities, physical ability and concerns, and maintaining self-care. Self-care was described in the literature and by the healthcare professionals more than by the older persons. The results show a concordance in the data samplings that give a clear indication of the areas relevant to older persons' health and self-care that can be integrated in an interactive information and communication technology-platform for use in regular daily care assessments. Descriptions of self-care were limited indicating a possible gap in knowledge that requires further research. Areas relevant to older persons' health and self-care could be used for regular assessment to support and promote healthy ageing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Nursing in family environment: caring for person in mental suffering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucas Amaral Martins

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The study aims to describe the experience of nursing care to person in mental suffering (PMS in the family context. Developed by nursing academic during home attendance, in the 2008.2 semester. The results showed that: is undeniable the family function of the PMS care, becoming the main partner of the heath teams, the care in the perspective of psychosocial rehabilitation influences the attitudes, patterns of response and participation in treatment, resulting in the empowerment of PMS and family. It’s concluded that home attendance contributes to the process of psychosocial rehabilitation of the PMS and assessment of mental health services, subsidizing the formulation of public policies for the sector, especially, in regard to care in perspective of the whole human life.

  4. The role of leadership in the implementation of person-centred care using Dementia Care Mapping: a study in three nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokstad, Anne Marie Mork; Vatne, Solfrid; Engedal, Knut; Selbæk, Geir

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of leadership in the implementation of person-centred care (PCC) in nursing homes using Dementia Care Mapping (DCM). Leadership is important for the implementation of nursing practice. However, the empirical knowledge of positive leadership in processes enhancing person-centred culture of care in nursing homes is limited. The study has a qualitative descriptive design. The DCM method was used in three nursing homes. Eighteen staff members and seven leaders participated in focus-group interviews centring on the role of leadership in facilitating the development process. The different roles of leadership in the three nursing homes, characterized as 'highly professional', 'market orientated' or 'traditional', seemed to influence to what extent the DCM process led to successful implementation of PCC. This study provided useful information about the influence of leadership in the implementation of person-centred care in nursing homes. Leaders should be active role models, expound a clear vision and include and empower all staff in the professional development process. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Personalized dementia care: proven effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in subgroups

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Mierlo, L.D.; van der Roest, H.G.; Meiland, F.J.M.; Dröes, R.M.

    2010-01-01

    Many psychosocial intervention studies report effects in subgroups of people with dementia. Insight into the characteristics of these subgroups is important for care practice. This study reviews personal characteristics of people with dementia (living in the community or in an institution) that are

  6. Facilitating person-centred after-death care: unearthing assumptions, tradition and values through practice development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Anderson

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: West Park Healthcare Centre, a complex continuing care and rehabilitation setting in Ontario, Canada has implemented practice development as one method of facilitating person-centred, evidence-informed practices. West Park is planning the construction of a new hospital, with a target construction timeline of 2018-21. Practice development is an internationally established transformation model (Manley et al., 2008 that can breathe life into the necessary but often burdensome process of policy revision in healthcare settings. Aims: The aim of this article is to share how practice development was used to review and revise West Park’s after-death care policy. The process entailed an integration of a broad span of evidence and intentional challenge of ‘habit-based’ ways. Such an approach to policy revision is needed if practice leaders are to use evidence to help achieve transformative changes in practice. Conclusions: Our after death-care policy involved processes that were antithetical to our shared vision for person-centred practices. Unquestioned, longstanding traditional approaches to after-death care needed to be questioned. Through the transformative journey at personal and organisational levels of applying practice development principles to this process, we were successful in bringing forward a policy that supports end-of-life plans of care, choice and person-centred after-death care practices and language. Implications for practice: •\tHealthcare organisations can review after-death care by exploring different sources of evidence, including research, clinical experience, local audit and patient experience, to challenge taken-for-granted practices •\tConsultation with funeral professionals will be valuable in terms of establishing what they do and do not need from a healthcare organisation •\tFellow patients do not need to be ‘protected’ from the after-death care process and appreciate having a voice on how it is

  7. How to practice person-centred care: A conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santana, Maria J; Manalili, Kimberly; Jolley, Rachel J; Zelinsky, Sandra; Quan, Hude; Lu, Mingshan

    2018-04-01

    Globally, health-care systems and organizations are looking to improve health system performance through the implementation of a person-centred care (PCC) model. While numerous conceptual frameworks for PCC exist, a gap remains in practical guidance on PCC implementation. Based on a narrative review of the PCC literature, a generic conceptual framework was developed in collaboration with a patient partner, which synthesizes evidence, recommendations and best practice from existing frameworks and implementation case studies. The Donabedian model for health-care improvement was used to classify PCC domains into the categories of "Structure," "Process" and "Outcome" for health-care quality improvement. The framework emphasizes the structural domain, which relates to the health-care system or context in which care is delivered, providing the foundation for PCC, and influencing the processes and outcomes of care. Structural domains identified include: the creation of a PCC culture across the continuum of care; co-designing educational programs, as well as health promotion and prevention programs with patients; providing a supportive and accommodating environment; and developing and integrating structures to support health information technology and to measure and monitor PCC performance. Process domains describe the importance of cultivating communication and respectful and compassionate care; engaging patients in managing their care; and integration of care. Outcome domains identified include: access to care and Patient-Reported Outcomes. This conceptual framework provides a step-wise roadmap to guide health-care systems and organizations in the provision PCC across various health-care sectors. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Older persons' experiences and perspectives of receiving social care: a systematic review of the qualitative literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de São José, José; Barros, Rosanna; Samitca, Sanda; Teixeira, Ana

    2016-01-01

    The topic of social care for older people has gained increasing attention from the part of academics, professionals, policy makers and media. However, we know little about this topic from the perspectives of older persons, which hinders future developments in terms of theory, empirical research, professional practice and social policy. This article presents and discusses a systematic review of relevant qualitative research-based evidence on the older persons' experiences and perspectives of receiving social care published between 1990 and September 2014. This review aimed to obtain answers to the following questions: How is the reception of social care experienced by the older persons? What are the negative and positive aspects of these experiences? What are the factors which influence the experiences? The synthesis of the findings of reviewed papers identified six analytical themes: asking for care as a major challenge; ambivalences; (dis)engagement in decisions concerning care; multiple losses as outcomes of receiving social care; multiple strategies to deal with losses originated by the ageing process; and properties of 'good care'. These themes are discussed from the point of view of their implications for theory, care practice and social policy, and future research. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Developing collaborative person-centred practice: a pilot project on a palliative care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Pippa; Weaver, Lynda; Gravelle, Debbie; Thibault, Hélène

    2007-02-01

    Maximizing interprofessional collaborative patient-centred practice holds promise for improving patient care and creating satisfying work roles. In Canada's evolving health care system, there are demands for increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality improvement. Interprofessional collaboration warrants re-examination because maximizing interprofessional collaboration, especially nurse-physician collaboration, holds promise for improving patient care and creating satisfying work roles. A palliative care team seized the opportunity to pilot a different approach to patient and family care when faced with a reduction in medical staff. Grounded in a collaborative patient-centred practice approach, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association's National Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care (2002), and outcomes from program retreats and workgroups, a collaborative person-centred model of care was developed for a 12-bed pilot project. Preliminary findings show that the pilot project team perceived some specific benefits in continuity of care and interprofessional collaboration, while the presence of the physician was reduced to an average of 3.82 hours on the pilot wing, compared with 8 hours on the non-pilot wings. This pilot study suggests that a person-centred model, when focused on the physician-nurse dyad, may offer improved efficiency, job satisfaction and continuity of care on a palliative care unit. Incorporating all team members and developing strategies to successfully expand the model across the whole unit are the next challenges. Further research into the impact of these changes on the health care professionals, management and patients and families is essential.

  10. 38 CFR 17.46 - Eligibility for hospital, domiciliary or nursing home care of persons discharged or released from...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., domiciliary or nursing home care of persons discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service... Hospital, Domiciliary and Nursing Home Care § 17.46 Eligibility for hospital, domiciliary or nursing home care of persons discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service. (a) In furnishing...

  11. What Aspects of Personal Care Are Most Important to Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foley, Kimberley A.; Feldman-Stewart, Deb; Groome, Patti A.; Brundage, Michael D.; McArdle, Siobhan; Wallace, David; Peng, Yingwei; Mackillop, William J.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: The overall quality of patient care is a function of the quality of both its technical and its nontechnical components. The purpose of this study was to identify the elements of nontechnical (personal) care that are most important to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: We reviewed the literature and interviewed patients and health professionals to identify elements of personal care pertinent to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer. We identified 143 individual elements relating to 10 aspects of personal care. Patients undergoing radical radiation therapy for prostate cancer completed a self-administered questionnaire in which they rated the importance of each element. The overall importance of each element was measured by the percentage of respondents who rated it as “very important.” The importance of each aspect of personal care was measured by the mean importance of its elements. Results: One hundred eight patients completed the questionnaire. The percentage of patients who rated each element “very important” ranged from 7% to 95% (mean 61%). The mean importance rating of the elements of each aspect of care varied significantly: “perceived competence of caregivers,” 80%; “empathy and respectfulness of caregivers,” 67%; “adequacy of information sharing,” 67%; “patient centeredness,” 59%; “accessibility of caregivers,” 57%; “continuity of care,” 51%; “privacy,” 51%; “convenience,” 45%; “comprehensiveness of services,” 44%; and “treatment environment,” 30% (P<.0001). Neither age nor education was associated with importance ratings, but the patient's health status was associated with the rating of some elements of care. Conclusions: Many different elements of personal care are important to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, but the 3 aspects of care that most believe are most important are these: the perceived

  12. What Aspects of Personal Care Are Most Important to Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foley, Kimberley A. [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Feldman-Stewart, Deb [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Oncology, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Groome, Patti A. [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Brundage, Michael D. [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Oncology, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); McArdle, Siobhan [Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Wallace, David [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Peng, Yingwei [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Mackillop, William J., E-mail: William.mackillop@krcc.on.ca [Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen' s Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Department of Oncology, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kingston, Ontario (Canada)

    2016-02-01

    Purpose/Objective: The overall quality of patient care is a function of the quality of both its technical and its nontechnical components. The purpose of this study was to identify the elements of nontechnical (personal) care that are most important to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: We reviewed the literature and interviewed patients and health professionals to identify elements of personal care pertinent to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer. We identified 143 individual elements relating to 10 aspects of personal care. Patients undergoing radical radiation therapy for prostate cancer completed a self-administered questionnaire in which they rated the importance of each element. The overall importance of each element was measured by the percentage of respondents who rated it as “very important.” The importance of each aspect of personal care was measured by the mean importance of its elements. Results: One hundred eight patients completed the questionnaire. The percentage of patients who rated each element “very important” ranged from 7% to 95% (mean 61%). The mean importance rating of the elements of each aspect of care varied significantly: “perceived competence of caregivers,” 80%; “empathy and respectfulness of caregivers,” 67%; “adequacy of information sharing,” 67%; “patient centeredness,” 59%; “accessibility of caregivers,” 57%; “continuity of care,” 51%; “privacy,” 51%; “convenience,” 45%; “comprehensiveness of services,” 44%; and “treatment environment,” 30% (P<.0001). Neither age nor education was associated with importance ratings, but the patient's health status was associated with the rating of some elements of care. Conclusions: Many different elements of personal care are important to patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, but the 3 aspects of care that most believe are most important are these: the

  13. How older persons structure information in the decision to seek medical care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter J. Veazie

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Typical models of the decision to seek care consider information as a single conceptual object. This paper presents an alternative that allows multiple objects. For older persons seeking care, results support this alternative. Older decision-makers that segregate information into multiple conceptual objects assessed separately are characterized by socio-demographic (younger age, racial category, non-Hispanic, higher education, higher income, and not married, health status (better general health for men and worse general health for women, fewer known illnesses, and neuropsychological (less memory loss for men, trouble concentrating and trouble making decisions for men factors. Results of this study support the conclusion that older persons are more likely to integrate information, and individuals with identifiable characteristics are more likely to do so than others. The theory tested in this study implies a potential explanation for misutilization of care (either over or under-utilization.

  14. Perspectives from practice: complexities of personal care workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martyn, Julie-Anne; Zanella, Sally; Wilkinson, Adele

    2017-11-14

    Personal care workers (PCWs) make up the bulk of the workforce in residential and community care services. The knowledge and skill set needed for safe and effective practice in care settings is extensive. A diverse range of registered training organisations (RTOs) offering Certificate III and IV in Individual Support (aging, home and community) are tasked with producing job-ready PCWs. However, the curricula of these programs vary. Additionally, a national code of conduct for healthcare workers became effective in October 2015 as a governance framework for PCWs. The language of the code statements is ambiguous making it unclear how this framework should be translated by RTOs and applied in the preservice practice preparation of PCWs. Employers of PCWs need to feel confident that the content of the preservice education of PCWs satisfactorily prepares them for the diverse contexts of their practice. Likewise, the health professionals who supervise PCWs must be assured about the knowledge and skills of the PCW if they are to safely delegate care activities. The perspectives presented in this discussion make it clear that investigation into the nebulous nature of PCW education, regulation and practice is needed to identify the shortcomings and enable improved practice.

  15. The Relationship between Creative Personality Composition, Innovative Team Climate, and Team Innovativeness: An Input-Process-Output Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathisen, Gro Ellen; Martinsen, Oyvind; Einarsen, Stale

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between creative personality composition, innovative team climate, and team innovation based on an input-process-output model. We measured personality with the Creative Person Profile, team climate with the Team Climate Inventory, and team innovation through team-member and supervisor reports of team…

  16. Is personality a driving force for socioeconomic differences in young adults' health care use? A prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, Maren; Arts, Koos; Traag, Tanja; Otten, Ferdy; Bosma, Hans

    2017-09-01

    To relate personality characteristics at the age of 12 to socioeconomic differences in health care use in young adulthood. And thereby examining the extent to which socioeconomic differences in the use of health care in young adulthood are based on differences in personality characteristics, independent of the (parental) socioeconomic background. Personality of more than 13,000 Dutch 12-year old participants was related to their health and socioeconomic position after a follow-up of 13 years (when the participants had become young adults). In young adulthood, low socioeconomic status was related to high health care use (e.g. low education -hospital admission: OR = 2.21; low income -GP costs: OR = 1.25). Odds ratios (for the socioeconomic health differences) did not decrease when controlled for personality. In this Dutch sample of younger people, personality appeared not to be a driving force for socioeconomic differences in health care use. Findings thus do not support the personality-related, indirect selection perspective on the explanation of socioeconomic differences in health.

  17. Microbiological Study on Some Gamma Irradiated Personal Care Products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, M.A.Sh.A.

    2014-01-01

    Humans have a basic need to change their appearance. The vastness of today‟s cosmetics and toiletries industry clearly indicates this wide spread and basic need for personal care products. Perhaps this need arises because these products allow us to make ourselves unique for rituals or societal reasons. We apparently have a primal need for them for our well-being (Geis, 2006). This industry had achieved stupendous growth within a short span of time and is now a multi-billion dollar industry. It would continue to grow as long as people are ready to spend a fortune to look their best. The result of which is large number of brands and twice the number of hair and skin care products (Naz et al., 2012). The term ''personal care products''refers to a wide variety of items find in the health and beauty departments and the products commonly referred to as ''personal care products''are cosmetics (FDA, 2012 a and b). Makeup can do wonders for women, but it can be dangerous to their health, if not handled properly (Archer, 1998 and Persaud, 2008). Practically all cosmetics are subjected to contamination with microorganisms (Oliviera et al., 2013). Contamination leads to several types of infections that range in severity from mild to serious (Ashour et al., 1987). Microbial load of personal care product is affected by the level of contamination during manufacturing, after manufacturing and during consumer use (Razooki et al., 2010 and Muhammed, 2011). The quality of cosmetic products largely depends on the quality of starting materials. The guidelines of good manufacturing practice for cosmetic products (GMPC) have clearly depicted the necessity of the starting materials to comply with specifications (WHO, 1992). Cosmetic contamination awareness is even worse among the younger age. Many women even share makeup and applicators with friends and their family, increasing their chances of facial infection. Makeup can easily be contaminated by the repetitive use to the skin using

  18. From Right place--Wrong person, to Right place--Right person: dignified care for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadd, Win; Hillman, Alex; Calnan, Michael; Calnan, Sian; Read, Simon; Bayer, Antony

    2012-04-01

    To examine: older people's and their relatives' views of dignified care; health care practitioners' behaviours and practices in relation to dignified care; the occupational, organizational and cultural factors that impact on care; and develop evidence-based recommendations for dignified care. An ethnography of four acute trusts in England and Wales involving semi-structured interviews with recently discharged older people (n = 40), their relatives (n = 25), frontline staff (n = 79) and Trust managers (n = 32), complemented by 617 hours of non-participant observation in 16 wards in NHS trusts. 'Right Place - Wrong Person' refers to the staffs' belief that acute wards are not the 'right place' for older people. Wards were poorly-designed, confusing and inaccessible for older people; older people were bored through lack of communal spaces and activities and they expressed concern about the close proximity of patients of the opposite sex; staff were demoralised and ill-equipped with skills and knowledge to care for older people, and organizational priorities caused patients to be frequently moved within the system. In none of the wards studied was care either totally dignified or totally undignified. Variations occurred from ward to ward, in the same ward when different staff were on-duty and at different times of the day. The failure to provide dignified care is often a result of systemic and organizational factors rather than a failure of individual staff and it is these that must be addressed if dignified care is to be ensured.

  19. 75 FR 34140 - Establishment of the Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-16

    ... services and supports; aging and disability populations and services; practices that help reduce high personal care attendant workforce vacancy and turnover rates; Medicaid, Medicare, the Older Americans Act...

  20. Health care access and quality for persons with disability: Patient and provider recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClintock, Heather F; Kurichi, Jibby E; Barg, Frances K; Krueger, Alice; Colletti, Patrice M; Wearing, Krizia A; Bogner, Hillary R

    2018-07-01

    Significant disparities in health care access and quality persist between persons with disabilities (PWD) and persons without disabilities (PWOD). Little research has examined recommendations of patients and providers to improve health care for PWD. We sought to explore patient and health care provider recommendations to improve health care access and quality for PWD through focus groups in the physical world in a community center and in the virtual world in an online community. In all, 17 PWD, 4 PWOD, and 6 health care providers participated in 1 of 5 focus groups. Focus groups were conducted in the virtual world in Second Life ® with Virtual Ability, an online community, and in the physical world at Agape Community Center in Milwaukee, WI. Focus group data were analyzed using a grounded theory methodology. Themes that emerged in focus groups among PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers to improve health care access and quality for PWD were: promoting advocacy, increasing awareness and knowledge, improving communication, addressing assumptions, as well as modifying and creating policy. Many participants discussed political empowerment and engagement as central to health care reform. Both PWD and PWOD as well as health care providers identified common themes potentially important for improving health care for PWD. Patient and health care provider recommendations highlight a need for modification of current paradigms, practices, and approaches to improve the quality of health care provision for PWD. Participants emphasized the need for greater advocacy and political engagement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Mallow Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites in Multilayered Armor for Personal Ballistic Protection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimento, Lucio Fábio Cassiano; Louro, Luis Henrique Leme; Monteiro, Sergio Neves; Lima, Édio Pereira; da Luz, Fernanda Santos

    2017-10-01

    Lighter and less expensive polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers have been investigated as possible components of a multilayered armor system (MAS) for personal protection against high-velocity ammunition. Their ballistic performance was consistently found comparable with that of conventional Kevlar® synthetic aramid fiber. Among the numerous existing natural fibers with the potential for reinforcing polymer composites to replace Kevlar® in MAS, mallow fiber has not been fully investigated. Thus, the objective of this work is to evaluate the ballistic performance of epoxy composites reinforced with 30 vol.% of aligned mallow fibers as a second MAS layer backing a front ceramic plate. The results using high-velocity 7.62 ammunition show a similar indentation to a Kevlar® layer with the same thickness. An impedance matching calculation supports the similar ballistic performance of mallow fiber composite and Kevlar®. Reduced MAS costs associated with the mallow fiber composite are practical advantages over Kevlar®.

  2. Designing a patient-centered personal health record to promote preventive care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krist Alex H

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence-based preventive services offer profound health benefits, yet Americans receive only half of indicated care. A variety of government and specialty society policy initiatives are promoting the adoption of information technologies to engage patients in their care, such as personal health records, but current systems may not utilize the technology's full potential. Methods Using a previously described model to make information technology more patient-centered, we developed an interactive preventive health record (IPHR designed to more deeply engage patients in preventive care and health promotion. We recruited 14 primary care practices to promote the IPHR to all adult patients and sought practice and patient input in designing the IPHR to ensure its usability, salience, and generalizability. The input involved patient usability tests, practice workflow observations, learning collaboratives, and patient feedback. Use of the IPHR was measured using practice appointment and IPHR databases. Results The IPHR that emerged from this process generates tailored patient recommendations based on guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and other organizations. It extracts clinical data from the practices' electronic medical record and obtains health risk assessment information from patients. Clinical content is translated and explained in lay language. Recommendations review the benefits and uncertainties of services and possible actions for patients and clinicians. Embedded in recommendations are self management tools, risk calculators, decision aids, and community resources - selected to match patient's clinical circumstances. Within six months, practices had encouraged 14.4% of patients to use the IPHR (ranging from 1.5% to 28.3% across the 14 practices. Practices successfully incorporated the IPHR into workflow, using it to prepare patients for visits, augment health behavior counseling, explain test results

  3. Comparison of iPad applications with traditional activities using person-centred care approach: impact on well-being for persons with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leng, Fong Yoke; Yeo, Donald; George, Stacey; Barr, Christopher

    2014-03-01

    Professionals working with people with dementia need to develop new activities that occupy patients and increase positive emotions. Dementia care mapping is a reliable method of measuring well-being during activities with people with dementia. The iPad has many applications that may be suitable as a group activity for persons with dementia. Six people with dementia took part in two traditional and two iPad activities over two days. Well-being was recorded using dementia care mapping. Subjects displayed similar or better levels of well-being during iPad activities than traditional activities. A larger variation of behaviors was seen during iPad activities than traditional activities. With detailed planning using a person-centred care approach, iPad group activity has the potential to be as effective and engaging as other conventional activities in achieving well-being.

  4. Screening-Level Safety Assessment of Personal Care Product Constituents Using Publicly Available Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernest S. Fung

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Organizations recommend evaluating individual ingredients when assessing the safety of personal care or cosmetic products. The goal of this study was to present a screening-level safety assessment methodology to evaluate the safety of a product by identifying individual ingredients, determining their frequency of use in on-market products, and examining published safe-level-of-use information for each ingredient. As a case study, we evaluated WEN by Chaz Dean (WCD cleansing conditioners since there have been claims of adverse health effects associated with product use. We evaluated 30 ingredients in three on-market WCD cleansing conditioners. We then analyzed the National Library of Medicine’s Household Products Database and the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, two of the largest publicly available databases, for other on-market personal care and cosmetic products that contained these ingredients. Safe-level-of-use information for each ingredient was obtained by reviewing peer-reviewed literature, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA generally recognized as safe (GRAS database, available Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR publications, and available product safety publications. The results of this analysis showed that more than 20,000 personal care and cosmetic products contained one or more of the evaluated ingredients used in WCD cleaning conditioners. Published safety information was available for 21 of the 30 evaluated ingredients: seven identified ingredients were designated as GRAS by the FDA and 16 ingredients had safe-level-of-use information available from the CIR. This study presents a screening-level safety assessment methodology that can serve as an initial screening tool to evaluate the safety of an ingredient intended for use in personal care and cosmetic products before a product is launched onto the market. This study provides evidence that the evaluated WCD cleansing conditioner ingredients

  5. Making fair decisions about financing care for persons with AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roper, W L; Winkenwerder, W

    1988-01-01

    An estimated 40 percent of the nation's 55,000 persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have received care under the Medicaid Program, which is administered by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and funded jointly by the Federal Government and the States. In fiscal year 1988, Medicaid will spend between $700 and $750 million for AIDS care and treatment. Medicaid spending on AIDS is likely to reach $2.4 billion by fiscal year 1992, an estimate that does not include costs of treatment with zidovudine (AZT). Four policy principles are proposed for meeting this new cost burden in a way that is fair, responsive, efficient, and in harmony with our current joint public-private system of health care financing. The four guidelines are to (a) treat AIDS as any other serious disease, without the creation of a disease-specific entitlement program; (b) bring AIDS treatment financing into the mainstream of the health care financing system, making it a shared responsibility and promoting initiatives such as high-risk insurance pools: (c) give States the flexibility to meet local needs, including Medicaid home care and community-based care services waivers; (d) encourage health care professionals to meet their obligation to care for AIDS patients. PMID:3131823

  6. Nursing interventions for promoting self-care of persons with type 2 diabetes: an integrative review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glória Yanne Martins de Oliveira

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This is an integrative review aiming at analyzing and identifying the evidence available in the literature on nursing interventions to promote self-care for persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data collection occurred in the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS, MEDLINE (via EBSCO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL and SCOPUS. The survey of articles occurred in July and August 2015 by two independent reviewers. The initial search identified 239 articles and eight of them met the selection criteria. Health education has emerged as a strategic field for implementing nursing interventions. Interventions with patient monitoring and that provided more care time were more satisfactory regarding self-care practices. The Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory is indicated as a guide to direct the educator in self-care of diabetic persons.

  7. "I Treat Him as a Normal Patient": Unveiling the Normalization Coping Strategy Among Formal Caregivers of Persons With Dementia and Its Implications for Person-Centered Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentwich, Miriam Ethel; Dickman, Nomy; Oberman, Amitai; Bokek-Cohen, Ya'arit

    2017-11-01

    Currently, 47 million people have dementia, worldwide, often requiring paid care by formal caregivers. Research regarding family caregivers suggests normalization as a model for coping with negative emotional outcomes in caring for a person with dementia (PWD). The study aims to explore whether normalization coping mechanism exists among formal caregivers, reveal differences in its application among cross-cultural caregivers, and examine how this coping mechanism may be related to implementing person-centered care for PWDs. Content analysis of interviews with 20 formal caregivers from three cultural groups (Jews born in Israel [JI], Arabs born in Israel [AI], Russian immigrants [RI]), attending to PWDs. We extracted five normalization modes, revealing AI caregivers had substantially more utterances of normalization expressions than their colleagues. The normalization modes most commonly expressed by AI caregivers relate to the personhood of PWDs. These normalization modes may enhance formal caregivers' ability to employ person-centered care.

  8. Improving primary care for persons with spinal cord injury: Development of a toolkit to guide care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milligan, James; Lee, Joseph; Hillier, Loretta M; Slonim, Karen; Craven, Catharine

    2018-05-07

    To identify a set of essential components for primary care for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) for inclusion in a point-of-practice toolkit for primary care practitioners (PCP) and identification of the essential elements of SCI care that are required in primary care and those that should be the focus of specialist care. Modified Delphi consensus process; survey methodology. Primary care. Three family physicians, six specialist physicians, and five inter-disciplinary health professionals completed surveys. Importance of care elements for inclusion in the toolkit (9-point scale: 1 = lowest level of importance, 9 = greatest level of importance) and identification of most responsible physician (family physician, specialist) for completing key categories of care. Open-ended comments were solicited. There was consensus between the respondent groups on the level of importance of various care elements. Mean importance scores were highest for autonomic dysreflexia, pain, and skin care and lowest for preventive care, social issues, and vital signs. Although, there was agreement across all respondents that family physicians should assume responsibility for assessing mental health, there was variability in who should be responsible for other care categories. Comments were related to the need for shared care approaches and capacity building and lack of knowledge and specialized equipment as barriers to optimal care. This study identified important components of SCI care to be included in a point-of-practice toolkit to facilitate primary care for persons with SCI.

  9. Personal Continuity of Care in a University-Based Primary Care Practice: Impact on Blood Pressure Control.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nik Sherina Hanafi

    Full Text Available Continuity of care is an important quality outcome of patient care. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personal continuity and blood pressure (BP control among the patients with hypertension in an academic primary care centre. Between January and May 2012, we conducted a retrospective review of medical records of patients with hypertension who had been followed up for at least 1 year in the Primary Care Clinic, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. In this setting, doctors who provided care for hypertension included postgraduate family medicine trainees, non-trainee doctors and academic staff. Systematic random sampling (1:4 was used for patient selection. BP control was defined as less than 130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes mellitus, proteinuria and chronic kidney disease and less than 140/90 mm Hg for all other patients. Continuity of care was assessed using the usual provider continuity index (UPCI, which is the ratio of patient visits to the usual provider to the total number of visits to all providers in 1 year. A UPC index of zero denotes no continuity while an index of one reflects perfect continuity with only the usual provider. We reviewed a total of 1060 medical records. The patients' mean age was 62.0 years (SD 10.4. The majority was women (59.2% and married (85.7%. The mean number of visits in a year was 3.85 (SD 1.36. A total of 72 doctors had provided consultations (55 postgraduate family medicine trainees, 8 non-trainee doctors and 9 academic staff. The mean UPCI was 0.43 (SD 0.34. Target BP was achieved in 42% of the patients. There was no significant relationship between BP control and personal continuity after adjustment for total number of visits. Continuity of care was not associated with BP control in our centre. Further studies are needed to explore the reasons for this.

  10. Comparing Person-Centered Communication Education in Long-Term Care Using Onsite and Online Formats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Carissa K; Fanning, Kim; Williams, Kristine N

    2015-11-01

    Educating nursing home (NH) staff to provide person-centered care is complicated by scheduling, costs, and other feasibility issues. The current study compared outcomes for an in-service program focused on person-centered communication provided in onsite and online formats. The Changing Talk program was provided onsite in seven NHs (n = 327 staff). The online program included eight NHs (n = 211 staff). Analysis of variance revealed an interaction between format type and pre-/post-test scores with improved recognition of person-centered communication in the onsite group only. Group program evaluations based on the modified Diffusion of Innovation in Long-Term Care Battery indicated no significant differences between training formats. Staff perception of the program was similar. Although statistically significant gains were noted in posttest scores indicating awareness of person-centered communication for the onsite group, gains were of limited clinical significance. Feasibility and effectiveness are important considerations for in-service education supporting NH culture change. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  11. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in waters: occurrence, toxicity, and risk

    OpenAIRE

    Cizmas, Leslie; Sharma, Virender K.; Gray, Cole M.; McDonald, Thomas J.

    2015-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) are compounds with special physical and chemical properties that address the care of animal and human health. PPCP have been detected in surface water and wastewater in the ng/L to ��g/L concentration range worldwide. PPCP ecotoxicity has been studied in a variety of organisms, and multiple methods have been used to assess the risk of PPCP in the environment to ecological health. Here we review the occurrence, effects, and risk assessment of P...

  12. Comparative Effectiveness Research, Genomics-Enabled Personalized Medicine, and Rapid Learning Health Care: A Common Bond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Geoffrey S.; Kuderer, Nicole M.

    2012-01-01

    Despite stunning advances in our understanding of the genetics and the molecular basis for cancer, many patients with cancer are not yet receiving therapy tailored specifically to their tumor biology. The translation of these advances into clinical practice has been hindered, in part, by the lack of evidence for biomarkers supporting the personalized medicine approach. Most stakeholders agree that the translation of biomarkers into clinical care requires evidence of clinical utility. The highest level of evidence comes from randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). However, in many instances, there may be no RCTs that are feasible for assessing the clinical utility of potentially valuable genomic biomarkers. In the absence of RCTs, evidence generation will require well-designed cohort studies for comparative effectiveness research (CER) that link detailed clinical information to tumor biology and genomic data. CER also uses systematic reviews, evidence-quality appraisal, and health outcomes research to provide a methodologic framework for assessing biologic patient subgroups. Rapid learning health care (RLHC) is a model in which diverse data are made available, ideally in a robust and real-time fashion, potentially facilitating CER and personalized medicine. Nonetheless, to realize the full potential of personalized care using RLHC requires advances in CER and biostatistics methodology and the development of interoperable informatics systems, which has been recognized by the National Cancer Institute's program for CER and personalized medicine. The integration of CER methodology and genomics linked to RLHC should enhance, expedite, and expand the evidence generation required for fully realizing personalized cancer care. PMID:23071236

  13. Natural personal care products-analysis of ingredient lists and legal situation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klaschka, Ursula

    2016-01-01

    Many natural substances are classified as dangerous substances according to the European regulation on classification and labelling. Are they used in natural personal care products today? One hundred ingredient lists were analyzed to find this out. All products with natural substances contained dangerous natural substances or they contained natural substances, for which the information about their classification as dangerous substances is not available. 54 natural substances quoted in the ingredient lists were found to be classified, with 37 substances being classified due to hazardous effects for skin and eyes. However, the most frequently used natural substances are not classified as dangerous. Natural substances are multi-constituent compounds, leading to two main problems in personal care products: the potential interactions of a multitude of substances and the fact that dangerous constituents are not disclosed in the ingredient lists. For example, the fragrance allergens citral, farnesol, limonene, and linalool are frequent components of the natural substances employed. In addition, 82 products listed allergenic fragrance ingredients as single substances in their ingredient lists. Recommendations for sensitive skin in a product's name do not imply that the '26 fragrance allergens' are omitted. Furthermore, 80 products listed 'parfum'/'aroma', and 50 products listed ethanol. The data show that the loopholes for natural substances and for personal care products in the present European chemical legislation (e.g. the exception for classification and labelling of cosmetic products and the exception for information transfer in the supply chain) are not in line with an adequate consumer and environmental protection.

  14. ïSCOPE: Safer care for older persons (in residential environments: A study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barnard Debbie

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The current profile of residents living in Canadian nursing homes includes elder persons with complex physical and social needs. High resident acuity can result in increased staff workload and decreased quality of work life. Aims Safer Care for Older Persons [in residential] Environments is a two year (2010 to 2012 proof-of-principle pilot study conducted in seven nursing homes in western Canada. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of engaging front line staff to use quality improvement methods to integrate best practices into resident care. The goals of the study are to improve the quality of work life for staff, in particular healthcare aides, and to improve residents' quality of life. Methods/design The study has parallel research and quality improvement intervention arms. It includes an education and support intervention for direct caregivers to improve the safety and quality of their care delivery. We hypothesize that this intervention will improve not only the care provided to residents but also the quality of work life for healthcare aides. The study employs tools adapted from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series: Collaborative Model and Canada's Safer Healthcare Now! improvement campaign. Local improvement teams in each nursing home (1 to 2 per facility are led by healthcare aides (non-regulated caregivers and focus on the management of specific areas of resident care. Critical elements of the program include local measurement, virtual and face-to-face learning sessions involving change management, quality improvement methods and clinical expertise, ongoing virtual and in person support, and networking. Discussion There are two sustainability challenges in this study: ongoing staff and leadership engagement, and organizational infrastructure. Addressing these challenges will require strategic planning with input from key stakeholders for sustaining quality improvement

  15. Personal Communication Device Use by Nurses Providing In-Patient Care: Survey of Prevalence, Patterns, and Distraction Potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBride, Deborah L; LeVasseur, Sandra A

    2017-04-13

    Coincident with the proliferation of employer-provided mobile communication devices, personal communication devices, including basic and enhanced mobile phones (smartphones) and tablet computers that are owned by the user, have become ubiquitous among registered nurses working in hospitals. While there are numerous benefits of personal communication device use by nurses at work, little is known about the impact of these devices on in-patient care. Our aim was to examine how hospital-registered nurses use their personal communication devices while doing both work-related and non‒work-related activities and to assess the impact of these devices on in-patient care. A previously validated survey was emailed to 14,797 members of two national nursing organizations. Participants were asked about personal communication device use and their opinions about the impact of these devices on their own and their colleagues' work. Of the 1268 respondents (8.57% response rate), only 5.65% (70/1237) never used their personal communication device at work (excluding lunch and breaks). Respondents self-reported using their personal communication devices at work for work-related activities including checking or sending text messages or emails to health care team members (29.02%, 363/1251), as a calculator (25.34%, 316/1247), and to access work-related medical information (20.13%, 251/1247). Fewer nurses reported using their devices for non‒work-related activities including checking or sending text messages or emails to friends and family (18.75%, 235/1253), shopping (5.14%, 64/1244), or playing games (2.73%, 34/1249). A minority of respondents believe that their personal device use at work had a positive effect on their work including reducing stress (29.88%, 369/1235), benefiting patient care (28.74%, 357/1242), improving coordination of patient care among the health care team (25.34%, 315/1243), or increasing unit teamwork (17.70%, 220/1243). A majority (69.06%, 848/1228) of

  16. Personal health systems and value creation mechanisms in occupational health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auvinen, Ari-Matti

    2007-01-01

    Personal Health Systems are believed to have great business potential among citizens, but they might reach also an important market in occupational health care. However, in reaching the occupational health care market, it is important to understand the value creation and value configuration mechanisms of this particular market. This paper also claims that in such a business-to-business market service integrators are needed to compose for the various customers specific offerings combing a tailored variety of products and services to suit their specific needs.

  17. Personality, stress and coping in intensive care nurses: a descriptive exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, Lorraine; Irvine, Fiona; Wallymahmed, Akhtar

    2010-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between personality traits, perception of workplace stress and coping among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. Research has indicated that ICUs are stressful environments. There is a tendency for research studies to investigate causes of stress and ways of coping, but few studies, particularly in recent years, have considered the personality traits of the staff who thrive in this challenging environment, the work stress they perceive and the coping strategies they use. A convenience sample of critical care nurses (n = 46) completed three standardised questionnaires during September 2007: the revised NEO personality inventory (NEO-PI-R); the nurses stress scale (NSI) and the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE) scale. ICU nurses did not perceive their workplaces to be stressful. Certain personality traits, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness, were associated with problem-solving coping strategies such as active planning and reframing. Openness and extraversion were associated with less perceived stress from the 'patients and relatives' dimension of the NSI; there were also negative correlations between conscientiousness and the 'workload stress' and stress from lack of 'confidence and competence' dimensions of the NSI. Certain personality traits may have a buffering effect on workplace stress. Pre-employment screening to identify staff that exhibit personality and coping traits associated with low perceived stress may be considered as part of the recruitment strategy to address problems relating to stress, sickness and retention. The retention and recruitment of staff who have lower perceived workplace stress and who utilise problem-focused coping may result in less reported absences and fewer critical incidents and errors.

  18. Ageing and Non-Formal Care for Elderly Persons in Croatia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonja Podgorelec

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Ageing and depopulation are the fundamental demographic processes in the development of the population of Croatia. In the total population in 2001 the age group encompassing persons 65 years of age and older made up 15.7% of the total population. The age structure of the population is one of the essential determinants of the quality of lives of individuals, especially within the family. Based on an analysis of demographic indicators (the population structure, the ratio of females, the ageing index, the age coefficient, average age, age-dependency ratios, marital status, and a brief review of migration history in the second half of the 20th century, the goal of this paper is to evaluate the quality of non-formal care of the elderly in relation to potential care providers. Due to ageing in the total population of Croatia, due to a reduction in the number of children per family and separate residences of adult children and their elderly parents, the circle of main care providers for the elderly has diminished. With the decrease in the number of family members, increasingly frequent forms of single-parent families and the employment of women, who were traditionally the most important providers of all forms of non-formal care, insufficient care for the elderly within families has become a problem. Despite changes in the way of life, the family is still the basic source of emotional, informational and instrumental support for elderly people. The help and support that the elderly receive from friends is roughly equal in the city and in villages, although neighbourly help is somewhat greater in non-urban areas (for example in Istria and on the islands. However, researches confirm that the social network of support and help among the rural population has changed since the nineties of the last century. To a certain extent the support of friends and neighbours may substitute the lack of care by children, but a weaker network of homes for the elderly and

  19. Integrated Personal Health Records: Transformative Tools for Consumer-Centric Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raymond Brian

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Integrated personal health records (PHRs offer significant potential to stimulate transformational changes in health care delivery and self-care by patients. In 2006, an invitational roundtable sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Institute, the American Medical Informatics Association, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality was held to identify the transformative potential of PHRs, as well as barriers to realizing this potential and a framework for action to move them closer to the health care mainstream. This paper highlights and builds on the insights shared during the roundtable. Discussion While there is a spectrum of dominant PHR models, (standalone, tethered, integrated, the authors state that only the integrated model has true transformative potential to strengthen consumers' ability to manage their own health care. Integrated PHRs improve the quality, completeness, depth, and accessibility of health information provided by patients; enable facile communication between patients and providers; provide access to health knowledge for patients; ensure portability of medical records and other personal health information; and incorporate auto-population of content. Numerous factors impede widespread adoption of integrated PHRs: obstacles in the health care system/culture; issues of consumer confidence and trust; lack of technical standards for interoperability; lack of HIT infrastructure; the digital divide; uncertain value realization/ROI; and uncertain market demand. Recent efforts have led to progress on standards for integrated PHRs, and government agencies and private companies are offering different models to consumers, but substantial obstacles remain to be addressed. Immediate steps to advance integrated PHRs should include sharing existing knowledge and expanding knowledge about them, building on existing efforts, and continuing dialogue among public and private sector stakeholders. Summary Integrated PHRs

  20. Do physical environmental changes make a difference? Supporting person-centered care at mealtimes in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhury, Habib; Hung, Lillian; Rust, Tiana; Wu, Sarah

    2017-10-01

    Purpose Drawing on therapeutic physical environmental design principles and Kitwood's theoretical view of person-centered care, this study examined the impact of environmental renovations in dining spaces of a long-term care facility on residents' mealtime experience and staff practice in two care units. Method The research design involved pre- and post-renovation ethnographic observations in the dining spaces of the care units and a post-renovation staff survey. The objective physical environmental features pre- and post-renovations were assessed with a newly developed tool titled Dining Environment Audit Protocol. We collected observational data from 10 residents and survey responses from 17 care aides and nurses. Findings Based on a systematic analysis of observational data and staff survey responses, five themes were identified: (a) autonomy and personal control, (b) comfort of homelike environment, (c) conducive to social interaction, (d) increased personal support, and (e) effective teamwork. Implications Although the physical environment can play an influential role in enhancing the dining experience of residents, the variability in staff practices reveals the complexity of mealtime environment and points to the necessity of a systemic approach to foster meaningful culture change.

  1. Personalized commissioning, public spaces: the limits of the market in English social care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Needham, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    The article explores the implications of personal budgets within English social care services, which position the individual as market actor. Rooting the research in the broader personalization agenda, the study looks at the limitations of the market in relation to individual purchase of private goods (e.g. home care), in the pooling of funds to purchase group services and in the provision of public goods such as building-based services. The article takes a multi-method approach, combining an interpretive focus on the framing of the personal budget-holder by advocates of personalization with national evaluation data, and data from a small survey of day centre workers. The article identifies three framings of the individual budget-holder articulated by advocates of personalization. The first is that personal budget-holders will be empowered market actors, commissioning the services they need. The second is that budget-holders will pool resources with others to purchase group services in order to broaden the range of options available to them. The third is that services which cannot be disaggregated into individual or group budgets - such as day centres - are not valued by service users. The article looks at the evaluation data on these three claims in turn. It identifies four limitations to the capacity of people to purchase care goods on an individual basis: lack of transparency in allocating budgets, complexity in managing a budget, excessive auditing of spending and lack of responsiveness from the provider market. Pooling of budgets to purchase collective services is found to be underdeveloped, and hampered by the complexity which is a broader limitation on personal budgets. Day centres are found to be closing not in response to commissioning decisions by individual budget-holders but because of decommissioning by local authorities, minimising the scope for individuals to express a preference for this type of care. The survey highlights patterns of day centre

  2. The association of LUR modeled PM2.5 elemental composition with personal exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montagne, Denise; Hoek, Gerard; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Lanki, Timo; Pennanen, Arto; Portella, Meritxell; Meliefste, Kees; Wang, Meng; Eeftens, Marloes; Yli-Tuomi, Tarja; Cirach, Marta; Brunekreef, Bert

    2014-01-01

    Background and aims: Land use regression (LUR) models predict spatial variation of ambient concentrations, but little is known about the validity in predicting personal exposures. In this study, the association of LUR modeled concentrations of PM 2.5 components with measured personal concentrations was determined. The elements of interest were copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), nickel (Ni), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Methods: In Helsinki (Finland), Utrecht (the Netherlands) and Barcelona (Spain) five participants from urban background, five from suburban background and five from busy street sites were selected in each city (15 participants per city). Outdoor, indoor and personal 96-hour PM 2.5 samples were collected by the participants over periods of two weeks in three different seasons (winter, summer and spring/autumn) and the overall average was calculated. Elemental composition was measured by ED-XRF spectrometry. The LUR models for the average ambient concentrations of each element were developed by the ESCAPE project. Results: LUR models predicted the within-city variation of average outdoor Cu and Fe concentrations moderately well (range in R 2 27–67% for Cu and 24–54% for Fe). The outdoor concentrations of the other elements were not well predicted. The LUR modeled concentration only significantly correlated with measured personal Fe exposure in Utrecht and Ni and V in Helsinki. The LUR model predictions did not correlate with measured personal Cu exposure. After excluding observations with an indoor/outdoor ratio of > 1.5, modeled Cu outdoor concentrations correlated with indoor concentrations in Helsinki and Utrecht and personal concentrations in Utrecht. The LUR model predictions were associated with measured outdoor, indoor and personal concentrations for all elements when the data for the three cities was pooled. Conclusions: Within-city modeled variation of elemental composition of PM 2.5 did not predict measured

  3. European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness initiatives on person-centred care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steffen, Sigrid

    2011-04-01

    European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness is working towards the goal of shifting the emphasis of care for people with metal illness from the treatment of the symptoms to a more holistic approach of treating the whole person - in other words 'person-centred care'. It is also working with the Geneva conference on person-centred medicine and various interested groupings and organizations to ensure that the role of the family is fully recognized and supported. By engaging primarily with the medical community in bringing to fruition certain initiatives which European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness considers as important to the success of person-centred care. To date, no formal reviews have taken place and feedback from the initiatives has been informal and anecdotal. Early reports from the various initiatives are positive. But they also indicate that there is still much work to be done in order for the concept to become a reality across the majority of European countries. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. [Refusal of care faced by case manager from elderly persons in complex situation: cross perspectives].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corvol, A; Balard, F; Moutel, G; Somme, D

    2014-01-01

    Case management is a new professional field in France. It is addressed to elderly persons living in community whose situation is regarded as particularly complex. Case managers have to assess needs and coordinate necessary services. One common criteria of complexity is refusal of care. The objective of this study is to compare the words of users with those of case managers about refusal of care, in order to understand its meaning, professionals' attitudes and ethical challenges. Two researchers have cooperated on this qualitative research: the first one, anthropologist, interviewed 19 individuals, and 11 of their caregivers. The second one, geriatrician and researcher in medical ethics, lead four focus groups gathering a total of 18 case managers. Refusal of care often is the result of the will of preserving one's identity, compromised by illness. Individuals seek control on their life. Facing this behaviour, case managers try to secure the individual, by establishing a personal relationship that respects their choices, even if care has to be delayed. Refusal of care may sometimes disclose a desire to vanish, in front of which professionals meet their own limits. To recognise an elderly person that refuses care as a unique individual who can make choices secure his identity, and allow him to change. Copyright © 2013 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Testing a bedside personal computer Clinical Care Classification System for nursing students using Microsoft Access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feeg, Veronica D; Saba, Virginia K; Feeg, Alan N

    2008-01-01

    This study tested a personal computer-based version of the Sabacare Clinical Care Classification System on students' performance of charting patient care plans. The application was designed as an inexpensive alternative to teach electronic charting for use on any laptop or personal computer with Windows and Microsoft Access. The data-based system was tested in a randomized trial with the control group using a type-in text-based-only system also mounted on a laptop at the bedside in the laboratory. Student care plans were more complete using the data-based system over the type-in text version. Students were more positive but not necessarily more efficient with the data-based system. The results demonstrate that the application is effective for improving student nursing care charting using the nursing process and capturing patient care information with a language that is standardized and ready for integration with other patient electronic health record data. It can be implemented on a bedside stand in the clinical laboratory or used to aggregate care planning over a student's clinical experience.

  6. Information and communication technology-enabled person-centered care for the "big five" chronic conditions: scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wildevuur, Sabine E; Simonse, Lianne W L

    2015-03-27

    Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the "big 5" chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic respiratory (63%, 46/73) and cardiovascular (53

  7. Young siblings of children with cancer deserve care and a personalized approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massimo, Luisa M; Wiley, Thomas J

    2008-03-01

    The youngest siblings may be both emotionally vulnerable and often neglected members of the family of a childhood cancer patient. The prompt identification of signs of distress in these subjects allows trained caregivers to intervene with personalized, age-appropriate, attention, and care. A narrative approach, based on personalized listening, writings, and spontaneous drawings, can provide the means to elicit markers of psychological maladjustment in even the youngest of siblings. Two exemplary cases are reported to illustrate this approach. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  8. Personal determinants of nurses' burnout in end of life care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gama, Georgeana; Barbosa, Filipe; Vieira, Margarida

    2014-10-01

    Our aim is to identify socio-demographic, professional exposure to dying, training degree and personal factors relevant to burnout dimensions in nurses coping with death issues. A sample of 360 nurses (response rate 70.6%) from internal medicine, oncology, haematology and palliative care departments of five health institutions answered to a socio-demographic and professional questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Death Attitude Profile Scale, Purpose in Life Test and Adult Attachment Scale. No significant differences were found between medical departments in burnout scores except when comparing those with palliative care department which showed significant lesser levels of emotional exhaustion (t = 2.71; p exhaustion and depersonalization are negative, sequentially determined respectively by purpose in life, dependent attachment, fear of death attitude and by purpose in life, dependent attachment, years of professional experience and personal accomplishment by positive purpose on life and secure attachment. We conclude for the protective value of factors such as meaning and purpose in life, secure attachment and attitude towards death, through the various burnout dimensions that shows the need to develop under and postgraduate training strategies in these specific areas. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Care plan for the patient with a dependent personality disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana María Ruiz Galán

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Personality is unique for each individual and can be defined as the dynamic collection of characteristics relative to emotions, thought and behaviour.Personality trout’s only mean a Personality Disorder (PD when they are inflexible and maladjusted and cause notable functional deterioration or uneasiness.According to Bermudez personality is “the enduring organization of structural and functional features, innate and acquired under the special conditions of each one’s development that shape the particular and specific collection of behaviour to face different situations”.According to the Diagnostic a Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV, a Personality Disorder is “an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the person’s culture is pervasive and an inflexible, is stable over time and leads to distress or impairment. The onset of these patterns of behaviour is the beginning of the adulthood and, in rare instances, early adolescence”.There are several types of Personality Disorders (paranoid, schizoid, borderline, antisocial, dependent…. Dependent Personality Disorder is one of the most frequent in the Mental Health Services.People who suffer from this disorder are unable to take a decision by themselves because they don’t have confidence in themselves. They need a lot of social support and affection until the point of deny their individuality by subordinating their desires to other person’s desires and permitting these persons to manage their lives. Maybe they feel desolated by separation and loss and can support any situation, even maltreatment to keep a relationship.As we a deduce this diagnosis is sensible to cultural influences. This work aims to elaborate an standarized plan of cares for the patient with Dependent Personality Disorder by using nursing Diagnosis of NANDA II, Outcomes Criteria (NOC and Interventions Criteria (NIC.

  10. Experiences of women in secure care who have been prescribed clozapine for borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickens, Geoffrey L; Frogley, Catherine; Mason, Fiona; Anagnostakis, Katina; Picchioni, Marco M

    2016-01-01

    Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic medicine which can cause significant side-effects. It is often prescribed off-license in severe cases of borderline personality disorder contrary to national treatment guidelines. Little is known about the experiences of those who take clozapine for borderline personality disorder. We explored the lived-experience of women in secure inpatient care who were prescribed clozapine for borderline personality disorder. Adult females ( N  = 20) participated in audio-taped semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were subject to thematic analysis. The central themes related to evaluation, wellbeing, understanding and self-management; for many, their subjective wellbeing on clozapine was preferred to prior levels of functioning and symptomatology, sometimes profoundly so. The negative and potentially adverse effects of clozapine were explained as regrettable but relatively unimportant. When psychological interventions are, at least initially, ineffective then clozapine treatment is likely to be evaluated positively by a group of women with borderline personality disorder in secure care despite the potential disadvantages.

  11. Personal values and attitudes toward people living with HIV among health care providers in Kazakhstan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tartakovsky, Eugene; Hamama, Liat

    2013-01-01

    Our study investigates the relationship between health care providers' personal value preferences and their attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLWH). The study was conducted among nurses (n = 38) and physicians (n = 87) working in HIV Centers in Kazakhstan. Significant relationships were found between the providers' personal value preferences and their attitudes toward PLWH: higher preferences for tradition and power values and lower preferences for benevolence values were associated with more negative attitudes toward PLWH. In addition, more years of experience working with PLWH was associated with more positive attitudes toward this population. Age, gender, family status, religiosity, occupation, and number of years working in health care were not related to the health care providers' attitudes toward PLWH. Theoretical and practical implications of the results obtained are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Guidelines to facilitate self-care among older persons in South Africa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tinda Rabie

    Results: Based on Menon's psychological health empowerment model, and from ... Implications for practice: The implementation of the self-care guidelines by the .... 115) a person who has good self- .... work in the communities - eight for the urban population in ... a sub-population of 333 men and women over the age of 60.

  13. Implementing Dementia Care Mapping to develop person-centred care: results of a process evaluation within the Leben-QD II trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quasdorf, Tina; Riesner, Christine; Dichter, Martin Nikolaus; Dortmann, Olga; Bartholomeyczik, Sabine; Halek, Margareta

    2017-03-01

    To evaluate Dementia Care Mapping implementation in nursing homes. Dementia Care Mapping, an internationally applied method for supporting and enhancing person-centred care for people with dementia, must be successfully implemented into care practice for its effective use. Various factors influence the implementation of complex interventions such as Dementia Care Mapping; few studies have examined the specific factors influencing Dementia Care Mapping implementation. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design embedded in a quasi-experimental trial was used to assess Dementia Care Mapping implementation success and influential factors. From 2011-2013, nine nursing units in nine different nursing homes implemented either Dementia Care Mapping (n = 6) or a periodic quality of life measurement using the dementia-specific instrument QUALIDEM (n = 3). Diverse data (interviews, n = 27; questionnaires, n = 112; resident records, n = 81; and process documents) were collected. Each data set was separately analysed and then merged to comprehensively portray the implementation process. Four nursing units implemented the particular intervention without deviating from the preplanned intervention. Translating Dementia Care Mapping results into practice was challenging. Necessary organisational preconditions for Dementia Care Mapping implementation included well-functioning networks, a dementia-friendly culture and flexible organisational structures. Involved individuals' positive attitudes towards Dementia Care Mapping also facilitated implementation. Precisely planning the intervention and its implementation, recruiting champions who supported Dementia Care Mapping implementation and having well-qualified, experienced project coordinators were essential to the implementation process. For successful Dementia Care Mapping implementation, it must be embedded in a systematic implementation strategy considering the specific setting. Organisational preconditions may need to

  14. Organizational culture and the implementation of person centered care: results from a change process in Swedish hospital care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharbi, Tariq Saleem J; Ekman, Inger; Olsson, Lars-Eric; Dudas, Kerstin; Carlström, Eric

    2012-12-01

    Sweden has one of the oldest, most coherent and stable healthcare systems in the world. The culture has been described as conservative, mechanistic and increasingly standardized. In order to provide a care adjusted to the patient, person centered care (PCC) has been developed and implemented into some parts of the health care industry. The model has proven to decrease patient uncertainty. However, the impact of PCC has been limited in some clinics and hospital wards. An assumption is that organizational culture has an impact on desired outcomes of PCC, such as patient uncertainty. Therefore, in this study we identify the impact of organizational culture on patient uncertainty in five hospital wards during the implementation of PCC. Data from 220 hospitalized patients who completed the uncertainty cardiovascular population scale (UCPS) and 117 nurses who completed the organizational values questionnaire (OVQ) were investigated with regression analysis. The results seemed to indicate that in hospitals where the culture promotes stability, control and goal setting, patient uncertainty is reduced. In contrast to previous studies suggesting that a culture of flexibility, cohesion and trust is positive, a culture of stability can better sustain a desired outcome of reform or implementation of new care models such as person centered care. It is essential for health managers to be aware of what characterizes their organizational culture before attempting to implement any sort of new healthcare model. The organizational values questionnaire has the potential to be used as a tool to aid health managers in reaching that understanding. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Perspectives and strategies of alternative methods used in the risk assessment of personal care products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quantin, P; Thélu, A; Catoire, S; Ficheux, H

    2015-11-01

    Risk assessment for personal care products requires the use of alternative methods since animal testing is now totally banned. Some of these methods are effective and have been validated by the "European Union Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing"; but there is still a need for development and implementation of methods for specific endpoints. In this review, we have focused on dermal risk assessment because it is the prime route of absorption and main target organ for personal care products. Within this field, various areas must be assessed: irritation, sensitisation and toxicokinetic. Personal care product behaviour after use by the consumer and potential effects on the environment are also discussed. The purpose of this review is to show evolution and the prospects of alternative methods for safety dermal assessment. Assessment strategies must be adapted to the different chemical classes of substances studied but also to the way in which they are used. Finally, experimental and theoretical technical parameters that may impact on measured effects have been identified and discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Development and Evaluation of an Educational E-Tool to Help Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Manage Their Personal Care Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stienen, Jozette Jc; Ottevanger, Petronella B; Wennekes, Lianne; Dekker, Helena M; van der Maazen, Richard Wm; Mandigers, Caroline Mpw; van Krieken, Johan Hjm; Blijlevens, Nicole Ma; Hermens, Rosella Pmg

    2015-01-09

    An overload of health-related information is available for patients on numerous websites, guidelines, and information leaflets. However, the increasing need for personalized health-related information is currently unmet. This study evaluates an educational e-tool for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) designed to meet patient needs with respect to personalized and complete health-related information provision. The e-tool aims to help NHL patients manage and understand their personal care pathway, by providing them with insight into their own care pathway, the possibility to keep a diary, and structured health-related information. Together with a multidisciplinary NHL expert panel, we developed an e-tool consisting of two sections: (1) a personal section for patients' own care pathway and their experiences, and (2) an informative section including information on NHL. We developed an ideal NHL care pathway based on the available (inter)national guidelines. The ideal care pathway, including date of first consultation, diagnosis, and therapy start, was used to set up the personal care pathway. The informative section was developed in collaboration with the patient association, Hematon. Regarding participants, 14 patients and 6 laymen were asked to evaluate the e-tool. The 24-item questionnaire used discussed issues concerning layout (6 questions), user convenience (3 questions), menu clarity (3 questions), information clarity (5 questions), and general impression (7 questions). In addition, the panel members were asked to give their feedback by email. A comprehensive overview of diagnostics, treatments, and aftercare can be established by patients completing the questions from the personal section. The informative section consisted of NHL information regarding NHL in general, diagnostics, therapy, aftercare, and waiting times. Regarding participants, 6 patients and 6 laymen completed the questionnaire. Overall, the feedback was positive, with at least 75

  17. Access to primary and specialized somatic health care for persons with severe mental illness: a qualitative study of perceived barriers and facilitators in Swedish health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björk Brämberg, Elisabeth; Torgerson, Jarl; Norman Kjellström, Anna; Welin, Peder; Rusner, Marie

    2018-01-09

    Persons with severe mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) have a high prevalence of somatic conditions compared to the general population. Mortality data in the Nordic countries reveal that these persons die 15-20 years earlier than the general population. Some factors explaining this high prevalence may be related to the individuals in question; others arise from the health care system's difficulty in offering somatic health care to these patient groups. The aim of the present study was therefore to explore the experiences and views of patients, relatives and clinicians regarding individual and organizational factors which facilitate or hinder access to somatic health care for persons with severe mental illness. Flexible qualitative design. Data was collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews with patients with severe mental illness, relatives and clinicians representing primary and specialized health care. In all, 50 participants participated. The main barrier to accessing somatic care is the gap between the organization of the health care system and the patients' individual health care needs. This is observed at both individual and organizational level. The health care system seems unable to support patients with severe mental illness and their psychiatric-somatic comorbidity. The main facilitators are the links between severe mental illness patients and medical departments. These links take the form of functions (i.e. systems which ensure that patients receive regular reminders), or persons (i.e. professional contacts who facilitate patients' access the health care). Health care services for patients with severe mental illness need reorganization. Organizational structures and systems that facilitate cooperation between different departments must be put in place, along with training for health care professionals about somatic disease among psychiatric patients. The links between individual and organizational levels could be

  18. Health care professionals’ perception of security of personal health devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ondiege B

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Brian Ondiege, Malcolm Clarke Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, UK Abstract: With the rapid advances in the capabilities of telehealth devices and their increasing connection to the Internet, security is becoming an issue of major concern. Therefore, the perceptions of the health care professionals regarding security are of interest, as the patients trust them to make informed decisions on issues concerning their privacy, data, and health. Eight health care professionals were interviewed to determine their perceptions and knowledge of security in health care. The research further examines one specific aspect of security which is considered of significant concern: the authenticity of a device being from the actual manufacturer and not a counterfeit. This research proposes device registration together with digital signatures and one-time passwords to address the issue of counterfeit remote patient-monitoring devices and identify and authenticate the user of the device. Keywords: telehealth security, health care professionals’ perception, personal health device, authentication

  19. 'Personal Care' and General Practice Medicine in the UK: A qualitative interview study with patients and General Practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Rachel

    2007-08-31

    Recent policy and organisational changes within UK primary care have emphasised graduated access to care, speed of access to the first available general practitioner (GP) and care being provided by a range of healthcare professionals. These trends have been strengthened by the current GP contract and Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). Concern has been expressed that the potential for personal care is being diminished as a result and that this will reduce quality standards. This paper presents data from a study that explored with patients and GPs what personal care means and whether it has continuing importance to them. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview participants and Framework Analysis supported analysis of emerging themes. Twenty-nine patients, mainly women with young children, and twenty-three GPs were interviewed from seven practices in Lothian, Scotland, ranged by practice size and relative deprivation score. Personal care was defined mainly, though not exclusively, as care given within the context of a continuing relationship in which there is an interpersonal connection and the doctor adopts a particular consultation style. Defined in this way, it was reported to have benefits for both health outcomes and patients' experience of care. In particular, such care was thought to be beneficial in attending to the emotions that can be elicited when seeking and receiving health care and in enabling patients to be known by doctors as legitimate seekers of care from the health service. Its importance was described as being dependent upon the nature of the health problem and patients' wider familial and social circumstances. In particular, it was found to provide support to patients in their parenting and other familial caring roles. Personal care has continuing salience to patients and GPs in modern primary care in the UK. Patients equate the experience of care, not just outcomes, with high quality care. As it is mainly conceptualised and

  20. Barriers to Homeless Persons Acquiring Health Insurance Through the Affordable Care Act.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fryling, Lauren R; Mazanec, Peter; Rodriguez, Robert M

    2015-11-01

    Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is intended to provide a framework for increasing health care access for vulnerable populations, including the 1.2 million who experience homelessness each year in the United States. We sought to characterize homeless persons' knowledge of the ACA, identify barriers to their ACA enrollment, and determine access to various forms of communication that could be used to facilitate enrollment. At an urban county Level I trauma center, we interviewed all noncritically ill adults who presented to the emergency department (ED) during daytime hours and were able to provide consent. We assessed access to communication, awareness of the ACA, insurance status, and barriers preventing subjects from enrolling in health insurance and compared homeless persons' responses with concomitantly enrolled housed individuals. Of the 650 enrolled subjects, 134 (20.2%) were homeless. Homeless subjects were more likely to have never heard of the ACA (26% vs. 10%). "Not being aware if they qualify for Medicaid" was the most common (70%) and most significant (30%) barrier to enrollment reported by uninsured homeless persons. Of homeless subjects who were unsure if they qualified for Medicaid, 91% reported an income homeless subjects reported access. Homeless persons report having less knowledge of the ACA than their housed counterparts, poor understanding of ACA qualification criteria, and limited access to phone and internet. ED-based outreach and education regarding ACA eligibility may increase their enrollment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Interventions to delay institutionalization of frail older persons: design of a longitudinal study in the home care setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    De Almeida Mello Johanna

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Older people usually prefer staying at home rather than going into residential care. The Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance wishes to invest in home care by financing innovative projects that effectively help older people to stay at home longer. In this study protocol we describe the evaluation of 34 home care projects. These projects are clustered according to the type of their main intervention such as case management, night care, occupational therapy at home and psychological/psychosocial support. The main goal of this study is to identify which types of projects have the most effect in delaying institutionalization of frail older persons. Methods/design This is a longitudinal intervention study based on a quasi-experimental design. Researchers use three comparison strategies to evaluate intervention - comparison among different types of projects, comparisons between older persons in the projects and older persons not benefiting from a project but who are still at home and between older persons in the projects and older persons who are already institutionalized. Projects are asked to include clients who are frail and at risk of institutionalization. In the study we use internationally validated instruments such as the interRAI Home Care instrument, the WHO-QOL-8 and the Zarit Burden Interview-12. These instruments are filled out at baseline, at exit from the project and 6 months after baseline. Additionally, caregivers have to do a follow-up every 6 months until exit from the project. Criteria to exit the cohort will be institutionalization longer than 3 months and death. The main analysis in the study consists of the calculation of incidence rates, cumulative incidence rates and hazard rates of definitive institutionalization through survival analyses for each type of project. Discussion This research will provide knowledge on the functional status of frail older persons who are still living at

  2. Interventions to delay institutionalization of frail older persons: design of a longitudinal study in the home care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Almeida Mello, Johanna; Van Durme, Therese; Macq, Jean; Declercq, Anja

    2012-08-06

    Older people usually prefer staying at home rather than going into residential care. The Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance wishes to invest in home care by financing innovative projects that effectively help older people to stay at home longer. In this study protocol we describe the evaluation of 34 home care projects. These projects are clustered according to the type of their main intervention such as case management, night care, occupational therapy at home and psychological/psychosocial support. The main goal of this study is to identify which types of projects have the most effect in delaying institutionalization of frail older persons. This is a longitudinal intervention study based on a quasi-experimental design. Researchers use three comparison strategies to evaluate intervention--comparison among different types of projects, comparisons between older persons in the projects and older persons not benefiting from a project but who are still at home and between older persons in the projects and older persons who are already institutionalized. Projects are asked to include clients who are frail and at risk of institutionalization. In the study we use internationally validated instruments such as the interRAI Home Care instrument, the WHO-QOL-8 and the Zarit Burden Interview-12. These instruments are filled out at baseline, at exit from the project and 6 months after baseline. Additionally, caregivers have to do a follow-up every 6 months until exit from the project. Criteria to exit the cohort will be institutionalization longer than 3 months and death. The main analysis in the study consists of the calculation of incidence rates, cumulative incidence rates and hazard rates of definitive institutionalization through survival analyses for each type of project. This research will provide knowledge on the functional status of frail older persons who are still living at home. This is important information to identify determinants of

  3. Who should decide how much and what information is important in person-centred health care?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaltoft, Mette Kjer; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Salkeld, Glenn

    2015-01-01

    implicitly segues into the patient having made a 'good decision'. In person-centred health care, whether, in what form, and with what weight, 'information' is included as a criterion of decision quality is a matter for the person involved, to decide in the light of their own values, preferences, and time...

  4. [Cross-sectional study of informal caregiver burden and the determinants related to the care of dependent persons].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-González, Ana María; Rodríguez-Míguez, Eva; Duarte-Pérez, Ana; Díaz-Sanisidro, Eduardo; Barbosa-Álvarez, Ángel; Clavería, Ana

    2017-03-01

    To describe the burden of informal carers of dependent people and to identify related variables. Descriptive observational cross-sectional study. Primary Health Care in the southern area of Pontevedra. 97 caregivers of dependent persons. We collected socioeconomic data and health conditions from caregivers and dependent persons, time spent on the daily care and caregiver burden (Zarit abbreviate) through a personal interview. Besides the description of the sample-including their burden level-, a contrast mean was used to identify characteristics that influenced in punctuation of Zarit scale. A logistic regression was used to analyse characteristics that increase the likelihood to experiment burden. 61.9% of caregivers are subject to intense burden. The item on the scale which contributes most to the caregiver burden is the lack of time for oneself, followed by the negative effects of interpersonal relationships. Contrast means shows that degree of relationship, number of care hours, caregiver health and aggressiveness of dependent persons produce significant differences in Zarit scale. Physic and psychological health of caregivers and aggressiveness of dependent persons is associated with the likelihood of developing caregiver burden. Informal caregivers of dependent persons show a high level of burden, both related to their characteristics and those of the dependent persons. Caregiver burden rethinks the need for public policies focused on dependence to adopt an integrative caregiver-dependent vision. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Knowledge about persons with disability act (1995) among health care professionals dealing with persons affected by disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, B S; Devapitchai, K S; Raju, M S

    2009-01-01

    To assess the level of awareness about the different provisions of the persons with Disability Act (1995) among the health care professionals, 201 health care professionals dealing with the disabled persons from different parts of India were interviewed using structured interview checklist. The data were analysed through statistical package of social sciences software. Chi-square test were applied on the variables and the Pvalues were ascertained. The results show that 48.3% knew about administration hierarchy, 53.7% of respondents were aware of the free education available for the disabled, 68.5% were aware of the employment scheme, 62.7% about poverty alleviation schemes, 59.2% know about the traveling benefits, 56.2% of professionals were aware of the benefits for people with low vision. Only 29.9% of respondents knew about provisions to overcome architectural barriers. 43.8% of them knew about the least disability percentage whereas only 28.4% were aware of research and manpower schemes. Regarding affirmative action, 32.17% told correctly and 52.7% of the professionals responded correctly with respectto non- discrimination schemes. The level of awareness among the professionals working in rural regions is lower with regard to administration hierarchy and poverty alleviation schemes. Informations regarding disabled friendly environments and research and manpower development were found to be low among respondents of all professions which need to be effectively intervened. Gender did not show any influence with respect to the components of the act. The study showed that there is an ample need for educational interventions among the health care professionals in all socio-demography. Inclusion of PWD Act in the curriculum of medical schools as a topic in conferences and workshops for health care professionals are suggested.

  6. The Experience of Care-Giving for a Person with Parkinson's Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogard, Connie Lynn

    2010-01-01

    As the population continues to become more aged and at risk for chronic illness, there will be a growing need for caregivers. Caregivers to persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) face the challenge of providing care over many years due to the chronic progressive nature of this neurological disorder. The purpose of this study was to understand and…

  7. [The law of March 5, 2007 and the care of persons placed under guardianship].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modot, Matthieu; Rougé-Maillart, Clotilde

    2018-04-01

    The care of persons placed under guardianship has changed considerably since the law of March 5, 2007, as greater autonomy is granted to them. By advocating greater autonomy of protected adults, the French Civil Code is in opposition with the French Public Health Code since the latter states that the systematic consent of the guardian is required in addition to that of the protected adult for so-called general care. In cases of serious injury to bodily integrity, the guardianship judge's opinion must be sought by the guardian. For some specific medical procedures (medically assisted procreation, abortion, etc.), the consent of the guardian does not seem necessary. A protected adult can now, if he/she is able to understand the information, with the agreement of the guardianship judge or the family council, appoint a trusted person and draft advance directives without possible representation by the guardian. The legislator promotes greater autonomy while not neglecting their protection. It also helps relieve the guardian, who is generally trained in asset management, of sometimes difficult medical decisions. Harmony between the Civil Code and the Public Health Code seems essential so as to move towards greater autonomy of the person under guardianship in the care relationship. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Identifying preferred format and source of exercise information in persons with multiple sclerosis that can be delivered by health-care providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Learmonth, Yvonne C; Adamson, Brynn C; Balto, Julia M; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Molina-Guzman, Isabel M; Finlayson, Marcia; Riskin, Barry J; Motl, Robert W

    2017-10-01

    There is increasing recognition of the benefits of exercise in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet the MS population does not engage in sufficient amounts of exercise to accrue health benefits. There has been little qualitative inquiry to establish the preferred format and source for receiving exercise information from health-care providers among persons with MS. We sought to identify the desired and preferred format and source of exercise information for persons with MS that can be delivered through health-care providers. Participants were adults with MS who had mild or moderate disability and participated in a range of exercise levels. All participants lived in the Midwest of the United States. Fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Two themes emerged, (i) approach for receiving exercise promotion and (ii) ideal person for promoting exercise. Persons with MS want to receive exercise information through in-person consultations with health-care providers, print media and electronic media. Persons with MS want to receive exercise promotion from health-care providers with expertise in MS (ie neurologists) and with expertise in exercise (eg physical therapists). These data support the importance of understanding how to provide exercise information to persons with MS and identifying that health-care providers including neurologists and physical therapists should be involved in exercise promotion. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Personal care product use as a predictor of urinary concentrations of certain phthalates, parabens, and phenols in the HERMOSA study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, Kimberly P; Kogut, Katherine R; Bradman, Asa; She, Jianwen; Gavin, Qi; Zahedi, Rana; Parra, Kimberly L; Harley, Kim G

    2018-01-09

    Use of personal care products, such as makeup, soaps, and sunscreen, may expose adolescent girls to potential endocrine disruptors, including phthalates, parabens, and other phenols. We evaluated the relationship between recent self-reported personal care product use and concentrations for urinary metabolites of phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and benzophenone-3 (BP-3) in 100 Latina adolescents. Girls who reported using makeup every day vs. rarely/never had higher urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP) (102.2 ng/mL vs. 52.4 ng/mL, P-value: 0.04), methyl paraben (MP) (120.5 ng/mL vs. 13.4 ng/mL, P-value value personal care product use is associated with higher exposure to certain phthalates, parabens, and other phenols in urine. This may be especially relevant in adolescent girls who have high use of personal care products during a period of important reproductive development.

  10. Personally tailored activities for improving psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia in long-term care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Möhler, Ralph; Renom, Anna; Renom, Helena; Meyer, Gabriele

    2018-02-13

    People with dementia who are being cared for in long-term care settings are often not engaged in meaningful activities. Offering them activities which are tailored to their individual interests and preferences might improve their quality of life and reduce challenging behaviour. ∙ To assess the effects of personally tailored activities on psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia living in long-term care facilities.∙ To describe the components of the interventions.∙ To describe conditions which enhance the effectiveness of personally tailored activities in this setting. We searched ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's Specialized Register, on 16 June 2017 using the terms: personally tailored OR individualized OR individualised OR individual OR person-centred OR meaningful OR personhood OR involvement OR engagement OR engaging OR identity. We also performed additional searches in MEDLINE (Ovid SP), Embase (Ovid SP), PsycINFO (Ovid SP), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Web of Science (ISI Web of Science), ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) ICTRP, to ensure that the search for the review was as up to date and as comprehensive as possible. We included randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials offering personally tailored activities. All interventions included an assessment of the participants' present or past preferences for, or interests in, particular activities as a basis for an individual activity plan. Control groups received either usual care or an active control intervention. Two authors independently checked the articles for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. For all studies, we assessed the risk of selection bias, performance bias, attrition bias and detection bias. In case of missing information, we contacted the study authors. We included eight studies with 957 participants. The mean age of participants in the studies ranged from 78 to 88

  11. Ready to rumble: how team personality composition and task conflict interact to improve performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, Bret H; Klotz, Anthony C; Postlethwaite, Bennett E; Brown, Kenneth G

    2013-03-01

    Although prior work has proposed a number of conditions under which task conflict in teams may improve performance, composition variables have been left unexplored. Given the effects of personality traits on team processes and outcomes demonstrated in prior work, investigating whether specific personality compositions influence the effect of task conflict on team performance is critical to researchers' understanding of conflict in teams. Our results indicate that team-level averages of both openness to experience and emotional stability function as moderators of the relationship between task conflict and team performance. Specifically, task conflict had a positive impact on performance in teams with high levels of openness or emotional stability; in contrast, task conflict had a negative impact on performance in teams with low levels of openness or emotional stability. Thus, when task conflict emerges, teams composed of members who are open minded or emotionally stable are best able to leverage conflict to improve performance. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

  12. Personalized management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes: reflections from a Diabetes Care Editors' Expert Forum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raz, Itamar; Riddle, Matthew C; Rosenstock, Julio; Buse, John B; Inzucchi, Silvio E; Home, Philip D; Del Prato, Stefano; Ferrannini, Ele; Chan, Juliana C N; Leiter, Lawrence A; Leroith, Derek; Defronzo, Ralph; Cefalu, William T

    2013-06-01

    In June 2012, 13 thought leaders convened in a Diabetes Care Editors' Expert Forum to discuss the concept of personalized medicine in the wake of a recently published American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes position statement calling for a patient-centered approach to hyperglycemia management in type 2 diabetes. This article, an outgrowth of that forum, offers a clinical translation of the underlying issues that need to be considered for effectively personalizing diabetes care. The medical management of type 2 diabetes has become increasingly complex, and its complications remain a great burden to individual patients and the larger society. The burgeoning armamentarium of pharmacological agents for hyperglycemia management should aid clinicians in providing early treatment to delay or prevent these complications. However, trial evidence is limited for the optimal use of these agents, especially in dual or triple combinations. In the distant future, genotyping and testing for metabolomic markers may help us to better phenotype patients and predict their responses to antihyperglycemic drugs. For now, a personalized ("n of 1") approach in which drugs are tested in a trial-and-error manner in each patient may be the most practical strategy for achieving therapeutic targets. Patient-centered care and standardized algorithmic management are conflicting approaches, but they can be made more compatible by recognizing instances in which personalized A1C targets are warranted and clinical circumstances that may call for comanagement by primary care and specialty clinicians.

  13. Taking good care of myself: a qualitative study on self-care behavior among Chinese persons with a permanent colostomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Hui; Songwathana, Praneed; Isaramalai, Sang-arun; Wang, Qingxi

    2014-12-01

    In Chinese culture, as a possible consequence of Confucianism, caring for the sick is considered a moral obligation of family members, while self-care is only the basis of fulfilling filial piety. This qualitative study aims to explore the self-care behavior among persons with a permanent colostomy in a Chinese cultural context of emphasizing the role of family caregiving. Data from in-depth interviews with seven Chinese adults at a university hospital in southwest China were analyzed using content analysis. Informants' self-care behavior was characterized by "taking good care of myself," which underlined individuals' efforts to manage colostomy-related impacts involving: (i) taking care of my colostomy with a proper degree of independence; (ii) taking care of my life by dealing with limitations; (iii) taking care of my mood in a positive way. Findings revealed that informants' self-care behavior was linked to their Confucian beliefs in family obligations, and also influenced by a happy-go-lucky outlook of life, a likely product of Taoism. The information is useful for nurses to design a culturally appropriate care plan to improve self-care behavior and proper family caregiving. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  14. The personal value of being a palliative care Community Volunteer Worker in Uganda: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jack, Barbara A; Kirton, Jennifer A; Birakurataki, Jerith; Merriman, Anne

    2012-07-01

    Volunteers in palliative care play a key role, particularly in the hospice setting. The expansion of palliative care into developing countries has been accompanied by the emergence of volunteer workers, who are providing a main source of support and care for patients, many of whom never see a health professional. The aim of this study was to evaluate the motivation for becoming a volunteer and the personal impact of being a palliative care Community Volunteer Worker in Uganda. A qualitative methodology using semi-structured individual and group digitally recorded interviews was adopted for the study. Data were analysed for emerging themes using thematic analysis. Forty-three interviews were undertaken, 32 with Community Volunteer Workers and 11 with the Hospice clinical teams, using semi-structured digitally recorded individual, group and focus group interviews at the Hospice Africa sites in Uganda. The results identified the cultural wish to help people as a key motivator in becoming a volunteer. Additionally, the volunteers reported having a sense of pride in their volunteering role, and this role had a positive impact on their perceived status in their local community. This model of volunteering is clearly having an impact on the volunteers, both personally and also in terms of how they are treated in their communities. Further research to explore the long-term personal benefits of being a palliative care volunteer is recommended.

  15. Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Food and Personal Care Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weir, Alex; Westerhoff, Paul; Fabricius, Lars

    2012-01-01

    Titanium dioxide is a common additive in many food, personal care, and other consumer products used by people, which after use can enter the sewage system, and subsequently enter the environment as treated effluent discharged to surface waters or biosolids applied to agricultural land, incinerated wastes, or landfill solids. This study quantifies the amount of titanium in common food products, derives estimates of human exposure to dietary (nano-) TiO2, and discusses the impact of the nanoscale fraction of TiO2 entering the environment. The foods with the highest content of TiO2 included candies, sweets and chewing gums. Among personal care products, toothpastes and select sunscreens contained 1% to >10% titanium by weight. While some other crèmes contained titanium, despite being colored white, most shampoos, deodorants, and shaving creams contained the lowest levels of titanium (TiO2 (E171) suggests that approximately 36% of the particles are less than 100 nm in at least one dimension and that it readily disperses in water as fairly stable colloids. However, filtration of water solubilized consumer products and personal care products indicated that less than 5% of the titanium was able to pass through 0.45 or 0.7 μm pores. Two white paints contained 110 μg Ti/mg while three sealants (i.e., prime coat paint) contained less titanium (25 to 40 μg Ti/mg). This research showed that while many white-colored products contained titanium, it was not a prerequisite. Although several of these product classes contained low amounts of titanium, their widespread use and disposal down the drain and eventually to WWTPs deserves attention. A Monte Carlo human exposure analysis to TiO2 through foods identified children as having the highest exposures because TiO2 content of sweets is higher than other food products, and that a typical exposure for a US adult may be on the order of 1 mg Ti per kilogram body weight per day. Thus, because of the millions of tons of titanium based

  16. Dietary supplements and physical exercise affecting bone and body composition in frail elderly persons

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jong, de N.; Chin A Paw, M.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.; Hiddink, G.J.; Staveren, van W.A.

    2000-01-01

    This study determined the effect of enriched foods and all-around physical exercise on bone and body composition in frail elderly persons. Methods. A 17-week randomized, controlled intervention trial, following a 2 x 2 factorial design—(1) enriched foods, (2) exercise, (3) both, or (4) neither— was

  17. Processing older persons as clients in elderly care: A study of the micro-processes of care management practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olaison, Anna

    2017-02-01

    Elder care has undergone a marketization in recent years in which various models for care management have been introduced with the aim of making assessments efficient. This article investigates the effects the care management model has on resource allocation for home care when handling the requests of older persons in the needs assessment process. Sixteen tape-recorded assessment conversations with associated case-file texts were analyzed through discourse analysis. The results show that a managerialist thinking has had a partial impact on the assessment process where the documentation requirements have entailed bureaucratization in terms of the transfer that occurs from talk to text. The findings from the study nevertheless indicate that the assessment conversations have clear elements of an individual-centred perspective in which there is room for a care rational dialogue. This constitutes a welfare policy dilemma today. Providing for older people's requests should be on the basis of quality and an individual-centred perspective and care management has had a contrary effect in which focus is directed instead towards needs assessment and bureaucratic processes.

  18. Innovation in the personal care industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knaggs, Helen

    2010-09-01

    When considering opportunities to develop novel, eye-catching and consumer-relevant personal care (PC) products, it is important to understand and reflect on how science has changed over the last two decades and how this has generated a new body of data from which to draw ideas and technologies. This article outlines some advances in scientific technologies and new ways of thinking in science, which lead to new insights into skin biology. How these innovations may impact and be leveraged into the development of new products in PC is also discussed. For example, fundamental discoveries in skin biology and the advancement of scientific methodologies are enabling step changes in technology in PC. Two examples of areas where we have seen much advancement are discussed. This article is based on and summarizes a presentation given at the HBA in Sep 2009 as part of a session entitled "Emerging Technologies and New Opportunities in Antiaging in PC." © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Use of the interRAI CHESS scale to predict mortality among persons with neurological conditions in three care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirdes, John P; Poss, Jeffrey W; Mitchell, Lori; Korngut, Lawrence; Heckman, George

    2014-01-01

    Persons with certain neurological conditions have higher mortality rates than the population without neurological conditions, but the risk factors for increased mortality within diagnostic groups are less well understood. The interRAI CHESS scale has been shown to be a strong predictor of mortality in the overall population of persons receiving health care in community and institutional settings. This study examines the performance of CHESS as a predictor of mortality among persons with 11 different neurological conditions. Survival analyses were done with interRAI assessments linked to mortality data among persons in home care (n = 359,940), complex continuing care hospitals/units (n = 88,721), and nursing homes (n = 185,309) in seven Canadian provinces/territories. CHESS was a significant predictor of mortality in all 3 care settings for the 11 neurological diagnostic groups considered after adjusting for age and sex. The distribution of CHESS scores varied between diagnostic groups and within diagnostic groups in different care settings. CHESS is a valid predictor of mortality in neurological populations in community and institutional care. It may prove useful for several clinical, administrative, policy-development, evaluation and research purposes. Because it is routinely gathered as part of normal clinical practice in jurisdictions (like Canada) that have implemented interRAI assessment instruments, CHESS can be derived without additional need for data collection.

  20. Use of the interRAI CHESS scale to predict mortality among persons with neurological conditions in three care settings.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John P Hirdes

    Full Text Available Persons with certain neurological conditions have higher mortality rates than the population without neurological conditions, but the risk factors for increased mortality within diagnostic groups are less well understood. The interRAI CHESS scale has been shown to be a strong predictor of mortality in the overall population of persons receiving health care in community and institutional settings. This study examines the performance of CHESS as a predictor of mortality among persons with 11 different neurological conditions.Survival analyses were done with interRAI assessments linked to mortality data among persons in home care (n = 359,940, complex continuing care hospitals/units (n = 88,721, and nursing homes (n = 185,309 in seven Canadian provinces/territories.CHESS was a significant predictor of mortality in all 3 care settings for the 11 neurological diagnostic groups considered after adjusting for age and sex. The distribution of CHESS scores varied between diagnostic groups and within diagnostic groups in different care settings.CHESS is a valid predictor of mortality in neurological populations in community and institutional care. It may prove useful for several clinical, administrative, policy-development, evaluation and research purposes. Because it is routinely gathered as part of normal clinical practice in jurisdictions (like Canada that have implemented interRAI assessment instruments, CHESS can be derived without additional need for data collection.

  1. The impact of gender on the long-term morbidity and mortality of patients with type 2 diabetes receiving structured personal care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krag, Marlene Øhrberg; Hasselbalch, Lotte; Siersma, Volkert Dirk

    2016-01-01

    Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to assess gender differences in mortality and morbidity during 13 follow-up years after 6 years of structured personal care in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: In the Diabetes Care in General Practice (DCGP) multicentre, cluster......-randomised, controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration no. NCT01074762), 1,381 patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were randomised to receive 6 years of either structured personal care or routine care. The intervention included regular follow-up, individualised goal setting and continuing medical...... = 0.005). Conclusions/interpretation: Compared with routine care, structured personal diabetes care reduced all-cause mortality and diabetes-related death in women but not in men. This gender difference was also observed for any diabetes-related outcome and stroke but was not statistically significant...

  2. HIV Diagnoses and Care Among Transgender Persons and Comparison With Men Who Have Sex With Men: New York City, 2006-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiewel, Ellen Weiss; Torian, Lucia V; Merchant, Pooja; Braunstein, Sarah L; Shepard, Colin W

    2016-03-01

    We measured HIV care outcomes of transgender persons, who have high HIV infection rates but are rarely distinguished from men who have sex with men (MSM) in HIV surveillance systems. New York City's surveillance registry includes HIV diagnoses since 2000 and HIV laboratory test results for transgender persons since 2005. We determined immunological status at diagnosis, delayed linkage to care, and nonachievement of viral suppression 1 year after diagnosis for transgender persons diagnosed with HIV in 2006 to 2011 and compared transgender women with MSM. In 2006 to 2011, 264 of 23 805 persons diagnosed with HIV were transgender (1%): 98% transgender women and 2% transgender men. Compared with MSM, transgender women had similar CD4 counts at diagnosis and rates of concurrent HIV/AIDS and delayed linkage to care but increased odds of not achieving suppression (adjusted odds ratio = 1.56; 95% confidence interval = 1.13, 2.16). Compared with MSM, transgender women in New York City had similar immunological status at diagnosis but lagged in achieving viral suppression. To provide appropriate assistance along the HIV care continuum, HIV care providers should accurately identify transgender persons.

  3. Pharmaceuticals and Personal-Care Products in Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartrons, Mireia; Peñuelas, Josep

    2017-03-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal-care products (PPCPs) derived from agricultural, urban, and industrial areas accumulate in plants at concentrations (ng to μg kg -1 ) that can be toxic to the plants. Importantly, the dietary intake of these PPCP-contaminated plants may also pose a risk to human health, but currently little is known about the fate of PPCPs in plants and their effect on or risk to the ecosystem. In this Opinion article we propose that in-depth research on the use of plants as a monitoring device for assessing the use and environmental presence of PPCPs is warranted. The toxicity of PPCPs to plants and their microbiota needs to be established, as well as any toxic effects on herbivores including humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. In-home use of personalized music for persons with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulibert, Danica; Ebert, Alexandria; Preman, Sharayah; McFadden, Susan H

    2018-01-01

    Although evidence is mounting that personalized music has beneficial effects for long-term care residents with dementia, little research has examined the effects of personalized music for the majority of persons with dementia living at home. These individuals live at home with care partners who may also benefit from having music that is personalized for their loved one. Using the Music & Memory SM program of personalized playlists delivered via iPod Shuffles®, the current study examined the effects of the Music & Memory program for persons with dementia by using the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia scale and a Music Listening Experience Scale developed for this study. We also administered three scales that captured care partner experiences. Transcripts of the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia administrations at the beginning of the study and 3 months later, plus interviews about the Music & Memory program, were then analyzed using the interpretive phenomenological analysis method. Themes about the Music & Memory program and life living with dementia for from diagnosed persons and their care partners are discussed.

  5. Registered Nurses' personal rights vs. professional responsibility in caring for members of underserved and disenfranchised populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maze, Claire D Martino

    2005-05-01

    Health disparities exist and refer to the chasms in health status between the advantaged and disadvantaged. Intense multiculturalism will require different approaches and moral obligations to work with these groups and urgency exists to develop nursing caring strategies when dealing with these populations. Development of nursing curricula which identify prejudicial thinking and intolerance for marginalized groups will help to decrease fears and increase nurses' willingness to provide culturally competent health care for underserved and disenfranchised populations. Caring for members of disenfranchised groups instills fear at some level in nurses who are working with these individuals. This fear may be due, in part, to the potential harm nurses perceive the patient may cause them, or perhaps it is because they feel they could possibly be in the individual's situation at some point in their lives. Prejudice and discrimination continue to exist in society and have adversely affected the health care system and the nursing profession. Discrimination may be based on differences due to age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any characteristics by which people differ. Registered Nurses are accountable for nursing decisions and actions regardless of personal preferences. Due to the rapidly changing healthcare system the nurse faces increasing ethical dilemmas and human rights issues. Nurses are individually accountable for caring for each patient and the right to refuse an assignment should be carefully interpreted to avoid patient abandonment. Nurses' objections can be based on moral, ethical, or religious beliefs not on personal preferences and in an emergency the nurse must provide treatment regardless of any personal objections.

  6. [Care and Self-Care Among Families with a Person Suffering from Bipolar Disorder and Belonging to the Psychoeducational Group of the Psychiatry Department of the University of Antioquia, Colombia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correa, María Victoria Builes; Hernández, Mauricio Bedoya

    2013-03-01

    To analyze the families from the Psychoeducational Group of the Psychiatry Department of the University of Antioquia that have one member with bipolar disorder (BD) in order to identify their care-related practices. A comprehensive research project using the phenomenological and hermeneutic method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve families. The data obtained were analyzed using the Atlas ti qualitative software. Two main categories emerged: 1. Care and family life course and 2. Care and self-care in relation to bipolar disorder. The first category manifests itself through practices such as: Taking care of the diseased person by being physically present, providing physical or emotional support, or by transferring care-related actions to other family members. Two main perspectives could be identified in the second category, namely: the caretaker's perspective and that of the person being taken care of. Two tendencies were found regarding the first one: taking care of others brings about transformations in the caretakers and taking care of others is tough. The second perspective has the same number of tendencies: self-care as poetics and taking care of oneself in order to go from the Diving Bell to the Butterfly. Taking care of others is a way of building humanity. Conducting research on care and self-care practices (i.e. the practices of both the caretaker and the person being taken care of) results in a more aesthetic way of providing care and a more aesthetic patient-caretaker dyad. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  7. FEAMAC/CARES Stochastic-Strength-Based Damage Simulation Tool for Ceramic Matrix Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemeth, Noel; Bednarcyk, Brett; Pineda, Evan; Arnold, Steven; Mital, Subodh; Murthy, Pappu; Bhatt, Ramakrishna

    2016-01-01

    Reported here is a coupling of two NASA developed codes: CARES (Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures) with the MAC/GMC (Micromechanics Analysis Code/ Generalized Method of Cells) composite material analysis code. The resulting code is called FEAMAC/CARES and is constructed as an Abaqus finite element analysis UMAT (user defined material). Here we describe the FEAMAC/CARES code and an example problem (taken from the open literature) of a laminated CMC in off-axis loading is shown. FEAMAC/CARES performs stochastic-strength-based damage simulation response of a CMC under multiaxial loading using elastic stiffness reduction of the failed elements.

  8. Relational empathy and holistic care in persons with spinal cord injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaVela, Sherri L; Heinemann, Allen W; Etingen, Bella; Miskovic, Ana; Locatelli, Sara M; Chen, David

    2017-01-01

    Describe perceptions of persons with SCI on their receipt of holistic care and relational empathy during health care encounters. Mailed survey. Individuals with SCI who received care from the largest suppliers of SCI care and rehabilitation (Veterans Health Administration and SCI Model Systems). Using a survey and administrative databases, we collected demographic and injury characteristics, health status, health conditions, and the main outcome: Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure. The sample included 450 individuals with SCI (124 Veterans and 326 civilians). Response rate was 39% (450/1160). Analyses were conducted on patients with complete data (n = 389). Veterans and civilians with SCI differed across many demographic characteristics, age at injury, and etiology, but mean CARE scores were equivalent. Fewer than half of the full SCI cohort had CARE scores above the normative value of 43. Having a recent pressure ulcer showed a trend for lower odds of having a normative or higher CARE score. Odds of having an above-normative CARE score were nearly 2 times greater for individuals with tetraplegia, and odds were higher for those with higher physical and mental health status. Higher physical and mental health status and tetraplegia were each independently associated with greater perceptions of holistic care and empathy in the therapeutic patient-provider relationship. Limited empathy, communication, and holistic care may arise when providers focus on disease/disease management, rather than on patients as individuals. Frequent health care use and secondary conditions may affect empathy and holistic care in encounters, making it essential to understand and employ efforts to improve the therapeutic relationship between patients with SCI and their providers.

  9. Who Shall Not Be Treated: Public Attitudes on Setting Health Care Priorities by Person-Based Criteria in 28 Nations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogge, Jana; Kittel, Bernhard

    2016-01-01

    The principle of distributing health care according to medical need is being challenged by increasing costs. As a result, many countries have initiated a debate on the introduction of explicit priority regulations based on medical, economic and person-based criteria, or have already established such regulations. Previous research on individual attitudes towards setting health care priorities based on medical and economic criteria has revealed consistent results, whereas studies on the use of person-based criteria have generated controversial findings. This paper examines citizens' attitudes towards three person-based priority criteria, patients' smoking habits, age and being the parent of a young child. Using data from the ISSP Health Module (2011) in 28 countries, logistic regression analysis demonstrates that self-interest as well as socio-demographic predictors significantly influence respondents' attitudes towards the use of person-based criteria for health care prioritization. This study contributes to resolving the controversial findings on person-based criteria by using a larger country sample and by controlling for country-level differences with fixed effects models.

  10. Who Shall Not Be Treated: Public Attitudes on Setting Health Care Priorities by Person-Based Criteria in 28 Nations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jana Rogge

    Full Text Available The principle of distributing health care according to medical need is being challenged by increasing costs. As a result, many countries have initiated a debate on the introduction of explicit priority regulations based on medical, economic and person-based criteria, or have already established such regulations. Previous research on individual attitudes towards setting health care priorities based on medical and economic criteria has revealed consistent results, whereas studies on the use of person-based criteria have generated controversial findings. This paper examines citizens' attitudes towards three person-based priority criteria, patients' smoking habits, age and being the parent of a young child. Using data from the ISSP Health Module (2011 in 28 countries, logistic regression analysis demonstrates that self-interest as well as socio-demographic predictors significantly influence respondents' attitudes towards the use of person-based criteria for health care prioritization. This study contributes to resolving the controversial findings on person-based criteria by using a larger country sample and by controlling for country-level differences with fixed effects models.

  11. Complaints in long-term care facilities for older persons: why residents do not give 'free advice'.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bomhoff, M.; Friele, R.

    2017-01-01

    In health care policies, the right to complain is presented as a key patient right. Complaints are also seen as a potential vehicle for quality improvement. However, in long-term care facilities for older persons in the Netherlands, relatively few complaints are registered. An explorative

  12. Complaints in long-term care facilities for older persons : Why residents do not give 'free advice'

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bomhoff, Manja; Friele, R.D.

    2017-01-01

    In health care policies, the right to complain is presented as a key patient right. Complaints are also seen as a potential vehicle for quality improvement. However, in long-term care facilities for older persons in the Netherlands, relatively few complaints are registered. An explorative

  13. Person-Specific Face Detection in a Scene with Optimum Composite Filtering and Colour-Shape Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seokwon Yeom

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Face detection and recognition have wide applications in robot vision and intelligent surveillance. However, face identification at a distance is very challenging because long-distance images are often degraded by low resolution, blurring and noise. This paper introduces a person-specific face detection method that uses a nonlinear optimum composite filter and subsequent verification stages. The filter's optimum criterion minimizes the sum of the output energy generated by the input noise and the input image. The composite filter is trained with several training images under long-distance modelling. The candidate facial regions are provided by the filter's outputs of the input scene. False alarms are eliminated by subsequent testing stages, which comprise skin colour and edge mask filtering tests. In the experiments, images captured by a webcam and a CCTV camera are processed to show the effectiveness of the person-specific face detection system at a long distance.

  14. Work Stress, Burnout, and Social and Personal Resources among Direct Care Workers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray-Stanley, Jennifer A.; Muramatsu, Naoko

    2011-01-01

    Work stress is endemic among direct care workers (DCWs) who serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Social resources, such as work social support, and personal resources, such as an internal locus of control, may help DCWs perceive work overload and other work-related stressors as less threatening and galvanize them to cope…

  15. Primary Patient-Derived Cancer Cells and Their Potential for Personalized Cancer Patient Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David P. Kodack

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Personalized cancer therapy is based on a patient’s tumor lineage, histopathology, expression analyses, and/or tumor DNA or RNA analysis. Here, we aim to develop an in vitro functional assay of a patient’s living cancer cells that could complement these approaches. We present methods for developing cell cultures from tumor biopsies and identify the types of samples and culture conditions associated with higher efficiency of model establishment. Toward the application of patient-derived cell cultures for personalized care, we established an immunofluorescence-based functional assay that quantifies cancer cell responses to targeted therapy in mixed cell cultures. Assaying patient-derived lung cancer cultures with this method showed promise in modeling patient response for diagnostic use. This platform should allow for the development of co-clinical trial studies to prospectively test the value of drug profiling on tumor-biopsy-derived cultures to direct patient care.

  16. Information and Communication Technology–Enabled Person-Centered Care for the “Big Five” Chronic Conditions: Scoping Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonse, Lianne WL

    2015-01-01

    Background Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the “big 5” chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. Objective The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? Methods This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. Results From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic

  17. Novel database for exposure to fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comiskey, D; Api, A M; Barratt, C; Daly, E J; Ellis, G; McNamara, C; O'Mahony, C; Robison, S H; Safford, B; Smith, B; Tozer, S

    2015-08-01

    Exposure of fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products to the population can be determined by way of a detailed and robust survey. The frequency and combinations of products used at specific times during the day will allow the estimation of aggregate exposure for an individual consumer, and to the sample population. In the present study, habits and practices of personal care and cosmetic products have been obtained from market research data for 36,446 subjects across European countries and the United States in order to determine the exposure to fragrance ingredients. Each subject logged their product uses, time of day and body application sites in an online diary for seven consecutive days. The survey data did not contain information on the amount of product used per occasion or body measurements, such as weight and skin surface area. Nevertheless, this was found from the literature where the likely amount of product used per occasion or body measurement could be probabilistically chosen from distributions of data based on subject demographics. The daily aggregate applied consumer product exposure was estimated based on each subject's frequency of product use, and Monte Carlo simulations of their likely product amount per use and body measurements. Statistical analyses of the habits and practices and consumer product exposure are presented, which show the robustness of the data and the ability to estimate aggregate consumer product exposure. Consequently, the data and modelling methods presented show potential as a means of performing ingredient safety assessments for personal care and cosmetics products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Factores de personalidad en el personal de enfermería de unidades de cuidados paliativos Personality factors on nursing staff of palliative care units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Gómez Cantorna

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available En este estudio hemos tratado de evaluar si poseer un determinado factor de personalidad por parte de las enfermeras que trabajan en cuidados paliativos con pacientes terminales, influye sobre su trabajo. La muestra es de 94 enfermeras del SERGAS (Servicio Galego de Saúde, y se han utilizado como instrumentos de evaluación un cuestionario de datos sociodemográficos y organizacionales y el cuestionario de personalidad Big Five (formado por cinco dimensiones de personalidad. De este modo sabremos que existen una serie de parámetros de nuestra personalidad que se ven influenciados por los diferentes datos sociodemográficos y organizacionales, en las enfermeras de cuidados paliativos.In this study we wanted to evaluate whether having a particular personality factor of nurses working in palliative care with terminal patients, influences their work. The sample was 94 nurses Sergas (Servicio Galego de Saude and were used as screening tools, a questionnaire on demographic and organizational data and Personality Questionnaire "Big Five" (consisting of five dimensions of personality. Thus we know that there are a number of parameters of our personalities that are influenced by different socio-demographic and organizational, in the palliative care nurses.

  19. Social support and personal models of diabetes as predictors of self- care and well-being

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skinner, T. Chas; John, Mary; Hampson, Sarah E.

    2000-01-01

    , well-being, and social support. Results: Perceived impact of diabetes and supportive family and friends were prospectively predictive of participants' well-being measures. Although support from family and friends was predictive of better dietary self-care, this relationship was mediated by personal...... of diabetes are important determinants of both dietary self-care and well-being. In addition, personal models may serve to mediate the relationship between social support and dietary behavior.......Objectives: To examine whether peer support and illness representation mediate the link between family support, self-management and well-being. Method: Fifty-two adolescents (12-18 years old) with Type I diabetes were recruited and followed over 6 months, completing assessments of self- management...

  20. Developing integrated health and social care services for older persons in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leichsenring, Kai

    2004-01-01

    This paper is to distribute first results of the EU Fifth Framework Project 'Providing integrated health and social care for older persons-issues, problems and solutions' (PROCARE-http://www.euro.centre.org/procare/). The project's first phase was to identify different approaches to integration as well as structural, organisational, economic and social-cultural factors and actors that constitute integrated and sustainable care systems. It also served to retrieve a number of experiences, model ways of working and demonstration projects in the participating countries which are currently being analysed in order to learn from success-or failure-and to develop policy recommendations for the local, national and European level. The paper draws on existing definitions of integrated care in various countries and by various scholars. Given the context of an international comparative study it tries to avoid providing a single, ready-made definition but underlines the role of social care as part and parcel of this type of integrated care in the participating countries. The paper is based on national reports from researchers representing ten organisations (university institutes, consultancy firms, research institutes, the public and the NGO sector) from 9 European countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK. Literature reviews made intensive use of grey literature and evaluation studies in the context of at least five model ways of working in each country. As a result of the cross-national overview an attempt to classify different approaches and definitions is made and indicators of relative importance of the different instruments used in integrating health and social care services are provided. The cross-national overview shows that issues concerning co-ordination and integration of services are high on the agenda in most countries. Depending on the state of service development, various approaches and instruments can be

  1. How to make a particular case for person-centred patient care: A commentary on Alexandra Parvan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, George

    2018-06-14

    In recent years, a person-centred approach to patient care in cases of mental illness has been promoted as an alternative to a disease orientated approach. Alexandra Parvan's contribution to the person-centred approach serves to motivate an exploration of the approach's most apt metaphysical assumptions. I argue that a metaphysical thesis or assumption about both persons and their uniqueness is an essential element of being person-centred. I apply the assumption to issues such as the disorder/disease distinction and to the continuity of mental health and illness. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Community care workers, poor referral networks and consumption of personal resources in rural South Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilona Sips

    Full Text Available Although home-based care (HBC programs are widely implemented throughout Africa, their success depends on the existence of an enabling environment, including a referral system and supply of essential commodities. The objective of this study was to explore the current state of client referral patterns and practices by community care workers (CCWs, in an evolving environment of one rural South African sub-district. Using a participant triangulation approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 CCWs, 32 HBC clients and 32 primary caregivers (PCGs. An open-ended interview guide was used for data collection. Participants were selected from comprehensive lists of CCWs and their clients, using a diversified criterion-based sampling method. Three independent researchers coded three sets of data - CCWs, Clients and PCGs, for referral patterns and practices of CCWs. Referrals from clinics and hospitals to HBC occurred infrequently, as only eight (25% of the 32 clients interviewed were formally referred. Community care workers showed high levels of commitment and personal investment in supporting their clients to use the formal health care system. They went to the extent of using their own personal resources. Seven CCWs used their own money to ensure client access to clinics, and eight gave their own food to ensure treatment adherence. Community care workers are essential in linking clients to clinics and hospitals and to promote the appropriate use of medical services, although this effort frequently necessitated consumption of their own personal resources. Therefore, risk protection strategies are urgently needed so as to ensure sustainability of the current work performed by HBC organizations and the CCW volunteers.

  3. Community care workers, poor referral networks and consumption of personal resources in rural South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sips, Ilona; Haeri Mazanderani, Ahmad; Schneider, Helen; Greeff, Minrie; Barten, Francoise; Moshabela, Mosa

    2014-01-01

    Although home-based care (HBC) programs are widely implemented throughout Africa, their success depends on the existence of an enabling environment, including a referral system and supply of essential commodities. The objective of this study was to explore the current state of client referral patterns and practices by community care workers (CCWs), in an evolving environment of one rural South African sub-district. Using a participant triangulation approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 CCWs, 32 HBC clients and 32 primary caregivers (PCGs). An open-ended interview guide was used for data collection. Participants were selected from comprehensive lists of CCWs and their clients, using a diversified criterion-based sampling method. Three independent researchers coded three sets of data - CCWs, Clients and PCGs, for referral patterns and practices of CCWs. Referrals from clinics and hospitals to HBC occurred infrequently, as only eight (25%) of the 32 clients interviewed were formally referred. Community care workers showed high levels of commitment and personal investment in supporting their clients to use the formal health care system. They went to the extent of using their own personal resources. Seven CCWs used their own money to ensure client access to clinics, and eight gave their own food to ensure treatment adherence. Community care workers are essential in linking clients to clinics and hospitals and to promote the appropriate use of medical services, although this effort frequently necessitated consumption of their own personal resources. Therefore, risk protection strategies are urgently needed so as to ensure sustainability of the current work performed by HBC organizations and the CCW volunteers.

  4. The work pattern of personal care workers in two Australian nursing homes: a time-motion study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian Si-Yu

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the study is to describe the work pattern of personal care workers (PCWs in nursing homes. This knowledge is important for staff performance appraisal, task allocation and scheduling. It will also support funding allocation based on activities. Methods A time-motion study was conducted in 2010 at two Australian nursing homes. The observation at Site 1 was between the hours of 7:00 and 14:00 or 15:00 for 14 days. One PCW was observed on each day. The observation at Site 2 was from 10:00 to 17:00 for 16 days. One PCW working on a morning shift and another one working on an afternoon shift were observed on each day. Fifty-eight work activities done by PCWs were grouped into eight categories. Activity time, frequency, duration and the switch between two consecutive activities were used as measurements to describe the work pattern. Results Personal care workers spent about 70.0% of their time on four types of activities consistently at both sites: direct care (30.7%, indirect care (17.6%, infection control (6.4% and staff break (15.2%. Oral communication was the most frequently observed activity. It could occur independently or concurrently with other activities. At Site 2, PCWs spent significantly more time than their counterparts at Site 1 on oral communication (Site 1: 47.3% vs. Site 2: 63.5%, P = 0.003, transit (Site 1: 3.4% vs. Site 2: 5.5%, P  Conclusions At both nursing homes, direct care, indirect care, infection control and staff break occupied the major part of a PCW’s work, however oral communication was the most time consuming activity. Personal care workers frequently switched between activities, suggesting that looking after the elderly in nursing homes is a busy and demanding job.

  5. Developing person-centred practice: nursing outcomes arising from changes to the care environment in residential settings for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormack, Brendan; Dewing, Jan; Breslin, Liz; Coyne-Nevin, Ann; Kennedy, Kate; Manning, Mary; Peelo-Kilroe, Lorna; Tobin, Catherine; Slater, Paul

    2010-06-01

    To present the nursing outcomes from the evaluation of developments in the care environment in residential settings for older people. The evaluation data reported here is derived from a larger national programme of work that focused on the development of person-centred practice in residential services for older people using an emancipatory practice development framework. A multi-method evaluation framework was utilised. Outcome data were collected at three time points between December 2007 and September 2009. The data reported here were collected using an instrument called the 'Person-Centred Nursing Index'. Heavy workload was the main cause of stress among nurses. Personal and professional satisfaction with the job was scored highest by the total sample of nurses. Nineteen factors were examined using the Person-Centred Nursing Index. Statistically significant changes were observed in 12 of these. In addition, there were statistically significant changes in nurses' perceptions of caring, indicating a shift from a dominant focus on 'technical' aspects of care, to one where 'intimate' aspects of care were more highly valued. The findings highlight the importance of the development of effective teamwork, workload management, time management and staff relationships in order to create a culture where there is a more democratic and inclusive approach to practice and space for the formation of person-centred relationships. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  6. Proposal of a service delivery integration index of home care for older persons: application in several European cities.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Henrard, J.C.; Ankri, J.; Frijters, D.; Carpenter, I.; Topinkova, E.; Garms-Homolova, V.; Finne-Soveri, H.; Wergeland Sorbye, L.; Jonsson, P.V.; Ljunggren, G.; Schroll, M.; Wagner, C.; Bernabei, R.

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE: To propose an integration index of home care delivery to older persons, to study its validity and to apply it to home care services of European cities. THEORY: Home care delivery integration was based on two dimensions referring to process-centred integration and organisational structure

  7. Effects and meanings of a person-centred and health-promoting intervention in home care services - a study protocol of a non-randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bölenius, Karin; Lämås, Kristina; Sandman, Per-Olof; Edvardsson, David

    2017-02-16

    The literature indicates that current home care service are largely task oriented with limited focus on the involvement of the older people themselves, and studies show that lack of involvement might reduce older people's quality of life. Person-centred care has been shown to improve the satisfaction with care and quality of life in older people cared for in hospitals and nursing homes, with limited published evidence about the effects and meanings of person-centred interventions in home care services for older people. This study protocol outlines a study aiming to evaluate such effects and meanings of a person-centred and health-promoting intervention in home aged care services. The study will take the form of a non-randomised controlled trial with a before/after approach. It will include 270 older people >65 years receiving home care services, 270 relatives and 65 staff, as well as a matched control group of equal size. All participants will be recruited from a municipality in northern Sweden. The intervention is based on the theoretical concepts of person-centredness and health-promotion, and builds on the four pedagogical phases of: theory apprehension, experimental learning, operationalization, and clinical supervision. Outcome assessments will focus on: a) health and quality of life (primary outcomes), thriving and satisfaction with care for older people; b) caregiver strain, informal caregiving engagement and relatives' satisfaction with care: c) job satisfaction and stress of conscience among care staff (secondary outcomes). Evaluation will be conducted by means of self-reported questionnaires and qualitative research interviews. Person-centred home care services have the potential to improve the recurrently reported sub-standard experiences of home care services, and the results can point the way to establishing a more person-centred and health-promoting model for home care services for older people. NCT02846246 .

  8. HIV Diagnoses and Care Among Transgender Persons and Comparison With Men Who Have Sex With Men: New York City, 2006–2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torian, Lucia V.; Merchant, Pooja; Braunstein, Sarah L.; Shepard, Colin W.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives. We measured HIV care outcomes of transgender persons, who have high HIV infection rates but are rarely distinguished from men who have sex with men (MSM) in HIV surveillance systems. Methods. New York City’s surveillance registry includes HIV diagnoses since 2000 and HIV laboratory test results for transgender persons since 2005. We determined immunological status at diagnosis, delayed linkage to care, and nonachievement of viral suppression 1 year after diagnosis for transgender persons diagnosed with HIV in 2006 to 2011 and compared transgender women with MSM. Results. In 2006 to 2011, 264 of 23 805 persons diagnosed with HIV were transgender (1%): 98% transgender women and 2% transgender men. Compared with MSM, transgender women had similar CD4 counts at diagnosis and rates of concurrent HIV/AIDS and delayed linkage to care but increased odds of not achieving suppression (adjusted odds ratio = 1.56; 95% confidence interval = 1.13, 2.16). Conclusions. Compared with MSM, transgender women in New York City had similar immunological status at diagnosis but lagged in achieving viral suppression. To provide appropriate assistance along the HIV care continuum, HIV care providers should accurately identify transgender persons. PMID:26691124

  9. A Comparison of the Influence of Anticipated Death Trajectory and Personal Values on End-of-Life Care Preferences: A Qualitative Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Supiano, Katherine P; McGee, Nancy; Dassel, Kara B; Utz, Rebecca

    2017-08-17

    We examined anticipated preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care in healthy older adults in the context of various terminal disease scenarios to explore the relationship between personal values and diseases and conditions that would influence EOL care choices. Qualitative Descriptive Analysis was used to derive themes and the relationship between EOL preference themes and personal value themes in 365 respondents in a national sample of healthy older adults who completed a survey on their anticipated preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care. Reluctance to burden close others was the most frequently voiced personal value across all conditions affecting EOL preferences, followed by the personal value of quality of life. Concern about whether one's wishes would be honored was more commonly voiced in the context of hypothetical, prospective terminal cancer than in neurological conditions. Respondents who voiced desire for autonomy in how they would die clearly attributed extreme pain as the primary influence on EOL preferences. Comprehensive assessment of patient personal values should include consideration of particular chronic disease scenarios and death trajectories to fully inform EoL preferences. Because personal values do influence EOL preferences, care should be taken to ascertain patient values when presenting diagnoses, prognoses, and treatment options. In particular, patients and families of patients with progressive neurological diseases will likely face a time when the patient cannot self-represent EOL wishes. Early discussion of values and preferences, particularly in the context of cognitive disease is vital to assure patient-directed care.

  10. The promise of outreach for engaging and retaining out-of-care persons in HIV medical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradford, Judith B

    2007-01-01

    From the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, outreach workers have been on the frontlines of HIV prevention, working in community venues to increase knowledge and promote behaviors to reduce HIV transmission. As demographics of the HIV-infected population have changed, the need has grown to locate out-of-care individuals and learn how to engage and retain them in HIV care. Through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Outreach Initiative, 10 sites across the United States implemented and evaluated enhanced outreach models designed to increase engagement and retention in HIV care for underserved, disadvantaged HIV-infected individuals. Although the models differed in response to local needs and organizational characteristics, all made use of a common conceptual framework, and all used the same data collection and reporting protocols. Study teams enrolled and provided behavioral interventions to HIV-infected individuals who have been noticeably absent from research and from practice. Their interventions incorporated coaching, skills-building, and education, and were successful in reducing or removing structural, financial, and personal/cultural barriers that interfered with equitable access to HIV care. Desired outcomes of increased engagement and retention in HIV health care were achieved. Results demonstrate that interventions to promote equitable access to HIV care for disadvantaged population groups can be built from outreach models. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the multisite data indicates that further development and evaluation of outreach-based interventions will result in effective tools for reaching HIV-infected individuals who would otherwise remain without needed care.

  11. Risk factors for acute care hospital readmission in older persons in Western countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Mona Kyndi; Meyer, Gabriele; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2017-01-01

    related to socio-demographics, health characteristics and clinical and organizational factors related to the care pathway. TYPES OF STUDIES: The current review considered analytical and descriptive epidemiological study designs that evaluated risk factors for acute care hospital readmission. OUTCOMES......: The outcome was readmission to an acute care hospital within one month of discharge. SEARCH STRATEGY: A three-step search was utilized to find published and unpublished studies in English, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish. Five electronic databases were searched from 2004 to 2013, followed...... summary and metasynthesis of the quantitative findings was conducted. RESULTS: Based on a review of nine studies from ten Western countries, we found several significant risk factors pertaining to readmission to an acute care hospital within one month of discharge in persons aged 65 years and over...

  12. Insights Into Care Providers' Understandings of Life Story Work With Persons With Dementia: Findings From a Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berendonk, Charlotte; Caine, Vera

    2017-08-01

    In Germany, life story work, an approach which acknowledges humans as narrative beings and honors biographies, is required by health authorities to be integrated in care provided in nursing homes. Insufficient attention to life story work could place residents at risk of dehumanization, particularly residents with dementia, who depend on support of others to tell and make meaning of their life experiences. We conducted a qualitative study to gain insights into care providers' perceptions and practices of life story work with persons with dementia. Thirty-six care providers in 7 nursing homes participated in semistructured interviews or group discussions. We derived subjective theories (individual understandings) of care providers and higher-order concept patterns following the principles and processes of grounded theory. We found a great variation in participants' understandings of life story work. Some participants were unsure if and how life story work impacts persons with dementia. Starting points for improving the integration of life story work into practice are discussed. We conclude that care providers need a better understanding of life story work as a nursing intervention. The importance of the notion of humans as narrative beings and the multiple ways in which we story our lives as well as embody life stories needs to be further developed. Knowledge is required about the practical and systemic challenges of integrating life story work in the care of persons with dementia.

  13. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: What are the Big Questions?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Over the past 10-15 years, a significant amount of work has been done by the scientific, regulatory and business communities into effects and risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment. It is now timely to review the current knowledge and to...

  14. Does Person-Centered Care Improve Residents' Satisfaction With Nursing Home Quality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poey, Judith L; Hermer, Linda; Cornelison, Laci; Kaup, Migette L; Drake, Patrick; Stone, Robyn I; Doll, Gayle

    2017-11-01

    Person-centered care (PCC) is meant to enhance nursing home residents' quality of life (QOL). Including residents' perspectives is critical to determining whether PCC is meeting residents' needs and desires. This study examines whether PCC practices promote satisfaction with QOL and quality of care and services (QOC and QOS) among nursing home residents. A longitudinal, retrospective cohort study using an in-person survey. Three hundred twenty nursing homes in Kansas enrolled or not enrolled in a pay-for-performance program, Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas (PEAK 2.0), to promote PCC in nursing homes. A total of 6214 nursing home residents in 2013-2014 and 5538 residents in 2014-2015, with a Brief Interview for Mental Status score ≥8, participated in face-to-face interviews. Results were aggregated to the nursing home level. My InnerView developed a Resident Satisfaction Survey for Kansas composed of 32 questions divided into QOL, QOC, QOS, and global satisfaction subdomains. After controlling for facility characteristics, satisfaction with overall QOL and QOC was higher in homes that had fully implemented PCC. Although some individual measures in the QOS domain (eg, food) showed greater satisfaction at earlier levels of implementation, high satisfaction was observed primarily in homes that had fully implemented PCC. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of PCC implementation on nursing home resident satisfaction. The PEAK 2.0 program may provide replicable methods for nursing homes and states to implement PCC systematically. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. International scientists’ priorities for research on pharmaceutical and personal care products in the environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are widely discharged into the environment via diverse pathways. The effects of PPCPs in the environment have potentially important human and ecosystem health implications, so credible, salient, and legitimate scientific evidence...

  16. Impact of the ‘Artful Moments’ Intervention on Persons with Dementia and Their Care Partners: a Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazzan, Afeez Abiola; Humphrey, Janis; Kilgour-Walsh, Laurie; Moros, Katherine L.; Murray, Carmen; Stanners, Shannon; Montemuro, Maureen; Giangregorio, Aidan; Papaioannou, Alexandra

    2016-01-01

    Background Engaging with art can be valuable for persons living with dementia. ‘Artful Moments’ was a collaborative project undertaken by the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Behavioural Health Program at Hamilton Health Sciences that sought to develop and implement a program of arts-based activities for persons in the middle-to-late stages of dementia who exhibit behavioural symptoms and for their accompanying care partners. Methods This pilot study employed a qualitative descriptive design. Eight participants were observed during multiple art sessions to evaluate their level of engagement in the program. Care partners also completed a questionnaire describing their experience. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes. Results For program participants, factors that promoted continued interest and engagement in art included: care partner involvement, group activities, opportunities to share opinions, validation of their personhood, and increased engagement over time. Care partners observed improvements in participants’ creativity, communication, relationship forming, and task accomplishment, and some reported reduced stress. Conclusions ‘Artful Moments’ promoted engagement and expression in persons in the middle-to-late stages of dementia, as well as having benefits for their care partners. Limitations of the study included a small convenience sample drawn from one hospital setting. PMID:27403209

  17. The Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansions and Personal Finance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caswell, Kyle J; Waidmann, Timothy A

    2017-09-01

    Using a novel data set from a major credit bureau, we examine the early effects of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions on personal finance. We analyze less common events such as personal bankruptcy, and more common occurrences such as medical collection balances, and change in credit scores. We estimate triple-difference models that compare individual outcomes across counties that expanded Medicaid versus counties that did not, and across expansion counties that had more uninsured residents versus those with fewer. Results demonstrate financial improvements in states that expanded their Medicaid programs as measured by improved credit scores, reduced balances past due as a percent of total debt, reduced probability of a medical collection balance of $1,000 or more, reduced probability of having one or more recent medical bills go to collections, reduction in the probability of experiencing a new derogatory balance of any type, reduced probability of incurring a new derogatory balance equal to $1,000 or more, and a reduction in the probability of a new bankruptcy filing.

  18. The realities of partnership in person-centred care: a qualitative interview study with patients and professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Axel; Moore, Lucy; Lydahl, Doris; Naldemirci, Öncel; Elam, Mark; Britten, Nicky

    2017-07-17

    Although conceptual definitions of person-centred care (PCC) vary, most models value the involvement of patients through patient-professional partnerships. While this may increase patients' sense of responsibility and control, research is needed to further understand how this partnership is created and perceived. This study aims to explore the realities of partnership as perceived by patients and health professionals in everyday PCC practice. Qualitative study employing a thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with professionals and patients. Four internal medicine wards and two primary care centres in western Sweden. 16 health professionals based at hospital wards or primary care centres delivering person-centred care, and 20 patients admitted to one of the hospital wards. Our findings identified both informal and formal aspects of partnership. Informal aspects, emerging during the interaction between healthcare professionals and patients, without any prior guidelines or regulations, incorporated proximity and receptiveness of professionals and building a close connection and confidence. This epitomised a caring, respectful relationship congruent across accounts. Formal aspects, including structured ways of sustaining partnership were experienced differently. Professionals described collaborating with patients to encourage participation, capture personal goals, plan and document care. However, although patients felt listened to and informed, they were content to ask questions and felt less involved in care planning, documentation or exploring lifeworld goals. They commonly perceived participation as informed discussion and agreement, deferring to professional knowledge and expertise in the presence of an empathetic and trusting relationship. In our study, patients appear to value a process of human connectedness above and beyond formalised aspects of documenting agreed goals and care planning. PCC increases patients' confidence in professionals who are

  19. Person-centredness in elder care: A secondary analysis of data from a study among home-dwelling men and women in the Faroe Islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Róin, Ása

    2018-06-01

    As individuals in Western societies age, there is increasing demand for home-based care to help older people stay in their homes for as long as possible and provide services that ensure a person's quality of life in old age. Numerous attempts are made to develop a framework to secure quality of care. However, research has shown insufficient quality in care for older people. In this study, the purpose is to study how older people's experiences with home care reflect a person-centred approach to care. Data derived from an earlier study on ageing among home-dwelling men and women who are aged 67-91 and living in the Faroe Islands. Person-centredness as a concept is an often quoted, but ill-defined concept. Most studies concerning person-centred care are conducted within hospital wards or long-term care institutions. Empirical studies concerning home-dwelling older people receiving home care are scarce. The study is a secondary analysis of data from an earlier qualitative study. Latent thematic analysis was used which meant coding issues of potential interest and collecting these codes into themes. Three themes appeared to combine the initial codes: sense of involvement, sense of meaningfulness and contextual conditions. Overall, the analysis showed that the users were seldom involved in planning or scheduling the care they received. What they were offered did not always make sense to them or correspond to their needs or preferences. The number of interviews included was limited. However, findings from this study point at some possible barriers to successful implementation of person-centredness within elder care. Especially, contextual conditions seem to limit the facilitation of person-centred practices. Healthcare providers must take the user's preferences, resources and networks into consideration when coordinating and planning home care and, importantly, be open for negotiating needs. It is important to draw attention to the contrast between political intentions

  20. Use of a voice and video internet technology as an alternative to in-person urgent care clinic visits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunett, Patrick H; DiPiero, Albert; Flores, Christine; Choi, Dongseok; Kum, Hayley; Girard, Donald E

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to determine the feasibility of patient-initiated online Internet urgent care visits, and to describe patient characteristics, scope of care, provider adherence to protocols, and diagnostic and therapeutic utilization. A total of 456 unique patients were seen via Internet-based technology during the study period, generating 478 consecutive total patient visits. Of the 82 patients referred for an in-person evaluation, 75 patients (91.5%) reported to the clinic as instructed. None of the 82 patients recommended for in-person evaluation required an emergency department referral, hospital admission or urgent consultative referral. We conclude that real-time online primary and urgent care visits are feasible, safe and potentially beneficial in increasing convenient access to urgent and primary care. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  1. Moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a day care center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bocchi, Silvia Cristina Mangini; Cano, Karen Cristina Urtado; Baltieri, Lilian; Godoy, Daniele Cristina; Spiri, Wilza Carla; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

    2010-09-01

    This study aimed at understanding the interactional experience between family caregivers and disabled elderly persons supported in a Day Care Center according to the caregiver's perspective. It also aimed at developing a representative theoretical model for the events experienced by such caregiver. The Grounded Theory was used as methodological framework whereas Interactional Symbolism served as the theoretical framework. Observation and interviews were used for data collection. The following phenomenon arose from the results: feeling of support by the Day Care Center, by the strength of the bond with the elderly and by spirituality in order to continue playing the challenging role of a family caregiver for a disabled elderly person. The study made possible to understand that, among these three supporting cornerstones for coping with the burden generated by the family caregiver role, the care model promoted by the Day Care Center was the intervenient variable in the process of improving the quality of life of the family caregiver-disabled elderly person binomial. This allowed the identification of the main category--moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a Day Care Center.

  2. Person-Centered Care in the Home Setting for Parkinson’s Disease: Operation House Call Quality of Care Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nawaz Hack

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. (1 To evaluate the feasibility of implementing and evaluating a home visit program for persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD in a rural setting. (2 To have movement disorders fellows coordinate and manage health care delivery. Background. The University of Florida, Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration established Operation House Call to serve patients with PD who could not otherwise afford to travel to an expert center or to pay for medical care. PD is known to lead to significant disability, frequent hospitalization, early nursing home placement, and morbidity. Methods. This was designed as a quality improvement project. Movement disorders fellows travelled to the home(s of underserved PD patients and coordinated their clinical care. The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease was confirmed using standardized criteria, and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale was performed and best treatment practices were delivered. Results. All seven patients have been followed up longitudinally every 3 to 6 months in the home setting, and they remain functional and independent. None of the patients have been hospitalized for PD related complications. Each patient has a new updatable electronic medical record. All Operation House Call cases are presented during video rounds for the interdisciplinary PD team to make recommendations for care (neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, psychiatry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social work. One Operation House Call patient has successfully received deep brain stimulation (DBS. Conclusion. This program is a pilot program that has demonstrated that it is possible to provide person-centered care in the home setting for PD patients. This program could provide a proof of concept for the construction of a larger visiting physician or nurse program.

  3. Development and validation of RP-HPLC-UV/ Vis method for determination of phenolic compounds in several personal care products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohammed Akkbik; Zaini Asim; Fasihuddin Ahmad

    2011-01-01

    A HPLC method with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry detection has been optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as antioxidants, and octyl methyl cinnamate (OMC) as UVB-filter in several personal care products. The dynamic range was between 1 to 250 mg/ L with relative standard deviation less than 0.25 %, (n=4). Limit of detection for BHA, BHT and OMC were 0.196, 0.170 and 0.478 mg/ L, respectively. While limit of quantification for BHA, BHT and OMC were 0.593, 0.515 and 1.448 mg/ L, respectively. The recovery for BHA, BHT and OMC ranged from 92.1-105.9 %, 83.2-108.9 % and 87.3-103.7 %, respectively. The concentration ranges of BHA, BHT and OMC in 12 commercial personal care samples were 0.13-4.85, 0.16-2.30 and 0.12-65.5 mg/ g, respectively. The concentrations of phenolic compounds in these personal care samples were below than maximum allowable concentration in personal care formulation for example 0.0004 - 10 mg/ g, 0.002 - 5 mg/ g and up to 100 mg/ g for BHA, BHT and OMC, respectively. (author)

  4. The Medicaid personal care services program: implications for social work practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oktay, J S; Palley, H A

    1991-05-01

    Results of a survey of Medicaid personal care programs in 15 states and the District of Columbia in 1987 show that these programs suffer from many problems. Low wages and slow payment make recruitment and retention of qualified workers difficult. Other problems include lack of coordination among agencies, lack of adequate standards for training or supervision of workers, unequal access to programs, and inequities among states. Implications for social workers are discussed.

  5. Values and principles of person-centered integrated care: a systematic literature review (SIG meeting)

    OpenAIRE

    Zonneveld, Nick; Miller, Robin; Minkman, Mirella

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: In recent years many knowledge about integrated health services has been developed. So far research has focused on operational themes and interventions on the one side, which help decision makers in practice. On the other hand, a number of studies about generic elements of person-centered and integrated care have been published, resulting in valuable conceptual models and frameworks [1-9]. A third area of research is how to measure integrated care.However, if we want to further ...

  6. Patient factors predicting early dropout from psychiatric outpatient care for borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Panfilis, Chiara; Marchesi, Carlo; Cabrino, Chiara; Monici, Alberto; Politi, Virginia; Rossi, Matteo; Maggini, Carlo

    2012-12-30

    Despite obvious clinical need, factors underlying early treatment discontinuation among 'real world' borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients are still unknown. This study investigates individual characteristics that can predict early (Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) Personality. Sociodemographic, clinical and personality variables potentially relevant for dropout were assessed for all participants at baseline. Early dropouts (n=54) were compared to continuers (n=108) on all measures. Logistic regression was then used to identify independent predictors of early dropout. A history of suicide attempts predicted early discontinuation, whereas the presence of an eating disorder and of avoidant personality features protected from early dropout. If confirmed, these findings may help clinicians operating in general psychiatric settings with estimating the risk of premature treatment discontinuation, and stress the need to specifically address suicidal behaviours in order to improve treatment retention among borderline outpatients. In this regard, implementing general psychiatric care with specialised, evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions may be deemed necessary. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Index case finding facilitates identification and linkage to care of children and young persons living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Saeed; Sabelli, Rachael A; Simon, Katie; Rosenberg, Nora E; Kavuta, Elijah; Harawa, Mwelura; Dick, Spencer; Linzie, Frank; Kazembe, Peter N; Kim, Maria H

    2017-08-01

    Evaluation of a novel index case finding and linkage-to-care programme to identify and link HIV-infected children (1-15 years) and young persons (>15-24 years) to care. HIV-infected patients enrolled in HIV services were screened and those who reported untested household members (index cases) were offered home- or facility-based HIV testing and counselling (HTC) of their household by a community health worker (CHW). HIV-infected household members identified were enrolled in a follow-up programme offering home and facility-based follow-up by CHWs. Of the 1567 patients enrolled in HIV services, 1030 (65.7%) were screened and 461 (44.8%) identified as index cases; 93.5% consented to HIV testing of their households and of those, 279 (64.7%) reported an untested child or young person. CHWs tested 711 children and young persons, newly diagnosed 28 HIV-infected persons (yield 4.0%; 95% CI: 2.7-5.6), and identified an additional two HIV-infected persons not enrolled in care. Of the 30 HIV-infected persons identified, 23 (76.6%) were linked to HIV services; 18 of the 20 eligible for ART (90.0%) were initiated. Median time (IQR) from identification to enrolment into HIV services was 4 days (1-8) and from identification to ART start was 6 days (1-8). Almost half of HIV-infected patients enrolled in treatment services had untested household members, many of whom were children and young persons. Index case finding, coupled with home-based testing and tracked follow-up, is acceptable, feasible and facilitates the identification and timely linkage to care of HIV-infected children and young persons. © 2017 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. One Chance to Get it Right: understanding the new guidance for care of the dying person.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sykes, Nigel

    2015-09-01

    Following criticism of the Liverpool Care of the Dying Pathway (LCP), widely used to guide care of dying people in British health-care settings, the UK Government set up an independent review which in 2013 recommended that use of the LCP be discontinued. In response, the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People, a coalition of a wide range of stakeholders, recently published guidance entitled One Chance to Get it Right. This guidance contains five Priorities of Care for the dying person that are intended to guide clinical staff and will inform Care Quality Commission inspections of health-care providers. This article summarizes the background to One Chance to Get it Right and the guidance it contains. One Chance to Get it Right, More Care, Less Pathway and related guidance documents. The need to improve the standard of end-of-life care in every clinical setting. The value of a pathway-based approach to end-of-life care in a context where well-implemented programmes of staff education in the subject are lacking. Public concern with, and scrutiny of, the quality of dying in the UK health-care system, particularly in hospitals but also the ability of patients to die well at home where that is their place of choice. Effective methods of teaching end of life care to all clinical staff; the effect upon families of caring for a dying relative at home; the optimum type, quantity and source of external support to informal carers that is perceived by them as adequate and enables the ill person to die well in in their own home; fuller understanding of the physiology of dying. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products alter the holobiome and development of a medically important mosquito

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pennington, Marcus J.; Rivas, Nicholas G.; Prager, Sean M.; Walton, William E.; Trumble, John T.

    2015-01-01

    The increasing demand for fresh water has forced many countries to use reclaimed wastewater for agricultural purposes. This water contains pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) that remain biologically active following passage through wastewater treatment plants. Run-off from farms and contaminated water from treatment facilities exposes aquatic ecosystems to PPCPs. This study examined the effects of PPCPs on a lower trophic organism. Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were reared in water contaminated with environmentally relevant concentrations of common PPCPs. Acetaminophen alone and a mixture of contaminants were found to increase developmental time of larvae. Susceptibility to Bti increased in larvae exposed to antibiotics, acetaminophen, or a mixture of PPCPs. Antibiotics, hormones, and the mixture altered the mosquito bacterial microbiome. Overall, the results indicate that at environmentally relevant concentrations, PPCPs in reclaimed water can have biologically important effects on an ecologically and medically important lower trophic level insect. - Highlights: • Effects of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products on mosquitoes were examined. • Three PPCP treatments increase susceptibility to a common larvicide (Bti). • Acetaminophen and the mixture of PPCPs caused an increase in developmental time. • The holobiome of mosquitoes treated with PPCPs were sequenced. • Three PPCP regimes changed the holobiome of the mosquitoes. - Pharmaceuticals and personal care products, common to reclaimed wastewater, alter the development of mosquitoes. They also alter the whole-body bacterial microbiome

  10. A Two Year Longitudinal Outcome Study of Addicted Health Care Professionals: An Investigation of the Role of Personality Variables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Angres

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The co-morbidity of personality disorders (PDs and other dysregulatory personality patterns with addiction have been well-established, although few studies have examined this interplay on long-term sobriety outcome. In addition, health care professionals suffering from addiction have both a significant public health impact and a unique set of treatment and recovery challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate if personality variables differentiated sobriety outcome in this population over a two year interval. A clinical sample of health care professionals participated in a substance abuse hospital treatment program individually tailored with respect to personality. Participants took the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory at intake, and were tracked two years post-discharge to determine sobriety status. Univariate analyses showed antisocial personality, female gender, and alcohol dependence were independent predictors of relapse, however a significant relationship between personality and substance use did not exist in multivariate analysis when controlling for demographic variables The lack of multivariate relationships demonstrates the heterogeneity in self-report measures of personality, which suggests the interplay of personality and addiction is complex and individualized.

  11. A Look at Person- and Family-Centered Care Among Older Adults: Results from a National Survey [corrected].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolff, Jennifer L; Boyd, Cynthia M

    2015-10-01

    Person-centered and family-centered care represents the pinnacle of health care quality, but delivering it is challenging, as is assessing whether it has occurred. Prior studies portray older adults as passive in health decisions and burdened by care-but emphasize age-based differences or focus on vulnerable subgroups. We aimed to examine domains of person-centered and family-centered care among older adults and whether the social context in which older adults manage their health relates to preferences for participating in health decisions and experiences with care. This was an observational study of a nationally representative survey of adults aged 65+ years, conducted in concert with the 2012 National Health and Aging Trends Study (n = 2040). Approach to managing health (self-manage, co-manage, delegate); preferences for making health care decisions with: (1) doctors, (2) family/close friends; and experiences with care pertaining to treatment burden were measured. Approximately two-thirds of older adults self-manage (69.4 %) and one-third co-manage (19.6 %) or delegate (11.0 %) health care activities. The majority prefer an independent or shared role when making health decisions with doctors (84.7 %) and family/close friends (95.9 %). Nearly four in ten older adults (37.9 %) experience treatment burden-that managing health care activities are sometimes or often hard for either them or their family/close friends, that health care activities get delayed or don't get done, or that they are cumulatively too much to do. Relative to older adults who self-manage, those who delegate health care activities are more likely to prefer to share or leave health decisions to doctors (aOR = 1.79 (95 % CI, 1.37-2.33) and family/close friends (aOR = 3.12 (95 % CI, 2.23-4.36), and are more likely to experience treatment burden (aOR = 2.37 (95 % CI, 1.61-3.47). Attaining person-centered and family-centered care will require strategies that respect diverse decision

  12. The impact of personal loss on the experience of health professions: graduate students in end-of-life and bereavement care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Supiano, Katherine P; Vaughn-Cole, Beth

    2011-01-01

    This study explored the impact of prior personal experience with grief on self-reported personal and professional development of graduate students in nursing, social work, counseling, pastoral care, and genetic counseling involved as cofacilitators in bereavement support groups, and of medical students observing interdisciplinary inpatient palliative care. Personal experience with death of a family member or close friend was reported in 80% of the 35 participating students. Findings suggest that grief and the students' construction of the meaning of their loss can mediate the students' developing sense of self as a professional helper. Active engagement with suffering persons, the opportunity for self-disclosure and reflection, and teacher-facilitator provision of emotional guidance and modeling contributed positively to learning.

  13. ADOLESCENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS: PERSONALITY, QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL HEALTH CARE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Ya. Volgina

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Deviant behavior of adolescents is a serious social problem in today's society because of the significant prevalence of this phenomenon. Authors present the results of the study of adolescents with behavioral problems. Aim: optimization of medical and social care for adolescents with behavioral problems. Patients and methods: the authors studied the incidence of this condition among children aged from 15 to 17 years using the software package «SOC/PEDIATRIA-2». The features of the personality structure of adolescents with deviant behavior were revealed using the adopted Russian short version of MMPI-MINI-MULT. Demographic and social characteristics of the families of adolescents were assessed. SF-36 questionnaire was applied for the quality of life assessment of the studied category. Results: increasing morbidity among adolescents was revealed due to various reasons: economic, medical and social. The study allowed to develop personal characteristics of the criteria in order to timely identify adolescents with accentuated and psychopathological features. The characteristics of quality of life were used as criteria of health care for adolescents with behavioral problems. The measures for the prevention and correction of deviant behavior among adolescents were proposed, including intersectoral integration and active participation of family in the process of rehabilitation. Conclusions: it is necessary to identify adolescents with deviant behavior timely, followed by a set of measures to provide them with health and social care to protect their health.

  14. Effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Min-Jung; Park, Jeong Sook; Park, Heeok

    2012-03-01

    The study compared the effect of earplug-delivered sleep-inducing music on sleep in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit. Diverse types of music have been claimed to improve sleeping elsewhere, but relatively little is known in South Korea. Most studies investigating the effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep have involved persons with insomnia, even though many persons with cardiovascular disease in the intensive care unit suffer from sleeping problems. There is a need to investigate the effect of sleep-inducing music on sleep disorders in persons with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography in the cardiac care unit. An experimental research design was used. Data collection was conducted in the cardiac care unit of K University Hospital in D city, from 3 September-4 October 2010. Fifty-eight subjects participated and were randomly assigned to the experimental group (earplug-delivered sleep-inducing music for 52 min beginning at 10:00 pm, while wearing an eyeshield, n = 29) and the control group (no music, but earplugs and eyeshield worn, n = 29). The quantity and quality of sleep were measured using questionnaires at 7 am the next morning for each group. Participants in the experimental group reported that the sleeping quantity and quality were significantly higher than control group (t = 3·181, p = 0·002, t = 5·269, p music significantly improved sleep in patients with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography at a cardiac care unit. Offering earplugs and playing sleep-inducing music may be a meaningful and easily enacted nursing intervention to improve sleep for intensive care unit patients. Nurses working at cardiac care unit can use music to improve sleeping in clients with percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. A Point-of-Purchase Intervention Featuring In-Person Supermarket Education Affects Healthful Food Purchases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milliron, Brandy-Joe; Woolf, Kathleen; Appelhans, Bradley M.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: This study tested the efficacy of a multicomponent supermarket point-of-purchase intervention featuring in-person nutrition education on the nutrient composition of food purchases. Design: The design was a randomized trial comparing the intervention with usual care (no treatment). Setting and Participants: A supermarket in a…

  16. A cross-sectional study on person-centred communication in the care of older people: the COMHOME study protocol.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hafskjold, L.; Sundler, A.J.; Holmström, I.K.; Sundling, V.; Dulmen, S. van; Eide, H.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: This paper presents an international cross-sectional study on person-centred communication with older people receiving healthcare (COMHOME). Person-centred care relies on effective communication, but few studies have explored this with a specific focus on older people. The main aim of

  17. A cross-sectional study on person-centred communication in the care of older people: the COMHOME study protocol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hafskjold, L.; Sundler, A.J.; Holmstrom, I.K.; Sundling, V.; Dulmen, S. van; Eide, H.

    2015-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: This paper presents an international cross-sectional study on person-centred communication with older people receiving healthcare (COMHOME). Person-centred care relies on effective communication, but few studies have explored this with a specific focus on older people. The main aim of

  18. Comparativism and the Grounds for Person-Centered Care and Shared Decision Making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herlitz, Anders

    2017-01-01

    This article provides a new argument and a new value-theoretical ground for person-centered care and shared decision making that ascribes to it the role of enabling rational choice in situations involving clinical choice. Rather than referring to good health outcomes and/or ethical grounds such as patient autonomy, it argues that a plausible justification and ground for person-centered care and shared decision making is preservation of rationality in the face of comparative non-determinacy in clinical settings. Often, no alternative treatment will be better than or equal to every other alternative. In the face of such comparative non-determinacy, Ruth Chang has argued that we can make rational decisions by invoking reasons that are created through acts of willing. This article transfers this view to clinical decision making and argues that shared decision making provides a solution to non-determinacy problems in clinical settings. This view of the role of shared decision making provides a new understanding of its nature, and it also allows us to better understand when caregivers should engage in shared decision making and when they should not. Copyright 2017 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

  19. Juvenile sex offenders: Personality profile, coping styles and parental care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margari, Francesco; Lecce, Paola Alessandra; Craig, Francesco; Lafortezza, Elena; Lisi, Andrea; Pinto, Floriana; Stallone, Valentina; Pierri, Grazia; Pisani, Rossella; Zagaria, Giuseppina; Margari, Lucia; Grattagliano, Ignazio

    2015-09-30

    In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in juvenile sex offenders showing that this population is highly heterogeneous. The aim of the present study was to identify possible different profiles that could help understand the motivation behind offending, comparing 31 Juvenile Sexual Offenders (JSOs), 31 Juvenile Sexual Non Offenders (JSNOs) and 31 Juvenile Non Offenders (Control Group). A data collection form, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) or Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and the Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) were administered to all participants. The results show that JSOs differs from JNSOs in some domains, such as living in single-parent homes, while maintain some common aspects such as academic failure and previous sexual intercourse. Moreover, JNSOs showed more abnormal personality traits, such as Authority Problems, MacAndrew Alcoholism, Acknowledgement and Alcohol-Drug Problem Proneness compared to JSOs and the Control Group, while JSOs and JNSOs use a coping strategy more oriented to Avoidance and Distraction compared to the Control group. Finally, JSOs described the relationships with fathers characterized by higher care and protection than JNSOs. These findings provide additional evidence with respect the prevention and treatment of criminal sexual behavior in adolescent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The contents of a patient diary and its significance for persons cared for in an ICU: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strandberg, Sandra; Vesterlund, Lisa; Engström, Åsa

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the contents of a patient diary and its significance for persons cared for in an ICU. An empirical study with a qualitative design. Eight telephone interviews and one face-to-face interview were conducted with nine persons previously been treated in an ICU and been given a patient diary. In addition, the person would have read his/her diary. The data have been analysed with qualitative content analysis. The study identified one overarching theme; Gaining understanding, and four categories; The diary is written for me, Creating memories from the time of care, Who writes in the diary and, The ability to return to the diary. The diary meant that participants gained an understanding of their time in the ICU while they were critically ill and the diary was important to be able to return to. What formerly critically ill patients appreciate most about the diary is that the diary is personally written, which makes them feel confirmed and valuable as a person. Guidelines for how and when a diary should be written and used would likely encourage critical care nurses and relatives to write in it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Evaluation of the Impact of Mandating Health Care Providers to Offer Hepatitis C Virus Screening to All Persons Born During 1945-1965 - New York, 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flanigan, Colleen A; Leung, Shu-Yin J; Rowe, Kirsten A; Levey, Wendy K; King, Andrea; Sommer, Jamie N; Morne, Johanne E; Zucker, Howard A

    2017-09-29

    Approximately 75% of all hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in the United States and 73% of HCV-associated mortality occur in persons born during 1945-1965, placing this birth cohort at increased risk for liver cancer and other HCV-related liver disease (1). In the United States, an estimated 2.7 million persons are living with HCV infection, and it is estimated that up to 75% of these persons do not know their status. Since 2012, CDC has recommended that persons born during 1945-1965 receive one-time HCV testing. To increase the number of persons tested for HCV and to ensure timely diagnosis and linkage to care, in 2014, New York enacted a hepatitis C testing law that requires health care providers to offer HCV antibody screening to all persons born during 1945-1965 who are receiving services in primary care settings or as hospital inpatients, and to refer persons with positive HCV antibody tests for follow-up health care, including an HCV diagnostic test (i.e., HCV RNA).* The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) used survey data from clinical laboratories and Medicaid claims and encounter data, and state and New York City (NYC) HCV surveillance data to assess the number of persons tested for HCV and number of persons with newly diagnosed HCV infections who were linked to care. During the first year of the HCV law implementation, there was a 51% increase in specimens submitted for HCV testing to surveyed clinical laboratories; testing rates among active Medicaid clients increased 52%, and linkage to care among persons with newly diagnosed HCV infection increased approximately 40% in New York and 11% in NYC. These findings highlight the potential for state laws to promote HCV testing and the utility of HCV surveillance and Medicaid claims data to monitor the quality of HCV testing and linkage to care for HCV-infected persons.

  2. Reduction of nutrients, microbes, and personal care products in domestic wastewater by a benchtop electrocoagulation unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symonds, E. M.; Cook, M. M.; McQuaig, S. M.; Ulrich, R. M.; Schenck, R. O.; Lukasik, J. O.; van Vleet, E. S.; Breitbart, M.

    2015-03-01

    To preserve environmental and human health, improved treatment processes are needed to reduce nutrients, microbes, and emerging chemical contaminants from domestic wastewater prior to discharge into the environment. Electrocoagulation (EC) treatment is increasingly used to treat industrial wastewater; however, this technology has not yet been thoroughly assessed for its potential to reduce concentrations of nutrients, a variety of microbial surrogates, and personal care products found in domestic wastewater. This investigation's objective was to determine the efficiency of a benchtop EC unit with aluminum sacrificial electrodes to reduce concentrations of the aforementioned biological and chemical pollutants from raw and tertiary-treated domestic wastewater. EC treatment resulted in significant reductions (p < 0.05, α = 0.05) in phosphate, all microbial surrogates, and several personal care products from raw and tertiary-treated domestic wastewater. When wastewater was augmented with microbial surrogates representing bacterial, viral, and protozoan pathogens to measure the extent of reduction, EC treatment resulted in up to 7-log10 reduction of microbial surrogates. Future pilot and full-scale investigations are needed to optimize EC treatment for the following: reducing nitrogen species, personal care products, and energy consumption; elucidating the mechanisms behind microbial reductions; and performing life cycle analyses to determine the appropriateness of implementation.

  3. PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modern sanitary practices result in large volumes of human waste, as well as domestic and industrial sewage, being collected and treated at common collection points, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). In recognition of the growing use of sewage sludges as a fertilizers and as soilamendments, and the scarcity of current data regarding the chemical constituents in sewage sludges, the United States National Research Council (NRC) in 2002 produced a report on sewage sludges. Among the NRC's recommendations was the need for investigating the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewage sludges. PPCPsare a diverse array of non-regulated contaminants that had not been studied in previous sewage sludges surveys but which are likely to be present. The focus of this paper will be to review the current analytical methodologies available for investigating whether pharmaceuticals are present in WWTP-produced sewage sludges, to summarize current regulatory practices regarding sewage sludges, and to report on the presence of pharmaceuticals in sewage sludges. The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.Subta

  4. Comparison of 10 single and stepped methods to identify frail older persons in primary care: diagnostic and prognostic accuracy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutorius, Fleur L; Hoogendijk, Emiel O; Prins, Bernard A H; van Hout, Hein P J

    2016-08-03

    Many instruments have been developed to identify frail older adults in primary care. A direct comparison of the accuracy and prevalence of identification methods is rare and most studies ignore the stepped selection typically employed in routine care practice. Also it is unclear whether the various methods select persons with different characteristics. We aimed to estimate the accuracy of 10 single and stepped methods to identify frailty in older adults and to predict adverse health outcomes. In addition, the methods were compared on their prevalence of the identified frail persons and on the characteristics of persons identified. The Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), the PRISMA-7, polypharmacy, the clinical judgment of the general practitioner (GP), the self-rated health of the older adult, the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS), the Identification Seniors At Risk Primary Care (ISAR PC), the Frailty Index (FI), the InterRAI screener and gait speed were compared to three measures: two reference standards (the clinical judgment of a multidisciplinary expert panel and Fried's frailty criteria) and 6-years mortality or long term care admission. Data were used from the Dutch Identification of Frail Elderly Study, consisting of 102 people aged 65 and over from a primary care practice in Amsterdam. Frail older adults were oversampled. The accuracy of each instrument and several stepped strategies was estimated by calculating the area under the ROC-curve. Prevalence rates of frailty ranged from 14.8 to 52.9 %. The accuracy for recommended cut off values ranged from poor (AUC = 0.556 ISAR-PC) to good (AUC = 0.865 gait speed). PRISMA-7 performed best over two reference standards, GP predicted adversities best. Stepped strategies resulted in lower prevalence rates and accuracy. Persons selected by the different instruments varied greatly in age, IADL dependency, receiving homecare and mood. We found huge differences between methods to identify frail persons in prevalence

  5. Pattern of disability among persons who availed half-way home-care services for psychosocial rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Ranganathan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is dearth of studies related to pattern of disability among persons who availed psychosocial rehabilitation services in India. We studied the pattern of disability among persons who availed half-way home-care services for psychosocial rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: Out of 130 case files of discharged patients, 50 files were randomly selected for data collection. Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Schedule was used to assess the pattern of disability in the sample. Results: The study revealed that only one-third (35% of the residents had disability in self-care, 41% in communication and understanding and 47% in interpersonal relationship. Overall, majority (76% of the respondents had moderate level of psychiatric disability at the time of discharge from half-way home. There was no significant relationship between gender and type of psychiatric illness with the level of disability. The overall disability correlated positively with the duration of illness (rs=0.39. Conclusion: Three-fourth of the residents who availed half-way home-care services had moderate level of disability.

  6. The psychological effects of providing personal care to a partner: a multidimensional perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Hansen

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The expected increasing demand for informal care in aging societies underscores the importance of understanding the psychological implications of caregiving. This study explores the effect of providing regular help with personal care to a partner on different aspects of psychological well-being. We use cross-sectional data from the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation study (n. ~15,000; age 40-84 and two-wave panel data from the Norwegian study on Life Course, Ageing and Generation (n. ~3000; age 40-84. To separate the effects of providing care from those of the partner’s disability, caregivers are contrasted with non-caregivers with both disabled and nondisabled partners. We separate outcomes into cognitive well-being (life satisfaction, psychological functioning (self-esteem, mastery, and affective well-being (happiness, depression, loneliness. Findings show that caregiving has important cross-sectional and longitudinal detrimental psychological effects. These effects are fairly consistent across all aspects of well-being, demonstrating that caregiving has a broad-based negative impact. Among women, however, these effects are similar to if not weaker than the effects of a partner’s disability. Caregiving effects are constant by age, education, and employment status, but stronger among caregivers with health problems. Providing personal care to a partner is associated with marked adverse psychological effects for men and women irrespective of age and socio-economic status. Hence, no socio-demographic group is immune from caregiving stress, so programs should be targeted generally. The results also suggest that the health needs of caregivers demand more attention.

  7. Clinical Problems in Community Mental Health Care for Patients with Severe Borderline Personality Disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koekkoek, B.; van Meijel, B.; Schene, A.; Hutschemaekers, G.

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this research was to assess the problems that professionals perceive in the community mental health care for patients with severe borderline personality disorder that do not fit into specialized therapy. A group of national experts (n = 8) participated in a four-phase

  8. Personal Models of Diabetes in Relation to Self-Care, Well-Being and Glycemic Control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chas Skinner, T.; Hampson, Sarah E.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE - Personal models of diabetes have been shown to be proximal determinants of self-care behavior in adults with diabetes, both cross-sectionally and prospectively. This study set out to test the predictive utility of this approach in adolescents with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS...

  9. The Person Centered approach in Gerontology: New validity evidence of the Staff Assessment Person-directed Care Questionnaire

    OpenAIRE

    Teresa Martínez; Javier Suárez-Álvarez; Javier Yanguas; José Muñiz

    2016-01-01

    Antecedentes/Objetivos La atención centrada en la persona es un enfoque innovador que busca mejorar la calidad asistencial de los servicios para personas mayores que precisan cuidados. Ante el creciente interés hacia este enfoque es necesario contar con instrumentos de medida que permitan evaluar en qué grado los servicios gerontológicos llevan a cabo una atención centrada en la persona. El objetivo de este trabajo es la adaptación y validación del Staff Assessment Person-directed Care (PDC) ...

  10. "Broken covenant": healthcare aides' "experience of the ethical" in caring for dying seniors in a personal care home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClement, Susan; Lobchuk, Michelle; Chochinov, Harvey Max; Dean, Ruth

    2010-01-01

    Canada's population is aging, and seniors constitute the fastest growing demographic in the nation. The chronic health conditions, limited social support, functional decline, and cognitive impairment experienced by seniors may necessitate admission to a personal care home (PCH) setting up until the time of their death. The ethical problems that arise in the care of dying patients are numerous and complicated. The care of dying seniors in PCHs, however, is largely provided by frontline workers such as healthcare aides (HCAs), who usually have little training in palliative care or ethics. Research examining the identification and resolution of ethical problems in care of the dying has been conducted from the perspectives of nurses and physicians in various clinical settings, but the voice of HCAs in PCHs is virtually absent from clinical ethics. Given that the inability to satisfactorily resolve ethical issues in clinical practice is associated with feelings of guilt, powerlessness, avoiding contact with patients, failing to provide good physical care, and increased staff turnover, an empirical examination of HCAs' experiences of ethically challenging situations is warranted. We conducted a phenomenological study to access the lived experience of HCAs (N = 12) working in proprietary and nonproprietary care homes as they encountered situations they deemed ethically challenging in providing end-of-life care to dying seniors. The findings reported here explicate: (1) the types of situations that are ethically problematic for HCAs; (2) the meanings they assign to these situations, and (3) the impact such situations have on the provision of end-of-life care.

  11. Critical Care and Personalized or Precision Medicine: Who needs whom?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugeir, Shihab; Naylor, Stephen

    2018-02-01

    The current paradigm of modern healthcare is a reactive response to patient symptoms, subsequent diagnosis and corresponding treatment of the specific disease(s). This approach is predicated on methodologies first espoused by the Cnidean School of Medicine approximately 2500years ago. More recently escalating healthcare costs and relatively poor disease treatment outcomes have fermented a rethink in how we carry out medical practices. This has led to the emergence of "P-Medicine" in the form of Personalized and Precision Medicine. The terms are used interchangeably, but in fact there are significant differences in the way they are implemented. The former relies on an "N-of-1" model whereas the latter uses a "1-in-N" model. Personalized Medicine is still in a fledgling and evolutionary phase and there has been much debate over its current status and future prospects. A confounding factor has been the sudden development of Precision Medicine, which has currently captured the imagination of policymakers responsible for modern healthcare systems. There is some confusion over the terms Personalized versus Precision Medicine. Here we attempt to define the key differences and working definitions of each P-Medicine approach, as well as a taxonomic relationship tree. Finally, we discuss the impact of Personalized and Precision Medicine on the practice of Critical Care Medicine (CCM). Practitioners of CCM have been participating in Personalized Medicine unknowingly as it takes the protocols of sepsis, mechanical ventilation, and daily awakening trials and applies it to each individual patient. However, the immediate next step for CCM should be an active development of Precision Medicine. This developmental process should break down the silos of modern medicine and create a multidisciplinary approach between clinicians and basic/translational scientists. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Marketing of personalized cancer care on the web: an analysis of Internet websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Stacy W; Cronin, Angel; Bair, Elizabeth; Lindeman, Neal; Viswanath, Vish; Janeway, Katherine A

    2015-05-01

    Internet marketing may accelerate the use of care based on genomic or tumor-derived data. However, online marketing may be detrimental if it endorses products of unproven benefit. We conducted an analysis of Internet websites to identify personalized cancer medicine (PCM) products and claims. A Delphi Panel categorized PCM as standard or nonstandard based on evidence of clinical utility. Fifty-five websites, sponsored by commercial entities, academic institutions, physicians, research institutes, and organizations, that marketed PCM included somatic (58%) and germline (20%) analysis, interpretive services (15%), and physicians/institutions offering personalized care (44%). Of 32 sites offering somatic analysis, 56% included specific test information (range 1-152 tests). All statistical tests were two-sided, and comparisons of website content were conducted using McNemar's test. More websites contained information about the benefits than limitations of PCM (85% vs 27%, P market one or more nonstandard tests as compared with standard tests (88% vs 44%, P = .04). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. An eHealth Diary and Symptom-Tracking Tool Combined With Person-Centered Care for Improving Self-Efficacy After a Diagnosis of Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Substudy of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Axel; Fors, Andreas; Ulin, Kerstin; Thorn, Jörgen; Swedberg, Karl; Ekman, Inger

    2016-02-23

    Patients with cardiovascular diseases managed by a person-centered care (PCC) approach have been observed to have better treatment outcomes and satisfaction than with traditional care. eHealth may facilitate the often slow transition to more person-centered health care by increasing patients' beliefs in their own capacities (self-efficacy) to manage their care trajectory. eHealth is being increasingly used, but most studies continue to focus on health care professionals' logic of care. Knowledge is lacking regarding the effects of an eHealth tool on self-efficacy when combined with PCC for patients with chronic heart diseases. The objective of our study was to investigate the effect of an eHealth diary and symptom-tracking tool in combination with PCC for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This was a substudy of a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of PCC in patients hospitalized with ACS. In total, 199 patients with ACS aged eHealth tool, or both, for at least 2 months after hospital discharge. The primary end point was a composite score of changes in general self-efficacy, return to work or prior activity level, and rehospitalization or death 6 months after discharge. Of the 94 patients in the intervention arm, 37 (39%) used the eHealth tool at least once after the index hospitalization. Most of these (24/37, 65%) used the mobile app and not the Web-based app as the primary source of daily self-rating input. Patients used the eHealth tool a mean of 38 times during the first 8 weeks (range 1-118, SD 33) and 64 times over a 6-month period (range 1-597, SD 104). Patients who used the eHealth tool in combination with the PCC intervention had a 4-fold improvement in the primary end point compared with the control group (odds ratio 4.0, 95% CI 1.5-10.5; P=.005). This improvement was driven by a significant increase in general self-efficacy compared with the control group (P=.011). Patients in the PCC group who did not use the eHealth tool

  14. A cross-sectional study on person-centred communication in the care of older people: the COMHOME study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafskjold, Linda; Sundler, Annelie J; Holmström, Inger K; Sundling, Vibeke; van Dulmen, Sandra; Eide, Hilde

    2015-04-15

    This paper presents an international cross-sectional study on person-centred communication with older people receiving healthcare (COMHOME). Person-centred care relies on effective communication, but few studies have explored this with a specific focus on older people. The main aim of the COMHOME study is to generate knowledge on person-centred communication with older people (>65 years) in home healthcare services, radiographic and optometric practice. This study will explore the communication between care providers and older persons in home care services. Home healthcare visits will be audiorecorded (n=500) in Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden. Analyses will be performed with the Verona Coding Definitions for Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES), the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) and qualitative methods. The content of the communication, communicative challenging situations as well as empathy, power distance, decision-making, preservation of dignity and respect will be explored. In Norway, an additional 100 encounters, 50 in optometric practice (video recorded) and 50 in radiographic practice (audiorecorded), will be analysed. Furthermore, healthcare providers' self-reported communication skills, empathy, mindfulness and emotional intelligence in relation to observed person-centred communication skills will be assessed using well-established standardised instruments. Depending on national legislation, approval of either the central ethical committees (eg, nation or university), the national data protection officials or the local ethical committees (eg, units of home healthcare) was obtained. Study findings will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. The research findings will add knowledge to improve services provided to this vulnerable group of patients. Additionally, the findings will underpin a training programme for healthcare students and care providers focusing on communication with older people

  15. Personalized Strategies to Activate and Empower Patients in Health Care and Reduce Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jie; Mullins, C. Daniel; Novak, Priscilla; Thomas, Stephen B.

    2016-01-01

    Designing culturally sensitive personalized interventions is essential to sustain patients' involvement in their treatment and encourage patients to take an active role in their own health and health care. We consider patient activation and empowerment as a cyclical process defined through patient accumulation of knowledge, confidence, and…

  16. Beliefs about Promoting Cognitive Health among Filipino Americans Who Care for Persons with Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laditka, Sarah B.; Tseng, Winston; Price, Anna E.; Ivey, Susan L.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Liu, Rui; Wu, Bei; Logsdon, Rebecca G.; Beard, Renee L.

    2012-01-01

    We examined beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia, their awareness of media information about cognitive health, and their suggestions for communicating such information to other caregivers. We conducted three focus groups (25 participants). The constant comparison method compared…

  17. The role of personality in health care use: Results of a population-based longitudinal study in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajek, André; Bock, Jens-Oliver; König, Hans-Helmut

    2017-01-01

    To determine the role of personality in health care use longitudinally. Data were derived from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of German households starting in 1984. Concentrating on the role of personality, we used data from the years 2005, 2009 and 2013. Personality was measured by using the GSOEP Big Five Inventory (BFI-S). Number of physician visits in the last 3 months and hospital stays in the last year were used as measures of health care use. Adjusting for predisposing factors, enabling resources, and need factors, fixed effects regressions revealed that physician visits increased with increasing neuroticism, whereas extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness did not affect physician visits in a significant way. The effect of self-rated health on physician visits was significantly moderated by neuroticism. Moreover, fixed effects regressions revealed that the probability of hospitalization in the past year increased with increasing extraversion, whereas the other personality factors did not affect this outcome measure significantly. Our findings suggest that changes in neuroticism are associated with changes in physician visits and that changes in extraversion are associated with the probability of hospitalization. Since recent studies have shown that treatments can modify personality traits, developing interventional strategies should take into account personality factors. For example, efforts to intervene in changing neuroticism might have beneficial effects for the healthcare system.

  18. The role of personality in health care use: Results of a population-based longitudinal study in Germany.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Hajek

    Full Text Available To determine the role of personality in health care use longitudinally.Data were derived from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of German households starting in 1984. Concentrating on the role of personality, we used data from the years 2005, 2009 and 2013. Personality was measured by using the GSOEP Big Five Inventory (BFI-S. Number of physician visits in the last 3 months and hospital stays in the last year were used as measures of health care use.Adjusting for predisposing factors, enabling resources, and need factors, fixed effects regressions revealed that physician visits increased with increasing neuroticism, whereas extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness did not affect physician visits in a significant way. The effect of self-rated health on physician visits was significantly moderated by neuroticism. Moreover, fixed effects regressions revealed that the probability of hospitalization in the past year increased with increasing extraversion, whereas the other personality factors did not affect this outcome measure significantly.Our findings suggest that changes in neuroticism are associated with changes in physician visits and that changes in extraversion are associated with the probability of hospitalization. Since recent studies have shown that treatments can modify personality traits, developing interventional strategies should take into account personality factors. For example, efforts to intervene in changing neuroticism might have beneficial effects for the healthcare system.

  19. Person-Centered Care for Older Adults With Serious Mental Illness and Substance Misuse Within a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacchione, Pamela Z; Eible, Lisa; Gill, Le'Roi L; Huege, Steven F

    2016-05-01

    Providing person-centered care (PCC) to older adults with dual diagnosis, co-occurring serious mental illness (SMI), and substance misuse is complex and requires an interprofessional team. Older adults, who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare (i.e., dual-eligibles) are overrepresented in the population of older adults with SMI and substance misuse. Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) exist to support community living needs of nursing home-eligible older adults and are increasingly in a position to serve older adults with SMI and substance misuse issues. PACE programs provide integrated person-centered mental health care to address the serious medical, social, and emotional complications posed by having SMI and substance misuse disorders. The case study presented illustrates PCC provided to a dual-diagnosis PACE participant, illustrating the impact of recent and past trauma on current psychopathology and substance misuse. Finally, recommendations for addressing PCC of dual diagnosis within the PACE model are provided. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(5), 11-17.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

  20. Personality and recovery: integrating personality assessment data to facilitate the recovery process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donat, D C

    2001-01-01

    The relatively enduring and persistent nature of personality traits means that they will likely continue to impact the course of psychiatric recovery after Axis I symptoms are stabilized. These traits can significantly impact the choices that recovering persons make and the quality of interpersonal relationships with care providers who are trying to facilitate the recovery process. Despite this, they are often inadequately assessed and considered in providing psychiatric care. This manuscript reviews the common combinations of personality traits that have emerged across a variety of clinical samples. The implications of these personality features for the provision of care in an inpatient setting to facilitate recovery are discussed.

  1. Healthcare Access and Quality Index based on mortality from causes amenable to personal health care in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2015

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    Background National levels of personal health-care access and quality can be approximated by measuring mortality rates from causes that should not be fatal in the presence of effective medical care (ie, amenable mortality). Previous analyses of mortality amenable to health care only focused on high......-income countries and faced several methodological challenges. In the present analysis, we use the highly standardised cause of death and risk factor estimates generated through the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) to improve and expand the quantification of personal health-care...... the extensive data standardisation processes and redistribution algorithms developed for GBD. To isolate the effects of personal health-care access and quality, we risk-standardised cause-specific mortality rates for each geography-year by removing the joint effects of local environmental and behavioural risks...

  2. Building the national health information infrastructure for personal health, health care services, public health, and research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Detmer Don E

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Improving health in our nation requires strengthening four major domains of the health care system: personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and health-related research. Many avoidable shortcomings in the health sector that result in poor quality are due to inaccessible data, information, and knowledge. A national health information infrastructure (NHII offers the connectivity and knowledge management essential to correct these shortcomings. Better health and a better health system are within our reach. Discussion A national health information infrastructure for the United States should address the needs of personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and research. It should also address relevant global dimensions (e.g., standards for sharing data and knowledge across national boundaries. The public and private sectors will need to collaborate to build a robust national health information infrastructure, essentially a 'paperless' health care system, for the United States. The federal government should assume leadership for assuring a national health information infrastructure as recommended by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics and the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee. Progress is needed in the areas of funding, incentives, standards, and continued refinement of a privacy (i.e., confidentiality and security framework to facilitate personal identification for health purposes. Particular attention should be paid to NHII leadership and change management challenges. Summary A national health information infrastructure is a necessary step for improved health in the U.S. It will require a concerted, collaborative effort by both public and private sectors. If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it. Lord Kelvin

  3. Impact of a person-centred dementia care training programme on hospital staff attitudes, role efficacy and perceptions of caring for people with dementia: A repeated measures study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surr, C A; Smith, S J; Crossland, J; Robins, J

    2016-01-01

    People with dementia occupy up to one quarter of acute hospital beds. However, the quality of care delivered to this patient group is of national concern. Staff working in acute hospitals report lack of knowledge, skills and confidence in caring for people with dementia. There is limited evidence about the most effective approaches to supporting acute hospital staff to deliver more person-centred care. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a specialist training programme for acute hospital staff regarding improving attitudes, satisfaction and feelings of caring efficacy, in provision of care to people with dementia. A repeated measures design, with measures completed immediately prior to commencing training (T1), after completion of Foundation level training (T2: 4-6 weeks post-baseline), and following Intermediate level training (T3: 3-4 months post-baseline). One NHS Trust in the North of England, UK. 40 acute hospital staff working in clinical roles, the majority of whom (90%) were nurses. All participants received the 3.5 day Person-centred Care Training for Acute Hospitals (PCTAH) programme, comprised of two levels, Foundation (0.5 day) and Intermediate (3 days), delivered over a 3-4 months period. Staff demographics and previous exposure to dementia training were collected via a questionnaire. Staff attitudes were measured using the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ), satisfaction in caring for people with dementia was captured using the Staff Experiences of Working with Demented Residents questionnaire (SEWDR) and perceived caring efficacy was measured using the Caring Efficacy Scale (CES). The training programme was effective in producing a significant positive change on all three outcome measures following intermediate training compared to baseline. A significant positive effect was found on the ADQ between baseline and after completion of Foundation level training, but not for either of the other measures. Training acute hospital staff in

  4. Staff's person-centredness in dementia care in relation to job characteristics and job-related well-being: a cross-sectional survey in nursing homes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Willemse, Bernadette M.; Jonge, de J.; Smit, D.; Visser, Q.; Depla, M.F.I.A.; Pot, Anne Margriet

    2015-01-01

    Aim: To explore the role of nursing staff's person-centredness caring for people with dementia in relation to their work environment and job-related well-being. Background: Given the development towards person-centred care and labour force issues, research has recently focused on the effect of

  5. Medicaid Personal Care Services for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: What Assistance Is Provided? When Is Assistance Provided?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliot, Timothy R.; Patnaik, Ashweeta; Naiser, Emily; Fournier, Constance J.; McMaughan, Darcy K.; Dyer, James A.; Phillips, Charles D.

    2014-01-01

    We report on the nature and timing of services provided to children with an intellectual disability (ID) identified by a new comprehensive assessment and care planning tool used to evaluate children's needs for Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) in Texas. The new assessment procedure resulted from a legal settlement with the advocacy community.…

  6. The effect of non-response on estimates of health care utilisation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundgaard, Jens; Ekholm, Orla; Hansen, Ebba Holme

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Non-response in health surveys may lead to bias in estimates of health care utilisation. The magnitude, direction and composition of the bias are usually not well known. When data from health surveys are merged with data from registers at the individual level, analyses can reveal non......-response bias. Our aim was to estimate the composition, direction and magnitude of non-response bias in the estimation of health care costs in two types of health interview surveys. METHODS: The surveys were (1) a national personal interview survey of 22 484 Danes (2) a telephone interview survey of 5000 Danes...... living in Funen County. Data were linked with register information on health care utilisation in hospitals and primary care. Health care utilisation was estimated for respondents and non-respondents, and the difference was explained by a decomposition method of bias components. RESULTS: The surveys...

  7. The impact of older person's frailty on the care-related quality of life of their informal caregiver over time: results from the TOPICS-MDS project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oldenkamp, Marloes; Hagedoorn, Mariët; Wittek, Rafael; Stolk, Ronald; Smidt, Nynke

    2017-10-01

    To examine the impact of changes in an older person's frailty on the care-related quality of life of their informal caregiver. Five research projects in the TOPICS-MDS database with data of both older person and informal caregiver at baseline and after 12 months follow-up were selected. Frailty was measured in five health domains (functional limitations, psychological well-being, social functioning, health-related quality of life, self-rated health). Care-related quality of life was measured with the Care-Related Quality of Life instrument (CarerQoL-7D), containing two positive (fulfilment, perceived support) and five negative dimensions (relational problems, mental health problems, physical health problems, financial problems, problems combining informal care with daily activities). 660 older person/caregiver couples were included. Older persons were on average 79 (SD 6.9) years of age, and 61% was female. Caregivers were on average 65 (SD 12.6) years of age, and 68% was female. Results of the multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses showed that an increase in older person's frailty over time was related to a lower total care-related quality of life of the caregiver, and to more mental and physical health problems, and problems with combining informal care with daily activities at follow-up. A change in the older person's psychological well-being was most important for the caregiver's care-related quality of life, compared to the other health domains. Health professionals observing decreasing psychological well-being of an older person and increasing hours of informal care provision should be aware of the considerable problems this may bring to their informal caregiver, and should tailor interventions to support informal caregivers according to their specific needs and problems.

  8. Striking a balance between in-person care and the use of eHealth to support the older rural population with chronic pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Roberts

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available New and existing information communication technologies (ICT are playing an increasingly important role in the delivery of health and social care services. eHealth1 has the potential to supplement in-person home visits for older, rural adults with chronic pain. The Technology to support Older Adults' Personal and Social Interaction project—TOPS—examines interactions between older people and their health/social care providers and considers how eHealth could play a part in enhancing the life experiences of older people with chronic pain, who live in remote/rural areas. This paper reports findings from the TOPS study, drawing upon observations of health/social care home visits to chronic pain patients and interviews with patients and health/social care providers in rural Scotland. Patients and care professionals believe in-person care promotes the general well-being of older people with pain. However, our findings show that the potential recipients of eHealth are open to the use of such technologies and that although they cannot be expected to replace existing models of care, eHealth may provide opportunities to sustain and enhance these interactions.

  9. Patient, resident, or person: Recognition and the continuity of self in long-term care for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirhonen, Jari; Pietilä, Ilkka

    2015-12-01

    Becoming a resident in a long-term care facility challenges older people's continuity of self in two major ways. Firstly, as they leave behind their previous home, neighborhood, and often their social surroundings, older people have to change their life-long lifestyles, causing fears of the loss of one's self. Secondly, modern-day care facilities have some features of 'total' institutions that produce patient-like role expectations and thus challenge older people's selves. Our ethnographic study in a geriatric hospital and a sheltered home in Finland aims to find out what features of daily life either support or challenge older people's continuity of self. A philosophical reading of the concept of recognition is used to explore how various daily practices and interactions support recognizing people as persons in long-term care. Categories of institution-centered and person-centered features are described to illustrate multiple ways in which people are recognized and misrecognized. The discussion highlights some ways in which long-term care providers could use the results of the study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Architecture of a wireless Personal Assistant for telemedical diabetes care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Sáez, Gema; Hernando, M Elena; Martínez-Sarriegui, Iñaki; Rigla, Mercedes; Torralba, Verónica; Brugués, Eulalia; de Leiva, Alberto; Gómez, Enrique J

    2009-06-01

    Advanced information technologies joined to the increasing use of continuous medical devices for monitoring and treatment, have made possible the definition of a new telemedical diabetes care scenario based on a hand-held Personal Assistant (PA). This paper describes the architecture, functionality and implementation of the PA, which communicates different medical devices in a personal wireless network. The PA is a mobile system for patients with diabetes connected to a telemedical center. The software design follows a modular approach to make the integration of medical devices or new functionalities independent from the rest of its components. Physicians can remotely control medical devices from the telemedicine server through the integration of the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and mobile GPRS communications. Data about PA modules' usage and patients' behavior evaluation come from a pervasive tracing system implemented into the PA. The PA architecture has been technically validated with commercially available medical devices during a clinical experiment for ambulatory monitoring and expert feedback through telemedicine. The clinical experiment has allowed defining patients' patterns of usage and preferred scenarios and it has proved the Personal Assistant's feasibility. The patients showed high acceptability and interest in the system as recorded in the usability and utility questionnaires. Future work will be devoted to the validation of the system with automatic control strategies from the telemedical center as well as with closed-loop control algorithms.

  11. Doctors' personal health care choices: A cross-sectional survey in a mixed public/private setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao David VK

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Among Western countries, it has been found that physicians tend to manage their own illnesses and tend not have their own independent family physicians. This is recognized as a significant issue for both physicians and, by extension, the patients under their care, resulting in initiatives seeking to address this. Physicians' personal health care practices in Asia have yet to be documented. Methods An anonymous cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey was conducted in Hong Kong, China. All 9570 medical practitioners in Hong Kong registered with the Hong Kong Medical Council in 2003 were surveyed. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied. Results There were 4198 respondents to the survey; a response rate of 44%. Two-thirds of respondents took care of themselves when they were last ill, with 62% of these self-medicating with prescription medication. Physicians who were graduates of Hong Kong medical schools, those working in general practice and non-members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians were more likely to do so. Physician specialty was found to be the most influential reason in the choice of caregiver by those who had ever consulted another medical practitioner. Only 14% chose consultation with a FM/GP with younger physians and non-Hong Kong medical graduates having a higher likelihood of doing so. Seventy percent of all respondents believed that having their own personal physician was unnecessary. Conclusion Similar to the practice of colleagues in other countries, a large proportion of Hong Kong physicians self-manage their illnesses, take self-obtained prescription drugs and believe they do not need a personal physician. Future strategies to benefit the medical care of Hong Kong physicians will have to take these practices and beliefs into consideration.

  12. Complexities in the Provision of Respite Care to Family Carers of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frieda Finlay

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available PurposeRespite care is generally thought to benefit family carers of persons with intellectual disabilities and is regarded as an important component of family-centred services.  However, the complexities associated with the provision of such services, from the carer’s perspective, have been rarely investigated.MethodThis qualitative research study was carried out through a participatory action research process that involved collaboration among researchers and family members as co-researchers.  Seven focus groups, involving seventy family carers (fifty mothers, fifteen fathers and five sisters, were held in seven locations across the Republic of Ireland. ResultsThree main themes dominated the discussions.  The first theme related to the ambivalence of carers towards using respite services, as expressed in their reluctance to relinquish care-giving for even a short period; the feelings of guilt they experienced; and the greater needs of other carers.  The second theme related to the benefits of respite breaks, but these were solely with respect to the carer and other family members, rather than to the person with an intellectual disability.  The third theme regarding the quality of provision was dominated by concerns for the care the person received in using the services. ConclusionsRespite care has the potential to make a difference, and these findings call for building much- needed alliances between all members of the family and professionals.  This is in order to support one another through the difficulties associated with the redesign of existing respite provision, and the extension of these services to the growing number of carers who require respite breaks.doi 10.5463/DCID.v22i2.22Key wordsIntellectual disability, respite, family members, Ireland 

  13. Enhanced Personal Contact With HIV Patients Improves Retention in Primary Care: A Randomized Trial in 6 US HIV Clinics

    OpenAIRE

    Gardner, Lytt I.; Giordano, Thomas P.; Marks, Gary; Wilson, Tracey E.; Craw, Jason A.; Drainoni, Mari-Lynn; Keruly, Jeanne C.; Rodriguez, Allan E.; Malitz, Faye; Moore, Richard D.; Bradley-Springer, Lucy A.; Holman, Susan; Rose, Charles E.; Girde, Sonali; Sullivan, Meg

    2014-01-01

    The intervention tested in the Retention in Care Study demonstrated improvement in retention in human immunodeficiency virus care. Enhanced personal contact with or without additional behavioral skills training significantly improved visit constancy and visit adherence over 12 months.

  14. Cognitive influences on self-care decision making in persons with heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickson, Victoria V; Tkacs, Nancy; Riegel, Barbara

    2007-09-01

    Despite advances in management, heart failure is associated with high rates of hospitalization, poor quality of life, and early death. Education intended to improve patients' abilities to care for themselves is an integral component of disease management programs. True self-care requires that patients make decisions about symptoms, but the cognitive deficits documented in 30% to 50% of the heart failure population may make daily decision making challenging. After describing heart failure self-care as a naturalistic decision making process, we explore cognitive deficits known to exist in persons with heart failure. Problems in heart failure self-care are analyzed in relation to neural alterations associated with heart failure. As a neural process, decision making has been traced to regions of the prefrontal cortex, the same areas that are affected by ischemia, infarction, and hypoxemia in heart failure. Resulting deficits in memory, attention, and executive function may impair the perception and interpretation of early symptoms and reasoning and, thereby, delay early treatment implementation. There is compelling evidence that the neural processes critical to decision making are located in the same structures that are affected by heart failure. Because self-care requires the cognitive ability to learn, perceive, interpret, and respond, research is needed to discern how neural deficits affects these abilities, decision-making, and self-care behaviors.

  15. Person-centred care in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics: Conceptualization and initial development of a measurement instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bala, Sidona-Valentina; Forslind, Kristina; Fridlund, Bengt; Samuelson, Karin; Svensson, Björn; Hagell, Peter

    2018-06-01

    Person-centred care (PCC) is considered a key component of effective illness management and high-quality care. However, the PCC concept is underdeveloped in outpatient care. In rheumatology, PCC is considered an unmet need and its further development and evaluation is of high priority. The aim of the present study was to conceptualize and operationalize PCC, in order to develop an instrument for measuring patient-perceived PCC in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics. A conceptual outpatient PCC framework was developed, based on the experiences of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), person-centredness principles and existing PCC frameworks. The resulting framework was operationalized into the PCC instrument for outpatient care in rheumatology (PCCoc/rheum), which was tested for acceptability and content validity among 50 individuals with RA attending a nurse-led outpatient clinic. The conceptual framework focuses on the meeting between the person with RA and the nurse, and comprises five interrelated domains: social environment, personalization, shared decision-making, empowerment and communication. Operationalization of the domains into a pool of items generated a preliminary PCCoc/rheum version, which was completed in a mean (standard deviation) of 5.3 (2.5) min. Respondents found items easy to understand (77%) and relevant (93%). The Content Validity Index of the PCCoc/rheum was 0.94 (item level range, 0.87-1.0). About 80% of respondents considered some items redundant. Based on these results, the PCCoc/rheum was revised into a 24-item questionnaire. A conceptual outpatient PCC framework and a 24-item questionnaire intended to measure PCC in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics were developed. The extent to which the questionnaire represents a measurement instrument remains to be tested. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Compassion Fatigue Among Palliative Care Clinicians: Findings on Personality Factors and Years of Service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Mahony, Sean; Ziadni, Maisa; Hoerger, Michael; Levine, Stacie; Baron, Aliza; Gerhart, James

    2018-02-01

    Palliative medicine is a rewarding field, but providers encounter patient trauma on a routine basis. Compassion fatigue, marked by burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and low satisfaction may result. However, professionals differ markedly in how they respond to patient trauma. The objective of the current study was to determine whether personality traits of neuroticism and agreeableness relate to aspects of compassion fatigue, after accounting for time spent working in the field. Sixty-six palliative medicine physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains completed validated measures of personality traits, compassion fatigue, and work background. Providers who had worked longer reported higher levels of satisfaction and lower levels of burnout. Neuroticism demonstrated strong significant associations with secondary traumatic stress and burnout ( Ps accounting for years spent working in the field. Personality traits of neuroticism and agreeableness may convey risk and resilience, respectively, for palliative care professionals. More research is needed to determine if assessing personality traits can help identify providers at risk for adverse reactions to patient trauma.

  17. Exploring Group Composition among Young, Urban Women of Color in Prenatal Care: Implications for Satisfaction, Engagement, and Group Attendance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earnshaw, Valerie A; Rosenthal, Lisa; Cunningham, Shayna D; Kershaw, Trace; Lewis, Jessica; Rising, Sharon Schindler; Stasko, Emily; Tobin, Jonathan; Ickovics, Jeannette R

    2016-01-01

    Group models of prenatal care continue to grow in popularity. However, little is known about how group composition (similarity or diversity between members of groups) relates to care-related outcomes. The current investigation aimed to explore associations between prenatal care group composition with patient satisfaction, engagement, and group attendance among young, urban women of color. Data were drawn from two studies conducted in New Haven and Atlanta (2001-2004; n = 557) and New York City (2008-2011; n = 375) designed to evaluate group prenatal care among young, urban women of color. Women aged 14 to 25 were assigned to group prenatal care and completed surveys during their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Group attendance was recorded. Data were merged and analyzed guided by the Group Actor-Partner Interdependence Model using multilevel regression. Analyses explored composition in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and language. Women in groups with others more diverse in age reported greater patient engagement and, in turn, attended more group sessions, b(se) = -0.01(0.01); p = .04. The composition of prenatal care groups seems to be associated with young women's engagement in care, ultimately relating to the number of group prenatal care sessions they attend. Creating groups diverse in age may be particularly beneficial for young, urban women of color, who have unique pregnancy needs and experiences. Future research is needed to test the generalizability of these exploratory findings. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Paper based diagnostics for personalized health care: Emerging technologies and commercial aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahato, Kuldeep; Srivastava, Ananya; Chandra, Pranjal

    2017-10-15

    Personalized health care (PHC) is being appreciated globally to combat clinical complexities underlying various metabolic or infectious disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular, communicable diseases etc. Effective diagnoses majorly depend on initial identification of the causes which are nowadays being practiced in disease-oriented approach, where personal health profile is often overlooked. The adoption of PHC has shown significantly improved diagnoses in various conditions including emergency, ambulatory, and remote area. PHC includes personalized health monitoring (PHM), which is its integral part and may provide valuable information's on various clinical conditions. In PHC, bio-fluids are analyzed using various diagnostic devices including lab based equipment and biosensors. Among all types of biosensing systems, paper based biosensors are commercially attracted due to its portability, easy availability, cheaper manufacturing cost, and transportability. Not only these, various intrinsic properties of paper has facilitated the development of paper based miniaturized sensors, which has recently gained ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and Robust, Equipment free, Deliverable to all end-users) status for point of care diagnosis in miniaturized settings. In this review, importance of paper based biosensors and their compatibility for affordable and low cost diagnostics has been elaborated with various examples. Limitations and strategies to overcome the challenges of paper biosensor have also been discussed. We have provided elaborated tables which describe the types, model specifications, sensing mechanisms, target biomarkers, and analytical performance of the paper biosensors with their respective applications in real sample matrices. Different commercial aspects of paper biosensor have also been explained using SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Personalizing protocol-driven care: the case of specialist heart failure nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Tom; Harrison, Stephen; Checkland, Katherine

    2010-09-01

    This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore how specialist heart failure nurses negotiate treatment advice with patients, in the context of an increasing expectation that clinical staff in the National Health Services will follow guidelines in their daily work. The development of specialist nurse roles has given rise to questions about their compatibility with patient-centred care. However, research has revealed little about how specialist nurses balance clinical guidelines with traditional caring tasks. Semi-structured interviews (n = 10) were conducted with specialist heart failure nurses in northern England recruited from a heart failure specialist nursing contact list. In addition, non-participant observations were carried out on nurse-patient consultations (n = 16) in one regional nurse-led heart failure clinic. Data were collected between 2003 and 2005, and analysed using a variation of grounded theory. Heart failure nurses sought to combine traditional caring work with the wider goal of improving patient outcomes by 'personalizing' their advice to patients and presenting their heart failure as 'typical'. They accommodated protocol-driven care into their daily routines, and perceived no disjuncture between evidence-based practice and patient-centredness. However, their approach allowed little space for the exploration of each patient's own priorities about their illness. There is a need both to re-examine the appropriateness of traditional caring concepts, and to reflect on the need to incorporate patients' own values into the consultation process.

  20. Caregivers in older peoples' care: perception of quality of care, working conditions, competence and personal health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    From, Ingrid; Nordström, Gun; Wilde-Larsson, Bodil; Johansson, Inger

    2013-09-01

    The aim was to describe and compare nursing assistants', enrolled nurses' and registered nurses' perceptions of quality of care, working conditions, competence and personal health in older peoples' care. Altogether 70 nursing assistants, 163 enrolled nurses and 198 registered nurses completed a questionnaire comprising Quality from the Patient's Perspective modified for caregivers, Creative Climate Questionnaire, Stress of Conscience Questionnaire, items on education and competence and Health Index. The caregivers reported higher perceived reality of quality of care in medical-technical competence and physical-technical conditions than in identity-oriented approach and socio-cultural atmosphere. In subjective importance, the highest rating was assessed in one of the physical-technical items. The organisational climate was for three of the dimensions rather close/reached the value for a creative climate, for seven dimensions close to a stagnant climate. In perceived stress of conscience, there were low values. Nursing assistants had lower values than enrolled nurses and registered nurses. The caregivers reported highest values regarding previous education making them feel safe at work and lowest value on the item about education increasing the ability for a scientific attitude. Registered nurses could use knowledge in practice and to a higher degree than nursing assistants/enrolled nurses reported a need to gain knowledge, but the latter more often received education during working hours. The health index among caregivers was high, but registered nurses scored lower on emotional well-being than nursing assistants/enrolled nurses. The caregivers' different perceptions of quality of care and work climate need further attention. Although stress of conscience was low, it is important to acknowledge what affected the caregivers work in a negative way. Attention should be paid to the greater need for competence development among registered nurses during working hours.

  1. Employee attitudes towards aggression in persons with dementia: Readiness for wider adoption of person-centered frameworks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burshnic, V L; Douglas, N F; Barker, R M

    2018-04-01

    Person-centered care, as compared to standard approaches, is a widely accepted, evidence-based approach for managing aggressive behaviour in persons with dementia. The attitudes, beliefs and values of long-term care and mental health nursing employees are important prerequisites to implementing person-centered practices. Research shows that nursing employees typically support person-centered approaches; however, less is known about the attitudes of non-nursing employee groups. Nurse managers and administrators tended to agree with person-centered approaches for managing aggression in dementia, suggesting some prerequisites are in place to support wider adoption of person-centered frameworks. Employees with more resident contact tended to support person-centered approaches the least, suggesting discipline-specific trainings may not be adequate for preparing frontline staff to use person-centered techniques. Attitudes towards aggressive behaviour may be especially varied and contradictory within certain employee groups, providing implications for facility-wide initiatives. Person-centered values and practices should be monitored and reinforced across the organization. Person-centered trainings should be interdisciplinary in nature and focused on care areas, such as mealtime or bathing. Long-term care facilities should consider allowing nurse management and registered nurses to share the burden of direct resident care with frontline employees on a more regular basis. Introduction Implementing person-centered care requires shared attitudes, beliefs and values among all care employees. Existing research has failed to examine the attitudes of non-nursing employees. Aim This study examined attitudes towards aggression among nursing and non-nursing employees to address gaps in existing research and assess readiness for wider adoption of person-centered frameworks. Method The Management of Aggression in People with Dementia Attitude Questionnaire was used to survey

  2. Putting women at the center: a review of Indian policy to address person-centered care in maternal and newborn health, family planning and abortion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aradhana Srivastava

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Person-centered care is a critical component of quality care, essential to enable treatment adherence, and maximize health outcomes. Improving the quality of health services is a key strategy to achieve the new global target of zero preventable maternal deaths by 2030. Recognizing this, the Government of India has in the last decade initiated a number of strategies to address quality of care in health and family welfare services. Methods We conducted a policy review of quality improvement strategies in India from 2005 to 15, covering three critical areas– maternal and newborn health, family planning, and abortion (MNHFP + A. Based on Walt and Gilson’s policy triangle framework, we analyzed the extent to which policies incorporated person-centered care, while identifying unaddressed issues. Data was sourced from Government of India websites, scientific and grey literature databases. Results Twenty-two national policy documents, comprising two policy statements and 20 implementation guidelines of specific schemes were included in the review. Quality improvement strategies span infrastructure, commodities, human resources, competencies, and accountability that are driving quality assurance in MNHFP + A services. However, several implementation challenges have affected compliance with person-centered care, thereby affecting utilization and outcomes. Conclusion Focus on person-centered care in Indian MNHFP + A policy has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, some aspects must still be strengthened, such as positive interpersonal behavior, information sharing and promptness of care. Implementation can be improved through better provider training, patient feedback and monitoring mechanisms. Moreover, unless persisting structural challenges are addressed implementation of person-centered care in facilities will not be effective.

  3. How do African American men rate their health care? An analysis of the consumer assessment of health plans 2003-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elder, Keith; Meret-Hanke, Louise; Dean, Caress; Wiltshire, Jacqueline; Gilbert, Keon L; Wang, Jing; Shacham, Enbal; Barnidge, Ellen; Baker, Elizabeth; Wray, Ricardo; Rice, Shahida; Johns, Marquisha; Moore, Tondra

    2015-05-01

    African American (AA) men remain one of the most disconnected groups from health care. This study examines the association between AA men's rating of health care and rating of their personal physician. The sample included 12,074 AA men aged 18 years or older from the 2003 to 2006 waves of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Adult Commercial Health Plan Survey. Multilevel models were used to obtain adjusted means rating of health care systems and personal physician, and the relationship of ratings with the rating of personal physician. The adjusted means were 80 (on a 100-point scale) for most health ratings and composite health care scores: personal physician (83.9), specialist (83.66), health care (82.34), getting needed care (89.57), physician communication (83.17), medical staff courtesy (86.58), and customer service helpfulness (88.37). Physician communication was the strongest predictor for physician rating. AA men's health is understudied, and additional research is warranted to improve how they interface with the health care system. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Care staff training based on person-centered care and dementia care mapping, and its effects on the quality of life of nursing home residents with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Mami; Sakakibara, Hisataka

    2017-09-01

    To assess the effects of care staff training based on person-centered care (PCC) and dementia care mapping (DCM) on the quality of life (QOL) of residents with dementia in a nursing home. An intervention of staff training based on PCC and DCM was conducted with 40 care staff members at a geriatric nursing home. The effects of the staff training on the QOL of residents with dementia were evaluated by the DCM measurements of 40 residents with dementia three times at about one-month intervals (first, baseline; second, pre-intervention; third, post-intervention). The well-being and ill-being values (WIB values) of the residents with dementia measured by DCM were not different between the first and second rounds before the staff training (p = 0.211). Meanwhile, the WIB values increased from the first and second rounds to the third post-intervention round (p = 0.035 and p Staff training based on PCC and DCM could effectively improve the QOL of residents with dementia.

  5. Patients' rights in decision making: the case for personalism versus paternalism in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schain, W S

    1980-08-15

    The purpose of this presentation is to shine a psychological spotlight on the role of the breast cancer patient in the process of her decision making about her medical care and the specific influence that the nature of the physician-patient interaction has on that behavior. The vision of the parental physician as unilateral authority in decisions about health care is dimming. The picture is being supplanted by a new image that promotes a view of personalism and a concept of "shared responsibility." The wave of consumerism is washing the shores of medical practice, and women are establishing their beachhead. Women are demonstrating their knowledge, their competence, and their responsibility in exercising decisions about their medical treatments and the quality of their survival. Therefore, it is essential to educate patients to exhibit informed consumer behavior and encourage physicians to recognize the value of a patient's participation. Such collaborative endeavors could result in increased patient satisfaction, reduced burdens for the physician, and preserved patients' feelings of individuality, autonomy, and sense of personal dignity.

  6. The Counseling, Self-Care, Adherence Approach to Person-Centered Care and Shared Decision Making: Moral Psychology, Executive Autonomy, and Ethics in Multi-Dimensional Care Decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herlitz, Anders; Munthe, Christian; Törner, Marianne; Forsander, Gun

    2016-08-01

    This article argues that standard models of person-centred care (PCC) and shared decision making (SDM) rely on simplistic, often unrealistic assumptions of patient capacities that entail that PCC/SDM might have detrimental effects in many applications. We suggest a complementary PCC/SDM approach to ensure that patients are able to execute rational decisions taken jointly with care professionals when performing self-care. Illustrated by concrete examples from a study of adolescent diabetes care, we suggest a combination of moral and psychological considerations to support the claim that standard PCC/SDM threatens to systematically undermine its own goals. This threat is due to a tension between the ethical requirements of SDM in ideal circumstances and more long-term needs actualized by the context of self-care handled by patients with limited capacities for taking responsibility and adhere to their own rational decisions. To improve this situation, we suggest a counseling, self-care, adherence approach to PCC/SDM, where more attention is given to how treatment goals are internalized by patients, how patients perceive choice situations, and what emotional feedback patients are given. This focus may involve less of a concentration on autonomous and rational clinical decision making otherwise stressed in standard PCC/SDM advocacy.

  7. Staff's person-centredness in dementia care in relation to job characteristics and job-related well-being: a cross-sectional survey in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willemse, Bernadette M; De Jonge, Jan; Smit, Dieneke; Visser, Quirijn; Depla, Marja F I A; Pot, Anne Margriet

    2015-02-01

    To explore the role of nursing staff's person-centredness caring for people with dementia in relation to their work environment and job-related well-being. Given the development towards person-centred care and labour force issues, research has recently focused on the effect of person-centredness on nursing staff's well-being. Findings from occupational stress research suggest that employees' personal characteristics, such as person-centredness, can moderate the impact particular job characteristics have on their job-related well-being. Cross-sectional survey. A national survey was conducted among healthcare staff (n = 1147) in 136 living arrangements for people with dementia in the Netherlands (2008-2009). Hierarchical regression analyses were used. Person-centredness moderates the relationship between coworker support and three outcomes of job-related well-being and between supervisor support and two of these outcomes. For highly person-centred nursing staff, coworker support was found to have a weaker impact and supervisor support to have a stronger impact on their job-related well-being. In addition, direct effects showed that person-centredness was weakly associated with more job satisfaction, more emotional exhaustion and more strongly with more personal accomplishment. Nursing staff's person-centredness does play a modest role in relation to job characteristics and job-related well-being. Findings indicate that person-centredness is not only beneficial to residents with dementia as found earlier, but also for nursing staff themselves; specifically, in case nursing staff members feel supported by their supervisor. Since a more person-centred workforce feels more competent, further implementation of person-centred care might have a positive impact on the attractiveness of the profession. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Using holistic interpretive synthesis to create practice-relevant guidance for person-centred fundamental care delivered by nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feo, Rebecca; Conroy, Tiffany; Marshall, Rhianon J; Rasmussen, Philippa; Wiechula, Richard; Kitson, Alison L

    2017-04-01

    Nursing policy and healthcare reform are focusing on two, interconnected areas: person-centred care and fundamental care. Each initiative emphasises a positive nurse-patient relationship. For these initiatives to work, nurses require guidance for how they can best develop and maintain relationships with their patients in practice. Although empirical evidence on the nurse-patient relationship is increasing, findings derived from this research are not readily or easily transferable to the complexities and diversities of nursing practice. This study describes a novel methodological approach, called holistic interpretive synthesis (HIS), for interpreting empirical research findings to create practice-relevant recommendations for nurses. Using HIS, umbrella review findings on the nurse-patient relationship are interpreted through the lens of the Fundamentals of Care Framework. The recommendations for the nurse-patient relationship created through this approach can be used by nurses to establish, maintain and evaluate therapeutic relationships with patients to deliver person-centred fundamental care. Future research should evaluate the validity and impact of these recommendations and test the feasibility of using HIS for other areas of nursing practice and further refine the approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Computer-Based Training in Eating and Nutrition Facilitates Person-Centered Hospital Care: A Group Concept Mapping Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westergren, Albert; Edfors, Ellinor; Norberg, Erika; Stubbendorff, Anna; Hedin, Gita; Wetterstrand, Martin; Rosas, Scott R; Hagell, Peter

    2018-04-01

    Studies have shown that computer-based training in eating and nutrition for hospital nursing staff increased the likelihood that patients at risk of undernutrition would receive nutritional interventions. This article seeks to provide understanding from the perspective of nursing staff of conceptually important areas for computer-based nutritional training, and their relative importance to nutritional care, following completion of the training. Group concept mapping, an integrated qualitative and quantitative methodology, was used to conceptualize important factors relating to the training experiences through four focus groups (n = 43), statement sorting (n = 38), and importance rating (n = 32), followed by multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Sorting of 38 statements yielded four clusters. These clusters (number of statements) were as follows: personal competence and development (10), practice close care development (10), patient safety (9), and awareness about the nutrition care process (9). First and second clusters represented "the learning organization," and third and fourth represented "quality improvement." These findings provide a conceptual basis for understanding the importance of training in eating and nutrition, which contributes to a learning organization and quality improvement, and can be linked to and facilitates person-centered nutritional care and patient safety.

  10. Concentrations and assessment of exposure to siloxanes and synthetic musks in personal care products from China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Yan; Yuan Tao; Wang Wenhua; Kannan, Kurunthachalam

    2011-01-01

    We investigated the concentrations and profiles of 15 siloxanes (four cyclic siloxanes, D 4 -D 7 ; 11 linear siloxanes, L 4 -L 14 ), four synthetic musks (two polycyclic musks, HHCB and AHTN; two nitro musks, MX and MK), and HHCB-lactone, in 158 personal care products marketed in China. Siloxanes were detected in 88% of the samples analyzed, at concentrations as high as 52.6 mg g -1 ; Linear siloxanes were the predominant compounds. Among synthetic musks, more than 80% of the samples contained at least one of these compounds, and their total concentrations were as high as 1.02 mg g -1 . HHCB was the predominant musk in all of the samples analyzed, on average, accounting for 52% of the total musk concentrations. Based on the median concentrations of siloxanes and musks and the average daily usage amounts of consumer products, dermal exposure rates in adults were calculated to be 3.69 and 3.38 mg d -1 for siloxanes and musks, respectively. - Highlights: → Siloxanes and synthetic musks are determined in personal care products. → Highest siloxane concentration was 52.6 mg g -1 . → Highest musk concentration was 1.02 mg g -1 . → Daily dermal exposure rates of siloxanes and musks were in mg levels. → Dermal exposure is a major pathway of human exposure to siloxanes and musks. - Dermal application of several personal care products is a major source of human exposure to cyclic and linear siloxanes.

  11. Concentrations and assessment of exposure to siloxanes and synthetic musks in personal care products from China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu Yan [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509 (United States); Yuan Tao; Wang Wenhua [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Kannan, Kurunthachalam, E-mail: kkannan@wadsworth.org [Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509 (United States); International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China)

    2011-12-15

    We investigated the concentrations and profiles of 15 siloxanes (four cyclic siloxanes, D{sub 4}-D{sub 7}; 11 linear siloxanes, L{sub 4}-L{sub 14}), four synthetic musks (two polycyclic musks, HHCB and AHTN; two nitro musks, MX and MK), and HHCB-lactone, in 158 personal care products marketed in China. Siloxanes were detected in 88% of the samples analyzed, at concentrations as high as 52.6 mg g{sup -1}; Linear siloxanes were the predominant compounds. Among synthetic musks, more than 80% of the samples contained at least one of these compounds, and their total concentrations were as high as 1.02 mg g{sup -1}. HHCB was the predominant musk in all of the samples analyzed, on average, accounting for 52% of the total musk concentrations. Based on the median concentrations of siloxanes and musks and the average daily usage amounts of consumer products, dermal exposure rates in adults were calculated to be 3.69 and 3.38 mg d{sup -1} for siloxanes and musks, respectively. - Highlights: > Siloxanes and synthetic musks are determined in personal care products. > Highest siloxane concentration was 52.6 mg g{sup -1}. > Highest musk concentration was 1.02 mg g{sup -1}. > Daily dermal exposure rates of siloxanes and musks were in mg levels. > Dermal exposure is a major pathway of human exposure to siloxanes and musks. - Dermal application of several personal care products is a major source of human exposure to cyclic and linear siloxanes.

  12. Elbow Room for Best Practice? Montgomery, Patients' values, and Balanced Decision-Making in Person-Centred Clinical Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herring, Jonathan; Fulford, Kmw; Dunn, Michael; Handa, Ashoki

    2017-11-01

    The UK Supreme Court Montgomery judgment marks a decisive shift in the legal test of duty of care in the context of consent to treatment, from the perspective of the clinician (as represented by Bolam rules) to that of the patient. A majority of commentators on Montgomery have focused on the implications of the judgment for disclosure of risk. In this article, we set risk disclosure in context with three further elements of the judgment: benefits, options, and dialogue. These elements, we argue, taken together with risk disclosure, reflect the origins of the Montgomery ruling in a model of consent based on autonomy of patient choice through shared decision-making with their doctor. This model reflects recent developments in both law and medicine and is widely regarded (by the General Medical Council and others) as representing best practice in contemporary person-centred medicine. So understood, we suggest, the shift marked by Montgomery in the basis of duty of care is a shift in underpinning values: it is a shift from the clinician's interpretation about what would be best for patients to the values of (to what is significant or matters from the perspective of) the particular patient concerned in the decision in question. But the values of the particular patient do not thereby become paramount. The Montgomery test of duty of care requires the values of the particular patient to be balanced alongside the values of a reasonable person in the patient's position. We illustrate some of the practical challenges arising from the balance of considerations required by Montgomery with examples from surgical care. These examples show the extent to which Montgomery, in mirroring the realities of clinical decision-making, provides elbowroom for best practice in person-centred clinical care. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Patient education, nudge, and manipulation: defining the ethical conditions of the person-centered model of care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reach G

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Gérard Reach1,2 1Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Avicenne Hospital AP-HP, 2EA 3412, Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine Ile-de-France (CRNH-IDF, Paris 13 University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny, France Abstract: Patient education (PE is expected to help patients with a chronic disease to manage their lives and give them the possibility of adopting, in an appropriate manner, beneficial changes in health behaviors that are prescribed by their physicians. It is aimed at delineating, agreeing on, and implementing a patient’s personal action plan and is therefore an essential constituent of the person-centered model of care. The aim of this article is to examine the idea that PE may sometimes be a manipulation that is organized for the good of patients in a paternalistic framework. Theoretically, PE differs from manipulation by addressing the reflective intelligence of patients in full light and helping them make autonomous choices. In this article, we examined some analogies between PE and nudge (ie, techniques used to push people to make good choices by organizing their environment. This analysis suggests that PE is not always as transparent and reflective as it is supposed to be and that unmasking these issues may be useful for improving the ethical quality of educational practice that must be performed in a framework of a trusting patient–doctor relationship. Under this condition, PE may sometimes represent a form of persuasion without being accused of patient deception and manipulation: trust is therefore the core of the person-centered model of care. Keywords: patient education, adherence, autonomy, nudge, persuasion, manipulation, deception, trust, person-centered care model, shared decision-making

  14. Improving benchmarking by using an explicit framework for the development of composite indicators: an example using pediatric quality of care

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background The measurement of healthcare provider performance is becoming more widespread. Physicians have been guarded about performance measurement, in part because the methodology for comparative measurement of care quality is underdeveloped. Comprehensive quality improvement will require comprehensive measurement, implying the aggregation of multiple quality metrics into composite indicators. Objective To present a conceptual framework to develop comprehensive, robust, and transparent composite indicators of pediatric care quality, and to highlight aspects specific to quality measurement in children. Methods We reviewed the scientific literature on composite indicator development, health systems, and quality measurement in the pediatric healthcare setting. Frameworks were selected for explicitness and applicability to a hospital-based measurement system. Results We synthesized various frameworks into a comprehensive model for the development of composite indicators of quality of care. Among its key premises, the model proposes identifying structural, process, and outcome metrics for each of the Institute of Medicine's six domains of quality (safety, effectiveness, efficiency, patient-centeredness, timeliness, and equity) and presents a step-by-step framework for embedding the quality of care measurement model into composite indicator development. Conclusions The framework presented offers researchers an explicit path to composite indicator development. Without a scientifically robust and comprehensive approach to measurement of the quality of healthcare, performance measurement will ultimately fail to achieve its quality improvement goals. PMID:20181129

  15. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE NECESSITIES FOR THE DAILY CARE AND PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY OF THE MODERATE AND SEVERED MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunchica DIMITRIJOSKA

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available The necessities for the daily care and productive activity of the moderate and severed mentally retarded persons are determinate by many cultural, traditional and social environments. In this context the part-time institutional treatment is very important for this persons.

  16. Infectious Disease Management through Point-of-Care Personalized Medicine Molecular Diagnostic Technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luc Bissonnette

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Infectious disease management essentially consists in identifying the microbial cause(s of an infection, initiating if necessary antimicrobial therapy against microbes, and controlling host reactions to infection. In clinical microbiology, the turnaround time of the diagnostic cycle (>24 hours often leads to unnecessary suffering and deaths; approaches to relieve this burden include rapid diagnostic procedures and more efficient transmission or interpretation of molecular microbiology results. Although rapid nucleic acid-based diagnostic testing has demonstrated that it can impact on the transmission of hospital-acquired infections, we believe that such life-saving procedures should be performed closer to the patient, in dedicated 24/7 laboratories of healthcare institutions, or ideally at point of care. While personalized medicine generally aims at interrogating the genomic information of a patient, drug metabolism polymorphisms, for example, to guide drug choice and dosage, personalized medicine concepts are applicable in infectious diseases for the (rapid identification of a disease-causing microbe and determination of its antimicrobial resistance profile, to guide an appropriate antimicrobial treatment for the proper management of the patient. The implementation of point-of-care testing for infectious diseases will require acceptance by medical authorities, new technological and communication platforms, as well as reimbursement practices such that time- and life-saving procedures become available to the largest number of patients.

  17. The Person Centered approach in Gerontology: New validity evidence of the Staff Assessment Person-directed Care Questionnaire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Martínez

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Antecedentes/Objetivos La atención centrada en la persona es un enfoque innovador que busca mejorar la calidad asistencial de los servicios para personas mayores que precisan cuidados. Ante el creciente interés hacia este enfoque es necesario contar con instrumentos de medida que permitan evaluar en qué grado los servicios gerontológicos llevan a cabo una atención centrada en la persona. El objetivo de este trabajo es la adaptación y validación del Staff Assessment Person-directed Care (PDC en población espanola. ˜ Método Se llevó a cabo la traducción y adaptación del PDC al espanol ˜ y se aplicó a una muestra de 1.339 profesionales de atención directa, pertenecientes a 56 residencias para personas mayores. El estudio de las propiedades psicométricas se realizó desde el marco de la Teoría Clásica de los Tests y los modelos de Teoría de Respuesta a los Ítems. Resultados El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,97 y el coeficiente de fiabilidad test-retest de 0,89. La Función de Información indica que la prueba mide de forma precisa para un amplio rango de puntuaciones (valores entre -2 y + 2. La estructura factorial del PDC es esencialmente unidimensional, confirmándose la existencia de dos grandes dimensiones que se articulan a su vez en ocho factores muy correlacionados. En cuanto a la validez predictiva destacan las correlaciones del PDC con el The Person-centered Care Assessment Tool (r= 0,68, con el clima organizacional (r = 0,67 y con los factores del burnout, agotamiento emocional (r= -0,41 y realización personal (r = 0,46. Conclusiones La versión espanola ˜ del PDC confirma los resultados encontrados en otras poblaciones, presentando unas excelentes propiedades psicométricas para su uso en la evaluación de residencias de personas mayores, tanto con fines profesionales como de investigación.

  18. Presence of selected priority and personal care substances in an onsite bathroom greywater treatment facility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, Eva; Donner, E.; Ledin, Anna

    2010-01-01

    -out Priority/Priority Hazardous Substances (PS/PHS) is growing, and it is vital to know their sources and flows in order to generate sustainable emission control strategies. The main objective of this study was to quantify the concentrations and loads of PS/PHS and personal care substances in bathroom...

  19. Integrated Personal Health and Care Services deployment: Experiences in eight European countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villalba, Elena; Casas, Isabel; Abadie, Fabienne

    2013-01-01

    conditions for mainstreaming these services into care provision. Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of 27 Telehealth, Telecare and Integrated Personal Health System projects, implemented across 20 regions in eight European countries. The analysis was based on Suter’s ten key principles...... mechanisms, interoperable information systems, policy commitment, engaged professionals, national investments and funding programmes, and incentives and financing. Conclusion: In those cases which provided evidence of success beyond the pilot stage, we observed a promising trend: awareness and introduction...

  20. "To cherish each day as it comes": a qualitative study of spirituality among persons receiving palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asgeirsdottir, Gudlaug Helga; Sigurbjörnsson, Einar; Traustadottir, Rannveig; Sigurdardottir, Valgerdur; Gunnarsdottir, Sigridur; Kelly, Ewan

    2013-05-01

    Spirituality is one of the main aspects of palliative care. The concept is multidimensional and encompasses the existential realm as well as value-based and religious considerations. The aim of this study was to explore spirituality from the perspective of persons receiving palliative care and examine their experience of spirituality and its influence on their lives and well-being. Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten persons receiving palliative care from Palliative Care Services in Iceland. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed. The study is in the field of practical theology and used the theoretical approach of hermeneutical phenomenology. Thematic analysis found that the spiritual dimension was of significance for the participants who understood it as a vital element connected to seeking meaning, purpose and transcendence in life. Religious and non-religious aspects of spirituality were expressed including strong spiritual components of family relationships, the meaning of God/a higher being and spiritual practices which served as a key factor in giving strength, activating inner resources and motivating hope. Nine of the participants expressed their spirituality as faith. Spirituality was experienced broadly as an important dimension of how participants lived with terminal illness. Religious and non-religious characteristics were recognised which reveals the complex nature of the phenomenon. Faith was a significant part of the participants' spirituality indicating the importance of attending to this aspect of palliative care. The study suggests the potential contributions of theological approaches which are relevant for palliative care research and practice.

  1. Low back pain among personal care workers in an old age home: work-related and individual factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeung, Simon S; Yuan, Jun

    2011-08-01

    This cross-sectional study explored the work-related and individual factors that contributed to the occurrence of low back pain and affected activities of 36 personal care workers at an old age home in Hong Kong. The study was divided into four parts: (1) a questionnaire documenting workload exposure factors; (2) a musculoskeletal symptoms survey documenting the prevalence of low back pain in this group of workers; (3) a worksite evaluation focusing on personal care workers' work postures and the work environment; and (4) an evaluation of physical fitness and lifting capacities of personal care workers. Univariate followed by multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors associated with low back pain that affected work activities. The results revealed that low back pain was associated with the perceived physical demands of cleaning tasks (odds ratio [OR] = 7.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35-39.35, p stress at work (OR = 49.80, CI = 0.70-3541.79, p = .072). The results of the current study indicated that the work environment contributed to low back pain at work. Workers perceived that exertion in workplaces has a role in assessing workplace risk. To avoid progression of low back pain in the workplace, work adjustment or modification should be considered when workers report high levels of perceived exertion at work. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  2. Allowing Spouses to Be Paid Personal Care Providers: Spouse Availability and Effects on Medicaid-Funded Service Use and Expenditures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newcomer, Robert J.; Kang, Taewoon; Doty, Pamela

    2012-01-01

    Purpose of the Study: Medicaid service use and expenditure and quality of care outcomes in California's personal care program known as In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) are described. Analyses investigated Medicaid expenditures, hospital use, and nursing home stays, comparing recipients who have paid spouse caregivers with those having other…

  3. Social dancing in the care of persons with dementia in a nursing home setting: a phenomenological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palo-Bengtsson, L; Ekman, S L

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the phenomenon of social dancing in the care of persons with dementia in a nursing home setting. Social dancing is an activity that has taken place once a month regularly during the last 10 years at a nursing home in Stockholm. The period of data collection for this study was the year 1995. At the time of the investigation, the subjects were in special units for persons with dementia. The analysis is based on the data contained in five 45-minute video tapes. All videotapes were analysed based on Husserl's philosophy and Giorgi's method of phenomenological analysis. The results suggested that dance music was a good stimulus for making social contacts. The earlier-trained social patterns, old social habits, and general rules seemed to awaken to life in the persons with dementia. It was important that the caregivers showed individual creativity, spontaneity, and supportive nursing care. Social dancing at the nursing home was found in this study to be very positive and successful for patients with dementia.

  4. A cyborg ontology in health care: traversing into the liminal space between technology and person-centred practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapum, Jennifer; Fredericks, Suzanne; Beanlands, Heather; McCay, Elizabeth; Schwind, Jasna; Romaniuk, Daria

    2012-10-01

    Person-centred practice indubitably seems to be the antithesis of technology. The ostensible polarity of technology and person-centred practice is an easy road to travel down and in their various forms has been probably travelled for decades if not centuries. By forging ahead or enduring these dualisms, we continue to approach and recede, but never encounter the elusive and the liminal space between technology and person-centred practice. Inspired by Haraway's work, we argue that healthcare practitioners who critically consider their cyborg ontology may begin the process to initiate and complicate the liminal and sought after space between technology and person-centred practice. In this paper, we draw upon Haraway's idea that we are all materially and ontologically cyborgs. Cyborgs, the hybridity of machine and human, are part of our social reality and embedded in our everyday existence. By considering our cyborg ontology, we suggest that person-centred practice can be actualized in the contextualized, embodied and relational spaces of technology. It is not a question of espousing technology or person-centred practice. Such dualisms have been historically produced and reproduced over many decades and prevented us from recognizing our own cyborg ontology. Rather, it is salient that we take notice of our own cyborg ontology and how technological, habitual ways of being may prevent (and facilitate) us to recognize the embodied and contextualized experiences of patients. A disruption and engagement with the habitual can ensure we are not governed by technology in our logics and practices of care and can move us to a conscious and critical integration of person-centred practice in the technologized care environments. By acknowledging ourselves as cyborgs, we can recapture and preserve our humanness as caregivers, as well as thrive as we proceed in our technological way of being. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Toward patient-centered, personalized and personal decision support and knowledge management: a survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leong, T-Y

    2012-01-01

    This paper summarizes the recent trends and highlights the challenges and opportunities in decision support and knowledge management for patient-centered, personalized, and personal health care. The discussions are based on a broad survey of related references, focusing on the most recent publications. Major advances are examined in the areas of i) shared decision making paradigms, ii) continuity of care infrastructures and architectures, iii) human factors and system design approaches, iv) knowledge management innovations, and v) practical deployment and change considerations. Many important initiatives, projects, and plans with promising results have been identified. The common themes focus on supporting the individual patients who are playing an increasing central role in their own care decision processes. New collaborative decision making paradigms and information infrastructures are required to ensure effective continuity of care. Human factors and usability are crucial for the successful development and deployment of the relevant systems, tools, and aids. Advances in personalized medicine can be achieved through integrating genomic, phenotypic and other biological, individual, and population level information, and gaining useful insights from building and analyzing biological and other models at multiple levels of abstraction. Therefore, new Information and Communication Technologies and evaluation approaches are needed to effectively manage the scale and complexity of biomedical and health information, and adapt to the changing nature of clinical decision support. Recent research in decision support and knowledge management combines heterogeneous information and personal data to provide cost-effective, calibrated, personalized support in shared decision making at the point of care. Current and emerging efforts concentrate on developing or extending conventional paradigms, techniques, systems, and architectures for the new predictive, preemptive, and

  6. Effects of Adult Day Care on Daily Stress of Caregivers: A Within-Person Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyungmin; Femia, Elia E.; Almeida, David M.; Savla, Jyoti; Molenaar, Peter C. M.

    2011-01-01

    Objectives. This article examined exposure to and appraisal of care-related stressors associated with use of adult day services (ADS) by family caregivers of individuals with dementia. Methods. Using a within-person withdrawal design (A-B-A-B), we compared caregivers’ exposure to and appraisal of behavior problems on days their relative attended and did not attend ADS. Participants were 121 family caregivers enrolling a relative with dementia in an ADS program. Daily assessments were obtained prior to the person's attending ADS for the first time and after 1 and 2 months of attendance on days the person attended and did not attend ADS. Results. Total exposure to stressors and stress appraisals decreased significantly over time on ADS days compared with non-ADS days. Most of this difference was accounted by the time the person with dementia was away from the caregiver, but there were also significant reductions in behavioral problems during the evening and improved sleep immediately following ADS use. Discussion. ADS use lowered caregivers’ exposure to stressors and may improve behavior and sleep for people with dementia on days they have ADS. The study highlights how a within-person design can identify the effects of an intermittent intervention, such as ADS. PMID:21642593

  7. The health care for diabetic persons in Italy: the QUADRI survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Maggini

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available To obtain regional and national data on the quality of diabetes care within the Italian National Health Service, a national survey among persons with diabetes was conducted in 2004. A sample of 3,426 diabetic patients (age 18-64 years were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. The population was middle-aged (median age 57 years, had a low educational level, and was followed primarily in public diabetes centres. A total of 54% reported having hypertension but 14% were not on treatment; for hypercholesterolemia, the corresponding figures were 44% and 26%. Of the 72% who were overweight or obese, 51% were trying to lose weight; 26% currently smoked. Only 66% of patients had undergone haemoglobin A1c testing in the past four months (among the 67% who had ever heard of test; 30% suffered from microvascular or macrovascular complications. Only 5% received all eight main tests recommended by the guidelines within the specified intervals. Our study demonstrates that diabetic patients receive less than optimal care, they are engaged in unhealthy behaviours and received inadequate treatment for comorbidities, and that the translation of guidelines into clinical practice was unsatisfactory. These data have been used to formulate national and regional policy regarding integrated case management to improve the quality of diabetes care.

  8. Psychosocial work characteristics of personal care and service occupations: a process for developing meaningful measures for a multiethnic workforce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoppe, Annekatrin; Heaney, Catherine A; Fujishiro, Kaori; Gong, Fang; Baron, Sherry

    2015-01-01

    Despite their rapid increase in number, workers in personal care and service occupations are underrepresented in research on psychosocial work characteristics and occupational health. Some of the research challenges stem from the high proportion of immigrants in these occupations. Language barriers, low literacy, and cultural differences as well as their nontraditional work setting (i.e., providing service for one person in his/her home) make generic questionnaire measures inadequate for capturing salient aspects of personal care and service work. This study presents strategies for (1) identifying psychosocial work characteristics of home care workers that may affect their occupational safety and health and (2) creating survey measures that overcome barriers posed by language, low literacy, and cultural differences. We pursued these aims in four phases: (Phase 1) Six focus groups to identify the psychosocial work characteristics affecting the home care workers' occupational safety and health; (Phase 2) Selection of questionnaire items (i.e., questions or statements to assess the target construct) and first round of cognitive interviews (n = 30) to refine the items in an iterative process; (Phase 3) Item revision and second round of cognitive interviews (n = 11); (Phase 4) Quantitative pilot test to ensure the scales' reliability and validity across three language groups (English, Spanish, and Chinese; total n = 404). Analysis of the data from each phase informed the nature of subsequent phases. This iterative process ensured that survey measures not only met the reliability and validity criteria across groups, but were also meaningful to home care workers. This complex process is necessary when conducting research with nontraditional and multilingual worker populations.

  9. Home Care Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Home care is care that allows a person with special needs stay in their home. It might be for people who are getting ... are chronically ill, recovering from surgery, or disabled. Home care services include Personal care, such as help ...

  10. A feasibility study of the provision of a personalized interdisciplinary audiovisual summary to facilitate care transfer care at hospital discharge: Care Transfer Video (CareTV).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newnham, Harvey H; Gibbs, Harry H; Ritchie, Edward S; Hitchcock, Karen I; Nagalingam, Vathy; Hoiles, Andrew; Wallace, Ed; Georgeson, Elizabeth; Holton, Sara

    2015-04-01

    To assess the feasibility and patient acceptance of a personalized interdisciplinary audiovisual record to facilitate effective communication with patients, family, carers and other healthcare workers at hospital discharge. Descriptive pilot study utilizing a study-specific patient feedback questionnaire conducted from October 2013 to June 2014. Twenty General Medical inpatients being discharged from an Acute General Medical Ward in a metropolitan teaching hospital. Audiovisual record of a CareTV filmed at the patient's bedside by a consultant-led interdisciplinary team, within 24 h prior to discharge from the ward, provided immediately for the patient to take home. Patient surveys were completed within 2 weeks of discharge. Technical quality, utilization, acceptability, patient satisfaction and recall of diagnosis, medication changes and post-discharge review arrangements. All patients had watched their CareTV either alone or in the presence of a variety of others: close family, their GP, a medical specialist, friends or other health personnel. Participating patients had good understanding of the video content and recall of their diagnosis, medication changes and post-discharge plans. Patient feedback was overwhelmingly positive. In the context of a General Medical Unit with extensive experience in interdisciplinary bedside rounding and teamwork, CareTV is simple to implement, inexpensive, technically feasible, requires minimal staff training and is acceptable to patients. The results of this pilot study will inform and indicate the feasibility of conducting a larger randomized control trial of the impact of CareTV on patient satisfaction, medication adherence and recall of key information, and primary healthcare provider satisfaction. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  11. Privacy Protection in Personal Health Information and Shared Care Records

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roderick L B Neame

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background The protection of personal information privacy has become one of the most pressing security concerns for record keepers. Many institutions have yet to implement the essential infrastructure for data privacy protection and patient control when accessing and sharing data; even more have failed to instil a privacy and security awareness mindset and culture amongst their staff. Increased regulation, together with better compliance monitoring has led to the imposition of increasingly significant monetary penalties for failures to protect privacy. Objective  There is growing pressure in clinical environments to deliver shared patient care and to support this with integrated information.  This demands that more information passes between institutions and care providers without breaching patient privacy or autonomy.  This can be achieved with relatively minor enhancements of existing infrastructures and does not require extensive investment in inter-operating electronic records: indeed such investments to date have been shown not to materially improve data sharing.Requirements for Privacy  There is an ethical duty as well as a legal obligation on the part of care providers (and record keepers to keep patient information confidential and to share it only with the authorisation of the patient.  To achieve this information storage and retrieval, and communication systems must be appropriately configured. Patients may consult clinicians anywhere and at any time: therefore their data must be available for recipient-driven retrieval under patient control and kept private. 

  12. Are doctors who have been ill more compassionate? Attitudes of resident physicians regarding personal health issues and the expression of compassion in clinical care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Laura Weiss; Warner, Teddy D; Moutier, Christine; Geppert, Cynthia M A; Green Hammond, Katherine A

    2011-01-01

    Compassion is an attribute central to professionalism and modern clinical care, yet little is known about how compassion is acquired and preserved in medical training. We sought to understand whether personal illness experiences are thought by residents to foster compassion. The authors surveyed 155 (71% response rate) second- and third-year residents at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine regarding their views of the relationship of personal life experience with illness to compassion and empathy for patients. Residents believe that experience with personal health issues enhances physician compassion for patients. Residents who report more personal health concerns, such as physical or mental health problems and family health problems, endorse the connection between direct experience with illness and empathy. Health care trainees' own illness experiences may increase compassionate patient care practices and foster empathy. Copyright © 2011 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Debriefing to Improve Student Ability to Assess and Plan for the Care of Persons With Disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Mikiko Y; Smith, Mark J; Cone, Catherine J

    2017-12-01

    Although recent literature suggests that students should be trained in the care of persons with disability (PWDs) as a form of cultural sensitivity (CS), healthcare professionals may receive limited experience during their formal training. After pharmacy students in 2 previous years of testing failed to adequately assess and plan for the care of a standardized patient's chief complaint and disability in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the investigators added debriefing to the OSCE to determine if it would improve student's ability to assess and plan for the care of PWD. Two sequentially enrolled second-year pharmacy school student cohorts participated in this study (control n = 90; intervention n = 82). During the OSCE, students interviewed and examined a standardized patient with a simulated physical disability and other chronic disease states. Students were then instructed to develop a care plan considering the patient's disability and other disease states. The intervention cohort received debriefing; the control did not. Students documented the care plan in a subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) note. Investigators assessed SOAP note score (general ability of students to write a SOAP note) and CS score (specific ability to care for PWD) to determine the effectiveness of the debriefing. The intervention group showed a significantly higher percent mean CS score than the control group (93.6% ± 19% and 61.1% ± 30.7%, respectively, P improvement in pass rates (those students scoring ≥70% on the OSCE) of 59.4% with 92.7% of the students passing in the intervention group versus 33.3% of the students passing in the control group (P improved students' performance in developing care plans for disabled patients. Ideally, longitudinal studies should be completed to determine if these skills transfer from debriefings to clinical practice. Development of effective training and assessment methods is essential for students to obtain

  14. Home care for life-supported persons: the French system of quality control, technology assessment, and cost containment.

    OpenAIRE

    Goldberg, A I

    1989-01-01

    Home care for persons who require the prolonged use of life-supportive medical technology is a reality in several nations. France has had more than a quarter of a century of experience with providing home care for patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency and with a system to evaluate the patients' outcomes. The French approach features decentralized regional organizations which offer grassroots involvement by the beneficiaries who participate directly in the system. Since June 1981, a ...

  15. Complementary and alternative medicine contacts by persons with mental disorders in 25 countries: results from the World Mental Health Surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jonge, P; Wardenaar, K J; Hoenders, H R; Evans-Lacko, S; Kovess-Masfety, V; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S; Al-Hamzawi, A; Alonso, J; Andrade, L H; Benjet, C; Bromet, E J; Bruffaerts, R; Bunting, B; Caldas-de-Almeida, J M; Dinolova, R V; Florescu, S; de Girolamo, G; Gureje, O; Haro, J M; Hu, C; Huang, Y; Karam, E G; Karam, G; Lee, S; Lépine, J-P; Levinson, D; Makanjuola, V; Navarro-Mateu, F; Pennell, B-E; Posada-Villa, J; Scott, K; Tachimori, H; Williams, D; Wojtyniak, B; Kessler, R C; Thornicroft, G

    2017-12-28

    A substantial proportion of persons with mental disorders seek treatment from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professionals. However, data on how CAM contacts vary across countries, mental disorders and their severity, and health care settings is largely lacking. The aim was therefore to investigate the prevalence of contacts with CAM providers in a large cross-national sample of persons with 12-month mental disorders. In the World Mental Health Surveys, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview was administered to determine the presence of past 12 month mental disorders in 138 801 participants aged 18-100 derived from representative general population samples. Participants were recruited between 2001 and 2012. Rates of self-reported CAM contacts for each of the 28 surveys across 25 countries and 12 mental disorder groups were calculated for all persons with past 12-month mental disorders. Mental disorders were grouped into mood disorders, anxiety disorders or behavioural disorders, and further divided by severity levels. Satisfaction with conventional care was also compared with CAM contact satisfaction. An estimated 3.6% (standard error 0.2%) of persons with a past 12-month mental disorder reported a CAM contact, which was two times higher in high-income countries (4.6%; standard error 0.3%) than in low- and middle-income countries (2.3%; standard error 0.2%). CAM contacts were largely comparable for different disorder types, but particularly high in persons receiving conventional care (8.6-17.8%). CAM contacts increased with increasing mental disorder severity. Among persons receiving specialist mental health care, CAM contacts were reported by 14.0% for severe mood disorders, 16.2% for severe anxiety disorders and 22.5% for severe behavioural disorders. Satisfaction with care was comparable with respect to CAM contacts (78.3%) and conventional care (75.6%) in persons that received both. CAM contacts are common in persons with severe mental

  16. Human resources in primary health care: investments and the driving force of production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeda, Sayuri Tanaka; Moleiro, Priscilla Francescucci; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko

    2011-12-01

    The present study describes the composition, the qualification, the salary investment, the workforce produce, and discusses users' accessibility in terms of time at Basic Health Units (BHUs). The study was performed at two BHUs from January to December 2008, and developed by analyzing administrative documents. In both, the composition of professionals according to education level revealed: 21% with a university degree, 27% with a secondary education, and50% with a primary education; showing a positive salary variation. The medical and nursing conducts were the majority at both. The production indicators confirmed: 25 and 37 min/person/month for accessibility, respectively for BHU A and B; R$ 8.43 and R$ 12.11/person/month for the salary investment at both BHUs, and 0.07 appointments/person/month at both BHUs. The professionals' available time is scarce compared to the potential of the demand. The production indicated an opportunity of care < 1 per person/month at a reduced cost.

  17. Towards enhanced emotional interactions with older persons: findings from a nursing intervention in home health care.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veenvliet, C.; Eide, H.; Lange, M.A. de; Dulmen, S. van

    2016-01-01

    Background. Living at home with a physical condition that requires assistance places high emotional burden on older persons that needs to be attended to by nurses. However, nurses in home health care have previously been found to communicate primarily in an instrumental way. This increases the risk

  18. In-Person Communication Between Radiologists and Acute Care Surgeons Leads to Significant Alterations in Surgical Decision Making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickerson, Elliot C; Alam, Hasan B; Brown, Richard K J; Stojanovska, Jadranka; Davenport, Matthew S

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine if direct in-person communication between an acute care surgical team and radiologists alters surgical decision making. Informed consent was waived for this institutional review board-exempt, HIPAA-compliant, prospective quality improvement study. From January 29, 2015 to December 10, 2015, semiweekly rounds lasting approximately 60 min were held between the on-call acute care surgery team (attending surgeon, chief resident, and residents) and one of three expert abdominal radiologists. A comprehensive imaging review was performed of recent and comparison examinations for cases selected by the surgeons in which medical and/or surgical decision making was pending. All reviewed examinations had available finalized reports known to the surgical team. RADPEER interradiologist concordance scores were assigned to all reviewed examinations. The impression and plan of the attending surgeon were recorded before and after each in-person review. One hundred patients were reviewed with 11 attending surgeons. The in-person meetings led to changes in surgeons' diagnostic impressions in 43% (43 of 100) and changes in medical and/or surgical planning in 43% (43 of 100; 20 acute changes, 23 nonacute changes, 19 changes in operative management) of cases. There were major discrepancies (RADPEER score ≥3) between the impression of the reviewing radiologist and the written report in 11% of cases (11 of 100). Targeted in-person collaboration between radiologists and acute care surgeons is associated with substantial and frequent changes in patient management, even when the original written report contains all necessary data. The primary mechanism seems to be promotion of a shared mental model that facilitates the exchange of complex information. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Development of a model of situational leadership in residential care for older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Brighide M; McCormack, Brendan; McCance, Tanya

    2011-11-01

    The aim of the present study was to present the process used to develop a composite model of situational leadership enacted within a person-centred nursing framework in residential care. Transforming the culture of the residential unit from a restrictive institution to a vibrant community of older adults requires transformational leadership. Situational leadership is one form of transformational leadership, which claims that there is not one leadership style that works in all situations. A model of situational leadership in residential care was developed through a series of systematic steps that identified direct linkages between situational leadership and the main constructs of the Person-Centred Nursing Framework. The process included reviewing the evidence, undertaking a comparative analysis, identifying key concepts, connecting the concepts and developing a model. A conceptual model is presented which integrates person-centredness with leadership thinking in order to effectively impact on the follower's performance in managing the care environment and delivering person-centred care. Currently the model is being utilized in an action research study to evaluate the role of leaders in the practice setting of long-term care. While some of the connecting concepts have been identified in the present study, more work needs to be done to unravel these connections in further study of leaders in practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  20. A usability evaluation of a SNOMED CT based compositional interface terminology for intensive care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakhshi-Raiez, F.; de Keizer, N. F.; Cornet, R.; Dorrepaal, M.; Dongelmans, D.; Jaspers, M. W. M.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the usability of a large compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT and the terminology application for registration of the reasons for intensive care admission in a Patient Data Management System. Design: Observational study with user-based usability evaluations

  1. The role of maternal care in borderline personality disorder and dependent life stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball Cooper, Ericka; Venta, Amanda; Sharp, Carla

    2018-01-01

    Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects 0.9%-3.2% of adolescents, and more than 20% of inpatient adolescents. Life stress has been linked to BPD across the lifespan, and previous research in adults has linked BPD to dependent stress (i.e., stress induced by the individual). However, prior research has not examined dependent stress alongside BPD in adolescents. Additionally, the potential protective effect of maternal care has not been considered in this relation. This study tested a moderation model expecting that (1) BPD would be positively associated with dependent life stress, (2) maternal care would be negatively associated with BPD, and (3) maternal care would moderate the relation between BPD and dependent life stress. The sample consisted of 184 adolescents recruited from an inpatient psychiatric facility serving a diverse population in the Southwestern United States. Dependent life stress, BPD, and maternal care were measured using the UCLA Life Stress Interview, DSM-IV Childhood Interview for BPD, and Kerns Security Scale, respectively. Results supported the first two hypotheses; BPD diagnosis was significantly, positively associated with dependent life stress, and negatively associated with maternal availability and dependability. Contrary to the third hypothesis, no significant evidence that maternal care acts as a buffer in the relation between BPD and dependent life stress was found. Although maternal care was not found to moderate the association between BPD and dependent life stress, results supported previously found relations between BPD, dependent life stress, and maternal care, and did so within a diverse inpatient adolescent sample.

  2. Nursing students experienced personal inadequacy, vulnerability and transformation during their patient care encounter: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaldal, Maiken Holm; Kristiansen, Jette; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2018-05-01

    To identify, appraise and synthesize the best available evidence exploring nursing students' experiences of professional patient care encounters in a hospital unit. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were followed and a meta-synthesis was conducted. Qualitative research articles were considered for inclusion in the review, and JBI's meta-aggregative approach to synthesizing qualitative evidence was followed. An extensive search for relevant literature was undertaken in scientific databases. Data were extracted from the included research articles, and qualitative research findings were pooled using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. This involved categorization of findings on the basis of similarity of meaning and aggregation of these categories to produce a comprehensive set of synthesized findings. A total of five research articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The review process resulted in 46 subcategories that were aggregated into 13 categories. The categories generated four synthesized findings: personal existence; personal learning and development; being a professional fellow human; and clinical learning environment. We meta-synthesized that: Nursing students experienced personal inadequacy, vulnerability and a transformation during their patient care encounter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... The story demonstrates how palliative care can positively influence a patient's and family's experience with illness. Category ... Cancer: Palliative Care - Duration: 3:29. American Cancer Society 4,364 views 3:29 Perinatal Palliative Care - ...

  4. Who cares? A comparison of informal and formal care provision in Spain, England and the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solé-Auró, Aïda; Crimmins, Eileen M

    2014-03-01

    This paper investigates the prevalence of incapacity in performing daily activities and the associations between household composition and availability of family members and receipt of care among older adults with functioning problems in Spain, England and the United States of America (USA). We examine how living arrangements, marital status, child availability, limitations in functioning ability, age and gender affect the probability of receiving formal care and informal care from household members and from others in three countries with different family structures, living arrangements and policies supporting care of the incapacitated. Data sources include the 2006 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe for Spain, the third wave of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2006), and the eighth wave of the USA Health and Retirement Study (2006). Logistic and multinomial logistic regressions are used to estimate the probability of receiving care and the sources of care among persons age 50 and older. The percentage of people with functional limitations receiving care is higher in Spain. More care comes from outside the household in the USA and England than in Spain. The use of formal care among the incapacitated is lowest in the USA and highest in Spain.

  5. Factors Influencing Teamwork in Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijal Michał

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to analyse different views on interpersonal relations and team composition among managers and medical professionals with respect to the transition of professional roles in healthcare in Poland. To achieve that goal, a description based on a quantitative and qualitative questionnaire was conducted. Since the questionnaire covered various areas of health care, only its small fraction was used for the analysis. The main result is that most of the medical professionals and medical managers consider technology to be the single most important external factor influencing the team work efficiency and team composition in health care, and the managers consider skillset as the crucial factor determining whether a person would be a good team member. Based on the literature on professional roles in health care and their evolution in recent years, one can assume that constant development and lifelong learning would play a significant role in the healthcare systems reform. The findings are an important contribution to the discussion of the healthcare reform and its possible directions in future years as well a reference point for policy makers.

  6. The influence of personal and group racism on entry into prenatal care among African American women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaughter-Acey, Jaime C; Caldwell, Cleopatra H; Misra, Dawn P

    2013-01-01

    Racism has been hypothesized as a barrier to accessing health care. No quantitative study has directly assessed its influence on women's initiation of prenatal care (PNC). We examined the relationship between PNC entry and experiences of personal and group racism among low-income, African-American (AA) women. We also examined whether the use of denial of racism as a coping mechanism was associated with a delay in accessing PNC. Using a prospective/retrospective cohort design we collected data from 872 AA women (prenatally, n = 484; postpartum, n = 388). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the overall denial of racism index and PNC initiation. PNC entry was not associated with personal experiences of racism (p = .33); it was significantly associated with group experiences (p racism experienced by other AAs was a barrier to early PNC among low-income, AA women. Delayed access to PNC may be rooted in the avoidance of racialized experiences among less empowered women when faced with discrimination. Our findings have important implication for the engagement of AA women into the PNC delivery system and the health care system postpartum. Copyright © 2013 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A rational approach to long-term care: comparing the independent living model with agency-based care for persons with high spinal cord injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattson-Prince, J

    1997-05-01

    Two groups of individuals with high level tetraplegia (C1-4) were compared with respect to the model of personal care assistance used. The study was undertaken to determine whether a finite population with severe disability had differences in health status, costs and perceived quality of life, relative to whether they used agencies for their care, or hired, trained and reimbursed care givers independently. A survey, which included demographics as well as portions of RAND-36, LSI-A, PIP, PASI and CHART was used. Telephone interviews were held with 29 individuals who received their care through an agency and 42 who managed care independently. Chi square, 't'-tests, and multiple regression analysis were used to control for potentially confounding group differences. The self-managed group demonstrated significantly better health outcomes, with fewer re-hospitalizations for preventable complications. They experienced better life satisfaction and significantly lower costs. Although those who used an independent model of care-giving received significantly more hours of paid assistance, the average annual cost of care was significantly lower for each individual. In addition to reducing the financial burden on the individual and society, self-managed care seemed to diminish the emotional burden borne by these individuals.

  8. A Smartphone Application for Personal Assessments of Body Composition and Phenotyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gian Luca Farina

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Personal assessments of body phenotype can enhance success in weight management but are limited by the lack of availability of practical methods. We describe a novel smart phone application of digital photography (DP and determine its validity to estimate fat mass (FM. This approach utilizes the percent (% occupancy of an individual lateral whole-body digital image and regions indicative of adipose accumulation associated with increased risk of cardio-metabolic disease. We measured 117 healthy adults (63 females and 54 males aged 19 to 65 years with DP and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA and report here the development and validation of this application. Inter-observer variability of the determination of % occupancy was 0.02%. Predicted and reference FM values were significantly related in females (R2 = 0.949, SEE = 2.83 and males (R2 = 0.907, SEE = 2.71. Differences between predicted and measured FM values were small (0.02 kg, p = 0.96 and 0.07 kg, p = 0.96 for females and males, respectively. No significant bias was found; limits of agreement ranged from 5.6 to −5.4 kg for females and from 5.6 to −5.7 kg for males. These promising results indicate that DP is a practical and valid method for personal body composition assessments.

  9. Strengthening care for injured persons in less developed countries: a case study of Ghana and Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mock, Charles; Arreola-Risa, Carlos; Quansah, Robert

    2003-01-01

    In all countries, the priority for reducing road traffic injuries should be prevention. Nonetheless, there are low-cost ways to strengthen the care of injured persons, that will help to lower the toll from road traffic. The purpose of this review was to elucidate ways to accomplish this goal in the context of less developed countries. Studies selected for this review were obtained by Medline review, selecting on key words such as trauma, injury, trauma care, essential health services, and developing country. Articles pertaining to any country and all available years were considered. In addition, the authors utilized articles from the gray literature and journals from Mexico and Ghana that are not Medline referenced. Studies surveyed point to road safety and other forms of injury prevention, as well as prehospital care, as likely priorities for developing countries. Nonetheless, hospital-based improvements can contribute to decreases in mortality and, especially, decreases in disability. For both prehospital and hospital based care, studies revealed several critical weak points to address in: (1) human resources (staffing and training); (2) physical resources (equipment, supplies, and infrastructure); and (3) administration and organization. The 'essential services' approach, which has contributed to progress in a variety of fields of international health, needs to be developed for the care of the injured. This would define the trauma treatment services that could realistically be made available to virtually every injured person. It would then address the inputs of human resources, physical resources, and administration necessary to assure these services optimally in the different geographic and socioeconomic environments worldwide. Finally, it would identify and target deficiencies in these inputs that need to be strengthened.

  10. Influence of non-economic factors in the use of personal care products: the case of male Peruvian consumer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Otto Regalado Pezúa

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Over the past decade, the supply of male personal care products and services has increased considerably on a global scale. In the case of the Peruvian market, this phenomenon is still incipient despite a favorable economic outlook that has boosted the consumption in different categories. This research identifies factors that influence the consumption decision of this kind of products for the male segment. To do this, the authors used the Theory of Planned Behavior of Ajzen. The results show that male consumers´ perception of his environment (subjective norm restrains the intention of consumption of personal care products, even though the male consumer has a positive attitude toward using of these products. These factors would reflect the existence of deeply rooted taboos in Peruvian culture, based on a traditional view of man.

  11. Mental Health Care Providers' Views of Their Work with Consumers and Their Reports of Recovery-Orientation, Job Satisfaction, and Personal Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborn, Lawrence A; Stein, Catherine H

    2016-10-01

    The research examined the role of mental health care providers' perceptions of their professional relationships with consumers in understanding their reports of agency recovery-oriented services and their own sense of job satisfaction and personal growth. Multidisciplinary community mental health care providers (N = 105) responded to an online self-report questionnaire. Providers' reports of higher levels of working alliance and greater provider directiveness in working with consumers was significantly related to providers' reports of higher levels of agency recovery-orientation and higher levels of personal growth. Providers' reports of working alliance accounted for the largest proportion of variance in providers' reports of job satisfaction. Mental health providers' perceptions of relationships with consumers are central to understanding providers' views of agency recovery-orientation and sense of professional and personal well-being.

  12. Collaborative Care for patients with severe borderline and NOS personality disorders: A comparative multiple case study on processes and outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koekkoek Bauke

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Structured psychotherapy is recommended as the preferred treatment of personality disorders. A substantial group of patients, however, has no access to these therapies or does not benefit. For those patients who have no (longer access to psychotherapy a Collaborative Care Program (CCP is developed. Collaborative Care originated in somatic health care to increase shared decision making and to enhance self management skills of chronic patients. Nurses have a prominent position in CCP's as they are responsible for optimal continuity and coordination of care. The aim of the CCP is to improve quality of life and self management skills, and reduce destructive behaviour and other manifestations of the personality disorder. Methods/design Quantitative and qualitative data are combined in a comparative multiple case study. This makes it possible to test the feasibility of the CCP, and also provides insight into the preliminary outcomes of CCP. Two treatment conditions will be compared, one in which the CCP is provided, the other in which Care as Usual is offered. In both conditions 16 patients will be included. The perspectives of patients, their informal carers and nurses are integrated in this study. Data (questionnaires, documents, and interviews will be collected among these three groups of participants. The process of treatment and care within both research conditions is described with qualitative research methods. Additional quantitative data provide insight in the preliminary results of the CCP compared to CAU. With a stepped analysis plan the 'black box' of the application of the program will be revealed in order to understand which characteristics and influencing factors are indicative for positive or negative outcomes. Discussion The present study is, as to the best of our knowledge, the first to examine Collaborative Care for patients with severe personality disorders receiving outpatient mental health care. With the chosen

  13. Inclusion of the personal biography in daily care – a qualitative study / Einbezug der Biographie in den Pflegealltag – eine qualitative Studie

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kipfer Stephanie

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In Switzerland, 39% of nursing home residents have a dementia related disease. Behavioral symptoms are increasingly observed as dementia progresses. These symptoms impair patients’ quality of life and are distressing to family caregivers and nurses. A person-centered approach, which includes the resident’s individual biography, reduces such symptoms. The most current literature describes how therapists include biographical information in designated therapies. However person-centered care takes place not only in specific activities. Nurses are responsible for their patients’ care 24 hours a day.

  14. Socioeconomic disparities in home health care service access and utilization: a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodridge, Donna; Hawranik, Pamela; Duncan, Vicky; Turner, Hollie

    2012-10-01

    Home health care services are expanding at a rapid pace in order to meet the needs of the growing population of older adults and those with chronic illnesses. Because of current restrictions on home health care as an insured service in some countries, individuals may be required to pay for some or all of their home care services out of pocket. These payments may potentially limit access to needed home care services for persons in the lowest socioeconomic strata. Previous research demonstrates a clear socioeconomic gradient in access to acute and primary care services, where those most in need of services are the most disadvantaged and under-serviced. There has been little attention paid thus far, however, to the way in which socioeconomic status may affect the receipt of home health care services. To determine what is known from existing literature about socioeconomic disparities in home health care access and utilization. A scoping review was used to map the extent and nature of the literature in this area. A search of the databases CINAHL, Medline, SocIndex and Sociological Abstracts as well as Dissertations International. A total of 206 potentially relevant articles were published between 2000 and April 2011. Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles, leaving 15 research articles to be included in the scoping review. The majority of articles reported secondary analyses of administrative datasets related to utilization of home health care. Several studies examined access and utilization using qualitative approaches. The distinction between professional and supportive home care services was not always clear in the articles. Individual and composite measures of socioeconomic status were reported, with the most frequently used indicator being income. Several studies used more complex composite ecological indicators of socieconomic status. There was general agreement that utilization of home health services favored persons with greater economic disadvantage

  15. Personalized Risk Scoring for Critical Care Prognosis Using Mixtures of Gaussian Processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaa, Ahmed M; Yoon, Jinsung; Hu, Scott; van der Schaar, Mihaela

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, we develop a personalized real-time risk scoring algorithm that provides timely and granular assessments for the clinical acuity of ward patients based on their (temporal) lab tests and vital signs; the proposed risk scoring system ensures timely intensive care unit admissions for clinically deteriorating patients. The risk scoring system is based on the idea of sequential hypothesis testing under an uncertain time horizon. The system learns a set of latent patient subtypes from the offline electronic health record data, and trains a mixture of Gaussian Process experts, where each expert models the physiological data streams associated with a specific patient subtype. Transfer learning techniques are used to learn the relationship between a patient's latent subtype and her static admission information (e.g., age, gender, transfer status, ICD-9 codes, etc). Experiments conducted on data from a heterogeneous cohort of 6321 patients admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical center show that our score significantly outperforms the currently deployed risk scores, such as the Rothman index, MEWS, APACHE, and SOFA scores, in terms of timeliness, true positive rate, and positive predictive value. Our results reflect the importance of adopting the concepts of personalized medicine in critical care settings; significant accuracy and timeliness gains can be achieved by accounting for the patients' heterogeneity. The proposed risk scoring methodology can confer huge clinical and social benefits on a massive number of critically ill inpatients who exhibit adverse outcomes including, but not limited to, cardiac arrests, respiratory arrests, and septic shocks.

  16. Behavioral Health Providers for Persons Who Are Deaf, Deafblind, or Hard-of-Hearing: A National Survey of the Structural and Process Domains of Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nolan, Beth A D; Mathos, Kimberly; Fusco, Laura E; Post, Edward P

    2015-01-01

    Research suggests higher prevalence of mental health problems for those with hearing problems than in the general population. Despite barriers, mental health services for persons who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (HOH) have developed to meet the cultural and communication needs of this population. The authors conducted a national survey of mental health service providers to persons who are deaf, deafblind, or HOH, to learn about their structural and process domains of care. Results indicate that services for persons who are deaf, deafblind, or HOH are inadequate for consumers with serious mental illness. Results also uncovered unique pathways to care and practitioners.

  17. Personality modulates the efficacy of treatment in patients with major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardenaar, Klaas J; Conradi, Henk Jan; Bos, Elisabeth H; de Jonge, Peter

    2014-09-01

    Effects of depression treatment are obscured by heterogeneity among patients. Personality types could be one source of heterogeneity that explains variability in treatment response. Clinically meaningful variations in personality patterns could be captured with data-driven subgroups. The aim of this study was to identify such personality types and to explore their predictive value for treatment efficacy. Participants (N = 146) in the current exploratory study came from a randomized controlled trial in primary care depressed patients, conducted between January 1998 and June 2003, comparing different treatments. All participants were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder (MDD) according to the DSM-IV. Primary (care as usual [CAU] or CAU plus a psychoeducational prevention program [PEP]) and specialized (CAU + PEP + psychiatric consultation or cognitive-behavioral therapy) treatment were compared. Personality was assessed with the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Personality classes were identified with latent profile analysis (LPA). During 1 year, weekly depression ratings were obtained by trimonthly assessment with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Mixed models were used to analyze the effects of personality on treatment efficacy. A 2-class LPA solution fit best to the NEO-FFI data: Class 1 (vulnerable, n = 94) was characterized by high neuroticism, low extraversion, and low conscientiousness, and Class 2 (resilient, n = 52) by medium neuroticism and extraversion and higher agreeableness and conscientiousness. Recovery was quicker in the resilient class (class × time: P Personality profile may predict whether specialized clinical efforts have added value, showing potential implications for planning of treatments. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

  18. How do persons with dementia participate in decision making related to health and daily care? a multi-case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smebye, Kari Lislerud; Kirkevold, Marit; Engedal, Knut

    2012-08-07

    Many countries have passed laws giving patients the right to participate in decisions about health care. People with dementia cannot be assumed to be incapable of making decisions on their diagnosis alone as they may have retained cognitive abilities.The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how persons with dementia participated in making decisions about health care and how their family carers and professional caregivers influenced decision making. This Norwegian study had a qualitative multi-case design. The triad in each of the ten cases consisted of the person with dementia, the family carer and the professional caregiver, in all 30 participants. Inclusion criteria for the persons with dementia were: (1) 67 years or older (2) diagnosed with dementia (3) Clinical Dementia Rating score 2, moderate dementia; (3) able to communicate verbally. The family carers and professional caregivers were then asked to participate.A semi-structured interview guide was used in interviews with family carers and professional caregivers. Field notes were written after participant observation of interactions between persons with dementia and professional caregivers during morning care or activities at a day centre. How the professional caregivers facilitated decision making was the focus of the observations that varied in length from 30 to 90 minutes. The data were analyzed using framework analysis combined with a hermeneutical interpretive approach. Professional caregivers based their assessment of mental competence on experience and not on standardized tests. Persons with dementia demonstrated variability in how they participated in decision making. Pseudo-autonomous decision making and delegating decision making were new categories that emerged. Autonomous decision making did occur but shared decision making was the most typical pattern. Reduced mental capacity, lack of available choices or not being given the opportunity to participate led to non

  19. Improving Self-Care of Patients with Chronic Disease using Online Personal Health Record

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amol Wagholikar

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Background Effective management of chronic diseases such as prostate cancer is important. Research suggests a tendency to use self-care treatment options such as over-the-counter (OTC complementary medications among prostate cancer patients. The current trend in patient-driven recording of health data in an online Personal Health Record (PHR presents an opportunity to develop new data-driven approaches for improving prostate cancer patient care. However, the ability of current online solutions to share patients’ data for better decision support is limited. An informatics approach may improve online sharing of self-care interventions among these patients. It can also provide better evidence to support decisions made during their self-managed care.Aims To identify requirements for an online system and describe a new case-based reasoning (CBR method for improving self-care of advanced prostate cancer patients in an online PHR environment. Method A non-identifying online survey was conducted to understand self-care patterns among prostate cancer patients and to identify requirements for an online information system. The pilot study was carried out between August 2010 and December 2010. A case-base of 52 patients was developed. Results The data analysis showed self-care patterns among the prostate cancer patients. Selenium (55% was the common complementary supplement used by the patients. Paracetamol (about 45% was the commonly used OTC by the patients. Conclusion The results of this study specified requirements for an online case-based reasoning information system. The outcomes of this study are being incorporated in design of the proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI driven patient journey browser system. A basic version of the proposed system is currently being considered for implementation.

  20. Comprehensive geriatric assessment, multifactorial interventions and nurse-led care coordination to prevent functional decline in community-dwelling older persons: protocol of a cluster randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suijker Jacqueline J

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Functional decline in community-dwelling older persons is associated with the loss of independence, the need for hospital and nursing-home care and premature death. The effectiveness of multifactorial interventions in preventing functional decline remains controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate whether functional decline in community-dwelling older persons can be delayed or prevented by a comprehensive geriatric assessment, multifactorial interventions and nurse-led care coordination. Methods/Design In a cluster randomized controlled trial, with the general practice as the unit of randomization, 1281 participants from 25 general practices will be enrolled in each condition to compare the intervention with usual care. The intervention will focus on older persons who are at increased risk for functional decline, identified by an Identification of Seniors at Risk Primary Care (ISAR-PC score (≥ 2. These older persons will receive a comprehensive geriatric assessment, an individually tailored care and treatment plan, consisting of multifactorial, evidence-based interventions and subsequent nurse-led care coordination. The control group will receive 'care as usual' by the general practitioner (GP. The main outcome after 12 months is the level of physical functioning on the modified Katz-15 index score. The secondary outcomes are health-related quality of life, psychological and social functioning, healthcare utilization and institutionalization. Furthermore, a process evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Discussion This study will provide new knowledge regarding the effectiveness and feasibility of a comprehensive geriatric assessment, multifactorial interventions and nurse-led elderly care in general practice. Trial registration NTR2653 Grant Unrestricted grant 'The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and development' no 313020201

  1. Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Persons with Intellectual Disability in a Vegetarian Residential Care Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Morad

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among intellectually disabled persons in a vegetarian remedial community in Israel. In this community, 47 individuals with intellectual disability (ID live in 7 enlarged families in a kibbutz style agricultural setting. These 47 individuals and 17 of their caregivers were screened for vitamin B12 deficiency. There were 25.5% of the disabled vs. 11.8% of the caregivers found to have levels of vitamin B12 lower than 157 pg/ml. It is concluded that persons with ID in this vegetarian residential care community seemed to be at a higher risk for vitamin B12 deficiency.

  2. A PRESSURE ULCER AND FALL RATE QUALITY COMPOSITE INDEX FOR ACUTE CARE UNITS: A MEASURE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayawardhana, Ananda; Burman, Mary E.; Dunton, Nancy E.; Staggs, Vincent S.; Bergquist-Beringer, Sandra; Gajewski, Byron J.

    2016-01-01

    Background Composite indices are single measures that combine the strengths of two or more individual measures and provide broader, easy-to-use measures for evaluation of provider performance and comparisons across units and hospitals to support quality improvement. Objective The study objective was to develop a unit-level inpatient composite nursing care quality performance index – the Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index. Design Two-phase measure development study. Settings 5,144 patient care units in 857 United States hospitals participating in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indictors® during the year 2013. Methods The Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index was developed in two phases. In Phase 1 the formula was generated using a utility function and generalized penalty analysis. Experts with experience in healthcare quality measurement provided the point of indicator equivalence. In Phase 2 initial validity evidence was gathered based on hypothesized relationships between the Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index and other variables using two-level (unit, hospital) hierarchical linear mixed modeling. Results The Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index = 100 − PUR − FR, where PUR is pressure ulcer rate and FR is total fall rate. Higher scores indicate better quality. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated agreement between pairs of experts and provided evidence for inter-rater reliability of the formula. The validation process demonstrated that higher registered nurse skill mix, higher percent of registered nurses with a baccalaureate in nursing or higher degree, higher percent of registered nurses with national specialty certification, and lower percent of hours supplied by agency staff were significantly associated with higher Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index scores. Higher percentages of unit patients at risk for a hospital-acquired pressure ulcer and higher unit rates of

  3. Personal factors and personality characteristics as predictors of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study set to investigate personal factors and personality characteristics as Predictors of customers satisfaction with health care services. The study utilized Ex-Post Facto design. A total number of 100 participants took part in the study which were made up of 57 (57%) males and 48 (48%) females, with a mean age of ...

  4. Patient education, nudge, and manipulation: defining the ethical conditions of the person-centered model of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reach, Gérard

    2016-01-01

    Patient education (PE) is expected to help patients with a chronic disease to manage their lives and give them the possibility of adopting, in an appropriate manner, beneficial changes in health behaviors that are prescribed by their physicians. It is aimed at delineating, agreeing on, and implementing a patient's personal action plan and is therefore an essential constituent of the person-centered model of care. The aim of this article is to examine the idea that PE may sometimes be a manipulation that is organized for the good of patients in a paternalistic framework. Theoretically, PE differs from manipulation by addressing the reflective intelligence of patients in full light and helping them make autonomous choices. In this article, we examined some analogies between PE and nudge (ie, techniques used to push people to make good choices by organizing their environment). This analysis suggests that PE is not always as transparent and reflective as it is supposed to be and that unmasking these issues may be useful for improving the ethical quality of educational practice that must be performed in a framework of a trusting patient-doctor relationship. Under this condition, PE may sometimes represent a form of persuasion without being accused of patient deception and manipulation: trust is therefore the core of the person-centered model of care.

  5. Patient education, nudge, and manipulation: defining the ethical conditions of the person-centered model of care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reach, Gérard

    2016-01-01

    Patient education (PE) is expected to help patients with a chronic disease to manage their lives and give them the possibility of adopting, in an appropriate manner, beneficial changes in health behaviors that are prescribed by their physicians. It is aimed at delineating, agreeing on, and implementing a patient’s personal action plan and is therefore an essential constituent of the person-centered model of care. The aim of this article is to examine the idea that PE may sometimes be a manipulation that is organized for the good of patients in a paternalistic framework. Theoretically, PE differs from manipulation by addressing the reflective intelligence of patients in full light and helping them make autonomous choices. In this article, we examined some analogies between PE and nudge (ie, techniques used to push people to make good choices by organizing their environment). This analysis suggests that PE is not always as transparent and reflective as it is supposed to be and that unmasking these issues may be useful for improving the ethical quality of educational practice that must be performed in a framework of a trusting patient–doctor relationship. Under this condition, PE may sometimes represent a form of persuasion without being accused of patient deception and manipulation: trust is therefore the core of the person-centered model of care. PMID:27103791

  6. [Governance in a project addressing care of disabled elderly persons within the regional healthcare system of Tuscany, Italy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedace, Claudio; Rosa, Antonella; Francesconi, Paolo; Acampora, Anna; Ricciardi, Walter; Damiani, Gianfranco

    2017-01-01

    Population aging and the concurrent increase of age-related chronic degenerative diseases and disability are associated with an increased proportion of elderly persons who are dependent in activities of daily living (ADL). ADL-dependent persons need continuous and long-term health and social care according to the "taking charge" rationale, in order to warrant access and continuity of care. A healthcare system needs to respond to the long-term and complex needs, such as those of disabled elderly people, by providing appropriate health and social care services in Primary Care. A Primary Health Care system is organized according to two governance levels have distinct aims but are closely inter-dependent in their operational mechanisms. The system governance is accountable for the community and individual health protection while the delivery governance is accountable for the provision of services in accordance with appropriateness, safety and economic criteria. Delivery governance can be considered "integrated governance" as a synergy exists between two decision-making systems guiding provider choices, which are corporate governance and clinical governance. The aim of this study was to analyse the abovementioned governance levels within the healthcare system in Tuscany (Italy) referring to long-term residential care for disabled elderly people. The case of excessive accesses to emergency departments from different types of Nursing Homes (NH) is used as an example to analyse different levels of responsibility involved in the management of a critical phenomenon. Suggestions for improvement in the different levels of governance for disabled elderly people are provided, in order to support institutional programming activities.

  7. Older persons' worries expressed during home care visits: Exploring the content of cues and concerns identified by the Verona coding definitions of emotional sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafskjold, Linda; Eide, Tom; Holmström, Inger K; Sundling, Vibeke; van Dulmen, Sandra; Eide, Hilde

    2016-12-01

    Little is known about how older persons in home care express their concerns. Emotional cues and concerns can be identified by the Verona coding definitions of emotional sequences (VR-CoDES), but the method gives no insight into what causes the distress and the emotions involved. The aims of this study are to explore (1) older persons' worries and (2) the content of these expressions. An observational exploratory two-step approach was used to investigate audiotaped recordings from 38 Norwegian home care visits with older persons and nurse assistants. First, 206 cues and concerns were identified using VR-CoDES. Second, the content and context of these expressions were analysed inductively. Four main categories emerged: worries about relationships with others, worries about health care-related issues, worries about aging and bodily impairment, and life narratives and value issues, with several subcategories showing the causes of worry and emotions involved. The two-step approach provides an in-depth knowledge of older persons' worries, causes of worries, and their related emotions. The subcategories described in a language close to the experience can be useful in practice development and communication training for students and health care providers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. [DSM-5 classification of personality disorders in older persons

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alphen, S.P. van; Rossi, G.; Dierckx, E.; Oude Voshaar, R.C.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although it is generally agreed that personality disorders are an important topic in old-age psychiatry, DSM-5 has paid relatively little attention to older persons affected with this severe mental disorder. AIM: To look closely and carefully at several aspects of the way in which DSM-5

  9. Method for Assigning Priority Levels in Acute Care (MAPLe-AC predicts outcomes of acute hospital care of older persons - a cross-national validation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ljunggren Gunnar

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although numerous risk factors for adverse outcomes for older persons after an acute hospital stay have been identified, a decision making tool combining all available information in a clinically meaningful way would be helpful for daily hospital practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the Method for Assigning Priority Levels for Acute Care (MAPLe-AC to predict adverse outcomes in acute care for older people and to assess its usability as a decision making tool for discharge planning. Methods Data from a prospective multicenter study in five Nordic acute care hospitals with information from admission to a one year follow-up of older acute care patients were compared with a prospective study of acute care patients from admission to discharge in eight hospitals in Canada. The interRAI Acute Care assessment instrument (v1.1 was used for data collection. Data were collected during the first 24 hours in hospital, including pre-morbid and admission information, and at day 7 or at discharge, whichever came first. Based on this information a crosswalk was developed from the original MAPLe algorithm for home care settings to acute care (MAPLe-AC. The sample included persons 75 years or older who were admitted to acute internal medical services in one hospital in each of the five Nordic countries (n = 763 or to acute hospital care either internal medical or combined medical-surgical services in eight hospitals in Ontario, Canada (n = 393. The outcome measures considered were discharge to home, discharge to institution or death. Outcomes in a 1-year follow-up in the Nordic hospitals were: living at home, living in an institution or death, and survival. Logistic regression with ROC curves and Cox regression analyses were used in the analyses. Results Low and mild priority levels of MAPLe-AC predicted discharge home and high and very high priority levels predicted adverse outcome at discharge both in the Nordic

  10. The conceptions of care among family caregivers of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aga, Fekadu; Kylmä, Jari; Nikkonen, Merja

    2009-01-01

    This focused ethnographic study explores and describes the conceptions of care among family caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWAs) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Leininger's theory of culture care diversity and universality is the conceptual anchor of this ethnographic study. Using semistructured interviews and participant observation, 6 key informants and 12 general informants were interviewed in their home in Amharic language. Data were analyzed in Amharic using Leininger's phases of ethnonursing analysis for qualitative data and then translated to English. Four major themes representing family caregivers' conceptions of care were identified: nourishing the PLWA while struggling with poverty, maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene of the person and surroundings, comforting the PLWA, and sacrificing self to sustain the PLWA. Valuable data were gathered about the family caregivers' conceptions of care. Nurses can use this knowledge to design and provide culturally congruent care to family caregivers and PLWAs in the community.

  11. Comparing Effectiveness of Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder in Communal Mental Health Care: The Oulu BPD Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leppänen, V; Hakko, H; Sintonen, H; Lindeman, S

    2016-02-01

    The implementation of effective psychotherapies in community mental health care is challenging. This study aimed to create a well-structured and easily applicable treatment model for patients with severe borderline personality disorder (BPD). We integrated a schema therapy based psycho-educational group into an available individual therapy. Two groups were formed: (1) community treatment by experts (CTBE) patients (n = 24) receiving new treatment and (2) treatment as usual (TAU) patients (n = 47). Changes in symptoms were measured by Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index-IV interview and quality of life by the 15D health-related quality of life questionnaire. After 1 year the CTBE patients showed a significant reduction in a wider range of BPD symptoms and better quality of life than TAU patients. The results of this study are encouraging. A well-structured treatment model was successfully implemented into community mental health care with improved patient adherence to treatment and superior treatment outcomes compared to TAU patients.

  12. The Role of Consumer-Controlled Personal Health Management Systems in the Evolution of Employer-Based Health Care Benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Spencer S; Caloyeras, John; Mattke, Soeren

    2011-01-01

    The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has piqued employers' interest in new benefit designs because it includes numerous provisions that favor cost-reducing strategies, such as workplace wellness programs, value-based insurance design (VBID), and consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs). Consumer-controlled personal health management systems (HMSs) are a class of tools that provide encouragement, data, and decision support to individuals. Their functionalities fall into the following three categories: health information management, promotion of wellness and healthy lifestyles, and decision support. In this study, we review the evidence for many of the possible components of an HMS, including personal health records, web-based health risk assessments, integrated remote monitoring data, personalized health education and messaging, nutrition solutions and physical activity monitoring, diabetes-management solutions, medication reminders, vaccination and preventive-care applications, integrated incentive programs, social-networking tools, comparative data on price and value of providers, telehealth consultations, virtual coaching, and an integrated nurse hotline. The value of the HMS will be borne out as employers begin to adopt and implement these emerging technologies, enabling further assessment as their benefits and costs become better understood.

  13. Composite Measures of Health Care Provider Performance: A Description of Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shwartz, Michael; Restuccia, Joseph D; Rosen, Amy K

    2015-01-01

    Context Since the Institute of Medicine’s 2001 report Crossing the Quality Chasm, there has been a rapid proliferation of quality measures used in quality-monitoring, provider-profiling, and pay-for-performance (P4P) programs. Although individual performance measures are useful for identifying specific processes and outcomes for improvement and tracking progress, they do not easily provide an accessible overview of performance. Composite measures aggregate individual performance measures into a summary score. By reducing the amount of data that must be processed, they facilitate (1) benchmarking of an organization’s performance, encouraging quality improvement initiatives to match performance against high-performing organizations, and (2) profiling and P4P programs based on an organization’s overall performance. Methods We describe different approaches to creating composite measures, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and provide examples of their use. Findings The major issues in creating composite measures are (1) whether to aggregate measures at the patient level through all-or-none approaches or the facility level, using one of the several possible weighting schemes; (2) when combining measures on different scales, how to rescale measures (using z scores, range percentages, ranks, or 5-star categorizations); and (3) whether to use shrinkage estimators, which increase precision by smoothing rates from smaller facilities but also decrease transparency. Conclusions Because provider rankings and rewards under P4P programs may be sensitive to both context and the data, careful analysis is warranted before deciding to implement a particular method. A better understanding of both when and where to use composite measures and the incentives created by composite measures are likely to be important areas of research as the use of composite measures grows. PMID:26626986

  14. Balancing professional and personal satisfaction of nurse managers: current and future perspectives in a changing health care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorpe, Karran; Loo, Robert

    2003-09-01

    The objectives of this research were to explore and describe emerging new roles of First-Line Nurse Managers (F-LNMs i.e. individuals who oversee the daily operations of nursing units, regardless of their titles) in one Canadian province, identify their requisite knowledge, skills, competencies, and determine the training and development needs of these managers. F-LNMs, recognized as key players in health care systems, face major challenges (e.g. continuing organizational change, lack of resources) daily. These challenges affect their ability to achieve quality work experiences for their staff members and quality of nursing care for their patients and for themselves. The research design entails a triangulation of investigators (nursing and management), methods (interviews and a Delphi Study), samples (interviews with 26 F-LNMs and a Delphi Study with 62 panelists), and data (qualitative and quantitative). Institutions were randomly selected and then F-LNMs were randomly selected to participate in personal interviews and the remaining F-LNMs, along with nominated senior administrators, were invited to participate in the Delphi Study. Key findings relate to role changes (e.g. job enlargement and emphasis on efficiency), challenges (e.g. staffing and retention, frustrations), and recommendations for administrators (e.g. provide resources, training and development) and educators (e.g. link education to organizational needs). Ultimately, organizational changes and challenges affect how F-LNMs perceive their future professional (e.g. providing quality of patient care) and personal (e.g. high quality of life) satisfaction levels. This research suggests that the role of F-LNMs continues to evolve, consistent with the changing health care system. F-LNMs face challenges that compromise performance of their functions as they believe their work should be completed. To enhance satisfaction in their roles, F-LNMs express a desire for balance in their professional and personal

  15. Personal Hygiene Practices among Urban Homeless Persons in Boston, MA

    OpenAIRE

    Leibler, Jessica H.; Nguyen, Daniel D.; Le?n, Casey; Gaeta, Jessie M.; Perez, Debora

    2017-01-01

    Persons experiencing homelessness in the United States experience significant barriers to self-care and personal hygiene, including limited access to clean showers, laundry and hand washing facilities. While the obstacles to personal hygiene associated with homelessness may increase risk of infectious disease, hygiene-related behaviors among people experiencing homelessness has received limited attention. We conducted a cross-sectional study of individuals experiencing homelessness in Boston,...

  16. [The contribution of living arrangements in the provision of care for elderly persons with functional impairments in São Paulo, Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duarte, Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira; Lebrão, Maria Lúcia; Lima, Fernão Dias de

    2005-01-01

    To describe the functional performance, need for assistance, and living arrangements of elderly persons in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, as part of a project called Health, Well-being, and Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean (the "SABE project"). In 2000, 2 143 individuals 60 years of age or older were interviewed, using the standardized SABE questionnaire. The sample was obtained in two stages, using census sectors with replacement and probability proportional to population. To have the desired number of respondents 75 or older, additional homes close to the selected census sectors were found, with weighting of the final results. The functional performance of the elderly persons was measured in terms of their ability to perform basic activities of daily living (walking across a room, eating, lying down on a bed and getting up from it, using the bathroom, dressing and undressing, and bathing) and to carry out instrumental activities of daily living (buying and preparing food, performing light and heavy household chores, using the telephone, taking medications, and handling money). Functional impairment was defined as the need for assistance in performing at least one of the basic or instrumental activities. There were 66 types of living arrangements (household composition) identified and grouped into seven categories, according to with whom an elderly person lived and whether the other residents of the household were relatives or not. Of the individuals interviewed, 19.2% presented a functional impairment in basic activities and 26.5% in instrumental activities. The impairments were more common among women and among persons 75 or older. The proportion of elderly persons with an impairment who received help with basic activities ranged from 25.6% (lying down on the bed and getting up) to 70.5% (eating). With instrumental activities, the proportion receiving assistance ranged from 79.7% (light domestic chores) to 97.8% (buying food). With respect to living

  17. Reclaiming the best of the biopsychosocial model of mental health care and 'recovery' for older people through a 'person-centred' approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKay, Roderick; McDonald, Regina; Lie, David; McGowan, Helen

    2012-12-01

    The 'biopsychosocial', 'person-centred care' (PCC) and 'recovery' models of care can be seen as distinct and competing paradigms. This paper proposes an integration of these valuable perspectives and suggestions for effective implementation in health services for the elderly. An overview of PCC and recovery models, and their application for older people with mental health problems, is provided. Their overlap and contrast with the familiar 'biopsychosocial' model of mental health care is considered, together with obstacles to implementation. Utilisation of PCC and recovery concepts allow clinicians to avoid narrow application of the biopsychosocial approach and encourages clinicians to focus on the person's right to autonomy, their values and life goals. Service reform and development is required to embed these concepts into core clinical processes so as to improve outcomes and the quality of life for older people with mental health problems.

  18. Incorporating person centred care principles into an ongoing comprehensive cancer management program: An experiential account

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vallath Nandini

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent research indicates a definite positive impact on treatment outcomes when an integrative approach that focuses on symptom control and quality of life is provided along with the standard therapeutic regimens. However implementation or practice of this approach is not seen widely due to the culture of medical training and practice. This article presents the initial development of a program for incorporating integrative care principles into an ongoing comprehensive cancer care program at a tertiary centre. The key purpose of the program being to develop, facilitate, and establish comprehensive and holistic processes including palliative care principles, that would positively enhance the quantity and quality of life of the person with disease, as well as create an environment that reflects and sustains this approach. The vision, objectives, goals, strategies, activities and results within the 7 months of implementation are documented. The new learnings gained during the process have also been noted in the hope that the model described may be used to conceptualize similar care giving facilities in other centres.

  19. Utilisation of formal and informal care and services at home among persons with dementia: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bökberg, Christina; Ahlström, Gerd; Karlsson, Staffan

    2017-09-04

    The progression of dementia disease implies increasing needs for both informal and formal care and services but also risk of institutionalisation. To better adjust care and services in the phase preceding institutionalisation it is important to find out whether utilisation of formal and informal care and services is determined by increased needs and by who meets the needs. The aim was to compare persons with dementia (65+) with different levels of cognitive impairment, regarding utilisation of formal and informal care and service at home. The participants consisted of 177 persons with dementia ≥65 years old and at risk of nursing home admission, divided into groups according to their cognitive function. Structured interviews were conducted based on questionnaires about type and amount of formal and informal care utilised, as well as questions regarding cognitive impairment, dependency in activities of daily living (ADLs) and neuropsychiatric symptoms. To analyse the data, descriptive and comparative statistics were used. The findings revealed that the group with severe dementia used significantly more help with ADLs and supervision in terms of time (number of hours and days) provided by the informal caregiver, compared with the group with moderate dementia. Utilisation of formal care and services was highest in the group with the most severe cognitive impairments (Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination score of <9). The group with severe dementia were more dependent in ADLs and had more neuropsychiatric symptoms (hallucinations and motor disturbances). They were younger and more often cohabitated with the informal caregiver, compared with the group with moderate dementia. This study shows that in the phase preceding institutionalisation the ADL and supervision needs due to progression of dementia appear to tend to be met first and foremost by the informal caregivers. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  20. The access of the homeless persons with tuberculosis to the health care: an integrative review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annelissa Andrade Virgínio de Oliveira

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The Tuberculosis (TB keeps being a big public health problem in the world, having the poverty, the bad life condition, the bad income distribution, the social iniquity and the disability on the health system as a substrate to its maintenance. Objective: To identify the scientific knowledge produced under the access to the health service of the homeless person sick by TB. Method: Integrative literature review conducted from April to June, 2016, having as inclusion criteria: publications written in Portuguese, English or Spanish, published from 1990 to 2015, indexed on the data basis: LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE and Web of Science and portals Virtual Health Library (VHL and MEDLINE/PubMed, that had the text completely available online. As searching strategy was used the Boolean operator AND, with the descriptors: Tuberculosis, health services accessibility; homeless persons. To obtain the information that answered the research guideline question was elaborated a form that contemplated the following items: identification, theme, descriptors or key-words, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, conclusions and references. The search resulted in 51 articles that, observed with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulted in 10 complete articles. The data analyzes was made in qualitative terms, summarized in three categories: I Specific characteristics of the homeless people access to the health services to tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment; II Access difficulty to the health care: factors related to homeless people and factors related to health services; III Strategies to overcome the access difficulties of the homeless person (HLP  to the health care. Results: pointed that the homeless people have a higher risk to get sick by TB, presenting TB incidence rate 10 to 20 times higher than the general population. Many obstacles that limited those people access to the health services were identified. Many times they presented

  1. The Effects of Consumer Knowledge and Values on Attitudes and Purchase Intentions : A Quantitative Study of Organic Personal Care Products Among German Female Consumers

    OpenAIRE

    Saleem, Bilal; Recker, Alena

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different types of consumer knowledge and values on their attitude towards buying organic personal care products and their purchase intentions of organic personal care products. The aim was to make a theoretical contribution to the research area of consumer behaviour in the context of organic products. As no research had been conducted on how different types of consumers’ knowledge affect their attitudes towards buying organic products an...

  2. Risk of Children’s Dermal Exposure to Galaxolide through Personal Care Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Correia

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Galaxolide is the most used fragrance since the early 1990s, and it has been largely detected in environmental and biological matrices. This polycyclic musk is present in almost all of our daily products, so the risk of human exposure is substantial, as it had been proved by its detection in human tissues and fluids. Due to the lack of information about the concentrations found in consumer products, monitoring data is needed for exposure assessment purposes. Dermal contact, mostly by personal care products, seems to be the major route of human exposure to galaxolide, and, due to the immaturity of young children’s skin, exposure consequences can be worse in this population. The main objective of this study was to evaluate galaxolide levels in personal care products used by children of Oporto (Portugal, aged 0–5 years, and relate it with consumer habits. Consumer patterns were obtained through 250 questionnaires to caregivers of Oporto children. The 79 most used products were extracted by a dispersive solid phase extraction methodology known as QuEChERS and galaxolide was determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC with fluorescence detection. The concentrations ranged between 0.001 ± 0.001 mg·kg−1, on a baby wipe, and 300.480 ± 8.819 mg·kg−1, on glycerin soap, which may correspond to an estimated daily dermal exposure of 277.10 ± 0.02 µg·day−1 on the population of Oporto children. This value is in the range of the results observed for adults, although no information of toxicological risk for children is available.

  3. Bacillus cereus in personal care products: risk to consumers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitt, T L; McClure, J; Parker, M D; Amézquita, A; McClure, P J

    2015-04-01

    Bacillus cereus is ubiquitous in nature and thus occurs naturally in a wide range of raw materials and foodstuffs. B. cereus spores are resistant to desiccation and heat and able to survive dry storage and cooking. Vegetative cells produce several toxins which on ingestion in sufficient numbers can cause vomiting and/or diarrhoea depending on the toxins produced. Gastrointestinal disease is commonly associated with reheated or inadequately cooked foods. In addition to being a rare cause of several acute infections (e.g. pneumonia and septicaemia), B. cereus can also cause localized infection of post-surgical or trauma wounds and is a rare but significant pathogen of the eye where it may result in severe endophthalmitis often leading to loss of vision. Key risk factors in such cases are trauma to the eye and retained contaminated intraocular foreign bodies. In addition, rare cases of B. cereus-associated keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) have been linked to contact lens use. Bacillus cereus is therefore a microbial contaminant that could adversely affect product safety of cosmetic and facial toiletries and pose a threat to the user if other key risk factors are also present. The infective dose in the human eye is unknown, but as few as 100 cfu has been reported to initiate infection in a susceptible animal model. However, we are not aware of any reports in the literature of B. cereus infections in any body site linked with use of personal care products. Low levels of B. cereus spores may on occasion be present in near-eye cosmetics, and these products have been used by consumers for many years. In addition, exposure to B. cereus is more likely to occur through other routes (e.g. dustborne contamination) due to its ubiquity and resistance properties of spores. The organism has been recovered from the eyes of healthy individuals. Therefore, although there may be a perceived hazard, the risk of severe eye infections as a consequence of exposure through

  4. Health Care Seeking Behavior of Persons with Acute Chagas Disease in Rural Argentina: A Qualitative View

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio Llovet

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Chagas disease (CD is a tropical parasitic disease largely underdiagnosed and mostly asymptomatic affecting marginalized rural populations. Argentina regularly reports acute cases of CD, mostly young individuals under 14 years old. There is a void of knowledge of health care seeking behavior in subjects experiencing a CD acute condition. Early treatment of the acute case is crucial to limit subsequent development of disease. The article explores how the health outcome of persons with acute CD may be conditioned by their health care seeking behavior. The study, with a qualitative approach, was carried out in rural areas of Santiago del Estero Province, a high risk endemic region for vector transmission of CD. Narratives of 25 in-depth interviews carried out in 2005 and 2006 are analyzed identifying patterns of health care seeking behavior followed by acute cases. Through the retrospective recall of paths for diagnoses, weaknesses of disease information, knowledge at the household level, and underperformance at the provincial health care system level are detected. The misdiagnoses were a major factor in delaying a health care response. The study results expose lost opportunities for the health care system to effectively record CD acute cases.

  5. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... The Keeney Family discuss pediatric palliative care - Duration: 12:07. Hospice of the Western Reserve 12,073 views 12:07 Perinatal Palliative Care - The Zimmer Family Story - ...

  6. Stir bar sorptive extraction with EG-Silicone coating for bisphenols determination in personal care products by GC-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacho, Juan Ignacio; Campillo, Natalia; Viñas, Pilar; Hernández-Córdoba, Manuel

    2013-05-05

    An easy to perform analytical method for the determination of three bisphenol compounds (BPs) in commonly used personal care products (PCPs) is presented. Ethylene glycol-silicone (EG-Silicone) coated stir bars, which have recently become commercially available, are evaluated in this study for the simultaneous determination of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol Z (BPZ) by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) in combination with thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). This new sorptive extraction phase allows the analysis of these compounds without any previous derivatization procedure. Different parameters affecting both SBSE extraction and thermal desorption were carefully optimized, using experimental designs based on the Taguchi orthogonal arrays. The procedure was applied to analyzing easily bought PCPs, providing detection limits of about 8 ng g(-1), with precisions lower than 11% in terms of relative standard deviation. Recovery studies performed at two different concentration levels provided satisfactory values for all the compounds. The analyzed personal care samples contained BPA at concentration levels ranging from 30.9 to 88.3 ng g(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Staff awareness of the application of Mental Health and Guardianship Legislation in the care of hospitalised older persons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panesar, Narinder; Valachova, Iveta; Schmidtman, Robert; Chan, Daniel Kam Yin

    2018-02-01

    The study aimed to survey hospital staff knowledge of the application of the Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) (MHA) and the Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW) (GA) in the care and treatment of older persons in a teaching hospital in Sydney. Method Over a two-month period in 2017, a survey questionnaire was distributed to staff involved in older persons' care across the hospital. The majority of the hospital staff demonstrated basic theoretical knowledge of both the GA (76%) and of the MHA (84.5%). Fewer (64.5%) appeared to understand the practical application of the MHA in the hypothetical clinical situations. An even lower proportion of staff appeared to understand the application of the GA either to obtain consent for medical treatment or to appoint a guardian through the Guardianship Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). Although clinical staff of the hospital displayed fair knowledge and awareness about the application of the MHA and the GA to inpatient care of older adults, further education is necessary, particularly about the application of the GA. The authors suggest similar findings may occur at other New South Wales hospitals, which may raise concern and need for education.

  8. The impact of clinicians' personality and their interpersonal behaviors on the quality of patient care: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boerebach, Benjamin C. M.; Scheepers, Renée A.; van der Leeuw, Renée M.; Heineman, Maas Jan; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Lombarts, Kiki M. J. M. H.

    2014-01-01

    To review systematically the impact of clinicians' personality and observed interpersonal behaviors on the quality of their patient care. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO from inception through January 2014, using both free text words and subject headings, without language restriction.

  9. Identification and documentation of persons being in palliative phase regardless of age, diagnosis and places of care, and their use of a sitting service at the end of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallerstedt, Birgitta; Sahlberg-Blom, Eva; Benzein, Eva; Andershed, Birgitta

    2012-09-01

    Older persons and persons with diseases other than cancer are often discriminated against when applying for palliative care despite growing numbers of both older persons and individuals with chronic diseases. An intention for palliative care in Sweden is that all persons in the final stage of life, irrespective of age, domicile, diagnosis, and care place shall have access to palliative care on equal terms. One way to support these persons in final stage of life and their relatives is to offer sitting service. To describe individuals who were identified and documented as being in a palliative phase in a Swedish municipality, with respect to demographics, use of a sitting service, continuity of care in the last month of life and the place of death. A second aim was to describe and compare the groups who received/did not receive sitting services related to the aforementioned variables. Retrospective data from nursing records and palliative care identification forms were analyzed with descriptive and analytic statistical methods. Among individuals deceased during 2007, 51% were identified and documented as being in palliative phase. The majority was older people (mean 83 years) with a noncancer diagnosis (58%). Twenty-eight individuals (16%) had received a sitting service between 8 and 249 hours (one extreme value = 2211). It is indicated that sitting service significantly increased the possibility of dying at home (p = 0.00004), but did not affect how often the place of care changed during the last month of life. A small sample from a Swedish context must be considered. These results can be related to an awareness in the municipality that led to adopting the concept of palliative care as not only for those with a cancer diagnosis. 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  10. Removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in aquatic plant-based systems: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Dongqing; Gersberg, Richard M.; Ng, Wun Jern; Tan, Soon Keat

    2014-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment are regarded as emerging contaminants and have attracted increasing concern. The use of aquatic plant-based systems such as constructed wetlands (CWs) for treatment of conventional pollutants has been well documented. However, available research studies on aquatic plant-based systems for PPCP removal are still limited. The removal of PPCPs in CWs often involves a diverse and complex set of physical, chemical and biological processes, which can be affected by the design and operational parameters selected for treatment. This review summarizes the PPCP removal performance in different aquatic plant-based systems. We also review the recent progress made towards a better understanding of the various mechanisms and pathways of PPCP attenuation during such phytoremediation. Additionally, the effect of key CW design characteristics and their interaction with the physico-chemical parameters that may influence the removal of PPCPs in functioning aquatic plant-based systems is discussed. -- Highlights: • Investigation of the removal performance of PPCPs in CW systems. • Investigation of the mechanisms and pathways contributing to PPCP removal in CWs. • Investigation of the effect of CW design parameters on PPCP removal. • Investigation of the correlation between physico-chemical parameters and PPCP removal. -- This review gives an overview of the present state of research on the removal of pharmaceutical and personal care products by means of constructed wetlands

  11. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... and Legacy through Pediatric Palliative Care - Duration: 5:39. Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) 26,045 views 5:39 Little Stars – Paediatric Palliative Care – Charlie's Story - Duration: ...

  12. Evaluation design of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE): Preventive integrated health and social care for community-dwelling older persons in five European cities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franse, C.B. (Carmen B.); A.J. Voorham; Van Staveren, R. (Rob); E. Koppelaar (Elin); Martijn, R. (Rens); Valía-Cotanda, E. (Elisa); Alhambra-Borrás, T. (Tamara); Rentoumis, T. (Tasos); Bilajac, L. (Lovorka); Marchesi, V.V. (Vanja Vasiljev); Rukavina, T. (Tomislav); Verma, A. (Arpana); Williams, G. (Greg); Clough, G. (Gary); Garcés-Ferrer, J. (Jorge); F.U.S. Mattace Raso (Francesco); H. Raat (Hein)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Older persons often have interacting physical and social problems and complex care needs. An integrated care approach in the local context with collaborations between community-, social-, and health-focused organisations can contribute to the promotion of independent living

  13. Hearing Aid Personalization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jens Brehm; Nielsen, Jakob; Jensen, Bjørn Sand

    2013-01-01

    Modern digital hearing aids require and offer a great level of personalization. Today, this personalization is not performed based directly on what the user actually perceives, but on a hearing-care professional’s interpretation of what the user explains about what is perceived. In this paper......, an interactive personalization system based on Gaussian process regression and active learning is proposed, which personalize the hearing aids based directly on what the user perceives. Preliminary results demonstrate a significant difference between a truly personalized setting obtained with the proposed system...

  14. Development of a tool to measure person-centered maternity care in developing settings: validation in a rural and urban Kenyan population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afulani, Patience A; Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Golub, Ginger; Sudhinaraset, May

    2017-09-22

    Person-centered reproductive health care is recognized as critical to improving reproductive health outcomes. Yet, little research exists on how to operationalize it. We extend the literature in this area by developing and validating a tool to measure person-centered maternity care. We describe the process of developing the tool and present the results of psychometric analyses to assess its validity and reliability in a rural and urban setting in Kenya. We followed standard procedures for scale development. First, we reviewed the literature to define our construct and identify domains, and developed items to measure each domain. Next, we conducted expert reviews to assess content validity; and cognitive interviews with potential respondents to assess clarity, appropriateness, and relevance of the questions. The questions were then refined and administered in surveys; and survey results used to assess construct and criterion validity and reliability. The exploratory factor analysis yielded one dominant factor in both the rural and urban settings. Three factors with eigenvalues greater than one were identified for the rural sample and four factors identified for the urban sample. Thirty of the 38 items administered in the survey were retained based on the factors loadings and correlation between the items. Twenty-five items load very well onto a single factor in both the rural and urban sample, with five items loading well in either the rural or urban sample, but not in both samples. These 30 items also load on three sub-scales that we created to measure dignified and respectful care, communication and autonomy, and supportive care. The Chronbach alpha for the main scale is greater than 0.8 in both samples, and that for the sub-scales are between 0.6 and 0.8. The main scale and sub-scales are correlated with global measures of satisfaction with maternity services, suggesting criterion validity. We present a 30-item scale with three sub-scales to measure person

  15. A new scale to measure family members' perception of community health care services for persons with Huntington disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Valmi D; Williams, Janet K; Barnette, Jack J; Reed, David A

    2010-06-01

    RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive genetic brain disease leading to disruptive cognitive, behavioural and physical impairments. Persons with the condition and their caregivers need appropriate and accessible health care services to help them manage the disease adequately. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new scale that measures family members' perception of community health care services (CHCS) for persons with HD. A methodological design was used to examine the initial reliability and dimensionality of the CHCS scale among 245 family members of persons with a diagnosis of HD. Data analysis consisted of computing Cronbach's alpha coefficients, calculating the 95% confidence interval for alpha and performing item-analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Reliability of the scale based on Cronbach's alpha was 0.83. Factor analysis using principal component analysis and varimax rotation suggested that three interpretable factors underlie the scale. Factor 1, HD knowledge, had alpha = 0.82, eigenvalue of 4.67 and explained 33.42% of the variance; factor 2, HD community resources, had alpha = 0.62, eigenvalue of 1.68 and explained 12.02% of the variance; factor 3, individualized HD management, had alpha = 0.77, eigenvalue of 1.45 and explained 10.39% of the variance. Findings from this study provide evidence of both construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the CHCS scale. Further psychometric testing of the scale in other samples of family caregivers of persons with HD is warranted.

  16. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... report inappropriate content. Sign in Transcript Add translations 4,609 views Like this video? Sign in to ... Palliative Care - Duration: 3:29. American Cancer Society 4,363 views 3:29 Pediatric Palliative Care and ...

  17. Un/Paid Labor: Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waivers That Pay Family as Personal Care Providers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Carli; Rizzolo, Mary C.

    2016-01-01

    The United States long-term services and supports system is built on largely unpaid (informal) labor. There are a number of benefits to allowing family caregivers to serve as paid personal care providers including better health and satisfaction outcomes, expanded workforces, and cost effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine how…

  18. Evaluation design of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE): preventive integrated health and social care for community-dwelling older persons in five European cities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.J.J. Voorham; R. van Staveren; E. Koppelaar; L.F.J. Martijn; E. Valía-Cotanda; T. Alhambra-Borrás; T. Rentoumis; L. Bilajac; V. Vasiljev Marchesi; T. Rukavina; A. Verma; G. Williams; G. Clough; J. Garcés-Ferrer; F. Mattace Raso; H. Raat; C.B. Franse

    2017-01-01

    Older persons often have interacting physical and social problems and complex care needs. An integrated care approach in the local context with collaborations between community-, social-, and health-focused organisations can contribute to the promotion of independent living and quality of life. In

  19. Concentrations of cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes in European cosmetics and personal care products: Prerequisite for human and environmental exposure assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dudzina, T.; Goetz, N. von; Bogdal, C.; Biesterbos, J.W.H.; Hungerbuhler, K.

    2014-01-01

    Low molecular weight cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMSs) are widely employed as emollients and carrier solvents in personal care formulations in order to acquire desired performance benefits owing to their distinctive physicochemical properties. Under current European legislation cosmetic

  20. Longitudinal trajectories of subjective care stressors: the role of personal, dyadic, and family resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bangerter, Lauren R; Liu, Yin; Zarit, Steven H

    2017-11-24

    Stressors are critical to the caregiver stress process, yet little work has examined resources that contribute to longitudinal changes in subjective stressors. The present study examines a variety of factors that contribute to changes in subjective stressors across time. Dementia caregivers (N = 153) completed an in-person interview and eight daily telephone interviews at baseline, and follow up interviews at 6 and 12 months. Growth curve analyses examine how care- and non-care stressors, respite, dyadic relationship quality, family support/conflict and care transitions (e.g. nursing home placement) are associated with changes in role overload and role captivity across 12 months. Caregivers who transitioned out of their role had higher overload and captivity at baseline. Among caregivers who transitioned out of caregiving, higher captivity at baseline was associated with declines in captivity and overload; more non-care stressors at baseline was linked to increased captivity and greater overload across time. Adult day service use and family support were associated with lesser captivity over time; taking more breaks from caregiving was linked to lower overload. Higher dyadic relationship quality was associated with lower captivity and overload. Findings contribute to caregiver intervention efforts by highlighting important resources associated with subjective stressors across time.

  1. Privacy protection for personal health information and shared care records.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neame, Roderick L B

    2014-01-01

    The protection of personal information privacy has become one of the most pressing security concerns for record keepers: this will become more onerous with the introduction of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in mid-2014. Many institutions, both large and small, have yet to implement the essential infrastructure for data privacy protection and patient consent and control when accessing and sharing data; even more have failed to instil a privacy and security awareness mindset and culture amongst their staff. Increased regulation, together with better compliance monitoring, has led to the imposition of increasingly significant monetary penalties for failure to protect privacy: these too are set to become more onerous under the GDPR, increasing to a maximum of 2% of annual turnover. There is growing pressure in clinical environments to deliver shared patient care and to support this with integrated information. This demands that more information passes between institutions and care providers without breaching patient privacy or autonomy. This can be achieved with relatively minor enhancements of existing infrastructures and does not require extensive investment in inter-operating electronic records: indeed such investments to date have been shown not to materially improve data sharing. REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVACY: There is an ethical duty as well as a legal obligation on the part of care providers (and record keepers) to keep patient information confidential and to share it only with the authorisation of the patient. To achieve this information storage and retrieval, communication systems must be appropriately configured. There are many components of this, which are discussed in this paper. Patients may consult clinicians anywhere and at any time: therefore, their data must be available for recipient-driven retrieval (i.e. like the World Wide Web) under patient control and kept private: a method for delivering this is outlined.

  2. [Family members' experiences of caring for persons with dementia and outreach counseling--an interpretative phenomenological study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vögeli, Samuel; Frei, Irena Anna; Spichiger, Elisabeth

    2016-01-01

    Almost two-thirds of the 110,000 people living with dementia in Switzerland receive home care from family members. Outreach counselling can reduce the burden for family caregivers and delay nursing home placement. However, little is known of how this works and how caregivers experience the counselling. The Canton of Aargau Alzheimer's Association has been conducting a pilot project to demonstrate the necessity, effectiveness and practicability of outreach counselling in (their canton). As a part of the evaluation of the project this study explored how family members experience the process of caring for a relative with dementia and outreach counselling. Interpretive phenomenology–a qualitative approach–was used to analyse data from interviews with twelve family caregivers. Most family members felt supported in caregiving by outreach counselling. Three aspects of the counselling were especially important to the participants: being understood and taken seriously by the counsellor; receiving answers to their most pressing questions concerning the illness and being supported when difficult decision had to be taken; regaining personal time and learning how to better interact with the person with dementia. Two participants would have wished for more help by the counsellor. To meet the needs of the family members, consultants should have sufficient experience in dementia patient care and should be strongly networked across the local health and welfare system. This study shows that family members can experience outreach counselling as a great support in their caregiving roles.

  3. Pediatric Palliative Care: A Personal Story

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... views 4:24 The Ugly Truth of Pediatric Cancer - Duration: 5:21. KidsCancerChannel 63,636 views 5: ... 27. HammondCare 29,011 views 22:27 Childhood Cancer: Palliative Care - Duration: 3:29. American Cancer Society ...

  4. [Development of weight-estimation formulae for the bedridden elderly requiring care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oonishi, Reiko; Fujii, Kouji; Tsuda, Hiroko; Imai, Katsumi

    2012-01-01

    Bedridden elderly persons requiring care need special body-weight measurement implements, and body-weighting assumes more difficult if they live at their own homes. Therefore, we tried to design a new weight-estimation formulae using various anthropometric variables. The subjects were 33 male and 132 female elderly inpatients certified to be at care level 4 or 5. The body composition included height, body weight, arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, subscapular skinfold thickness, calf circumference, and waist circumference. We studied the correlation between the body weight and each anthropometric variable and age. In men, the highest correlation with body weight was shown by waist circumference (r=0.891, pbedridden elderly patients requiring care.

  5. Personality traits among burnt out and non-burnt out health-care personnel at the same workplaces: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustafsson, Gabriella; Persson, Birgitta; Eriksson, Sture; Norberg, Astrid; Strandberg, Gunilla

    2009-10-01

    Stress-related illnesses, such as burnout, have increased over the last decade, but not everyone at the same workplace develops burnout, suggesting that individual factors may contribute to this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to describe patterns of personality traits among two groups of health-care personnel from the same workplaces, one group on sick leave due to medically-assessed burnout, and one group with no indication of burnout, respectively. Fourteen psychiatric- (n = 7) and elderly (n = 7)-care units, located in one specific area in a municipality in northern Sweden, participated in this questionnaire-based study. The participants (n = 40), on sick leave due to medically-assessed burnout (n = 20), and those with no indication of burnout (n = 20), respectively, completed Cattell's 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire between February and December 2004. Conventional statistical methods and partial least square regression were used to analyze data. The results showed that the burnout group had lower scores regarding emotional stability and higher scores regarding anxiety than the non-burnout group, but the results also showed a wide variation of personality traits within groups. The most important indicators for belonging to the burnout group were 'openness to changes' and 'anxiety', and for belonging to the non-burnout group, 'emotional stability', 'liveliness', 'privateness' (i.e. forthright or discreet), and 'tension'. The result indicates complex interactions between personality traits and the context in which the individual lives. It seems to be important to increase our awareness of when personality traits may constitute opportunities versus risks in dealing with one's existing circumstances.

  6. Developing integrated health and social care services for older persons in Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Leichsenring

    2004-09-01

    the state of service development, various approaches and instruments can be observed. Different national frameworks, in particular with respect to financing and organisation, systemic development, professionalisation and professional cultures, basic societal values (family ethics, and political approaches have to be taken into account during the second phase of PROCARE during which transversal and transnational analysis will be undertaken based on an in-depth analysis of two model ways of working in each country. Discussion: Far from a European vision concerning integrated care, national health and social care systems remain—at best—loosely coupled systems that are facing increasing difficulties, given the current challenges, in particular in long-term care for older persons: increasing marketisation, lack of managerial knowledge (co-operation, co-ordination, shortage of care workers and a general trend towards down-sizing of social care services continue to hamper the first tentative pathways towards integrated care systems.

  7. The Influence of Personal and Group Racism on Entry into Prenatal Care among African American Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaughter-Acey, Jaime C.; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.; Misra, Dawn P.

    2013-01-01

    Background Racism has been hypothesized as a barrier to accessing healthcare. No quantitative study has directly assessed its influence on women's initiation of prenatal care (PNC). We examined the relationship between PNC entry and experiences of personal and group racism among low-income African American women. We also examined whether the use of denial of racism as coping mechanism was associated with a delay in accessing PNC. Methods Using a prospective/retrospective cohort design we collected data from 872 African American women (prenatally: n=484; postpartum: n=388). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between the overall denial of racism index and PNC initiation. Findings PNC entry was not significantly associated with personal experiences of racism (p=0.33); it was significantly associated with group experiences (pracism experienced by other AAs was a barrier to early PNC among low-income African American women. Delayed access to PNC may be rooted in the avoidance of racialized experiences among less empowered women when faced with discrimination. Our findings have important implication for the engagement of African American women into the PNC delivery system and the health care system postpartum. PMID:24041828

  8. Evaluation of intersectoral resources in the composition of care networks for crack users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandro Barbosa de Pinho

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To evaluate the intersectoral resources in the composition of care networks for crack users. Method: Evaluative, qualitative study based on the Fourth Generation Evaluation. The participants were 10 users, 11 family members, eight workers, and seven managers from a municipality in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre/Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data were collected in 2014 through observation and semi-structured interviews. The analysis occurred by the constant comparative method. Results: Stakeholders have discussed how the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Military Brigade are inserted in the network, since they carry out actions that often are not compatible with the psychosocial care proposal. The need for expansion and maintenance of liaisons with community resources was identified. Conclusion: It is noted the need for sector integration and participation of all social agents from different spheres in order to promote and evaluate the practices and policies of care for crack users.

  9. Barriers to care and service needs among chronically homeless persons in a housing first program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, R David; Albrecht, Helmut A

    2012-01-01

    In 2010, more than 600,000 people in the United States experienced homelessness. Efficient and cost-effective housing methods that reduce homelessness need to be implemented. Housing Ready programs are the standard method that often has set requirements including earned income and sobriety, among others. These programs enable a subset of the homeless to become housed. However, chronically homeless persons, who use the most resources, are often not successful at enrollment or maintaining enrollment. Housing First (H1) is a method focusing on chronically homeless persons. Housing First places a client in housing and provides services after stabilization. This article assessed differences between chronically homeless persons in a H1 program and chronically homeless persons who are not in H1. A case-control study imbedded within a homeless service program collected sociodemographic and service variables, including access and barriers to care. Although the sample was 100% native English speaking, 22% of homeless persons reported that their providers do not speak their same language. All (100%) of participants had a disabling condition under HUD guidelines, but only 17.78% of homeless controls reported having a disabling condition. There were no differences on housing status based on income, gender, race, or age. The lack of differences between these groups indicates that a H1 program can be a clear derivation from the more common Housing Ready programs that have specific requirements for participation. Provider communication may negatively impact an individual's ability to transition from homelessness. Furthermore, chronically homeless persons not in intensive case management are less likely to understand the eligibility requirements for housing and, therefore, self-disqualify because of this lack of knowledge. Intentional communication and education for chronically homeless persons are 2 examples where case managers could improve the ability of the chronically homeless

  10. Hope and connection: the experience of family caregivers of persons with dementia living in a long term care facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Hope is a psychosocial resource that is essential for the psychological, spiritual, and physical well-being of family members caring for persons with dementia. A significant positive relationship has been found between hope and well-being in family caregivers of persons with dementia living in the community. However, the hope experience of family caregivers of persons living with dementia in long-term care (LTC) facilities has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore the hope experience of family caregivers of persons with dementia living in a LTC facility. Methods Twenty-three open-ended face to face interviews were conducted with 13 family caregivers of residents with dementia in a LTC facility. Family was broadly defined to include relatives and friends. Seven of these participants also reflected on their hope in diaries over a two week period. Interview transcripts and journal texts were analyzed using Thorne’s interpretive description approach. Results The over-arching theme was “hope and connection”. Participants lost hope and felt despair when they perceived they were unable to connect with their family member in the LTC facility. They regained their hope when a connection could be made. Several sub-themes were identified including: accepting where we are, living life in the moment, believing in something, standing together, and balancing dual worlds. Conclusions Hope was important and essential for family caregivers of persons with dementia residing in a LTC facility. The overarching theme of “hope and connection” underscores the importance of maintaining relationships and connection between family members and the person in LTC. Given the paucity of hope research conducted within this population, the study findings provide a foundation for future research. PMID:24138640

  11. Relationship of Level of Functioning of Institutionalized Women on a Task Analysis of Personal Care for Menstruation and the Adaptive Behavior Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brekke, Beverly W.; And Others

    A 40-item behavior analysis task, the Menstrual Care Scale, was developed and tested with 75 randomly selected institutionalized severely retarded women (13-59 years old). The need for developing personal care skills in menstruation habits had been identified as a priority area for sexuality instruction by staff and confirmed by analysis of…

  12. Multimethod, contextualized personality assessment

    OpenAIRE

    Hopwood, CJ; Bleidorn, W

    2017-01-01

    © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology. Lievens asserted that personality researchers should (a) use multiple methods, in contrast to traditional over-reliance on self-report and (b) move past highly general and context-free assessments to more careful consideration of the situations within which personality predictions are made. These points are with reference to personnel selection settings using the broader framework of Trait Activation Theory. Like most personality research...

  13. Secular rise in economically valuable personality traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jokela, Markus; Pekkarinen, Tuomas; Sarvimäki, Matti; Terviö, Marko; Uusitalo, Roope

    2017-06-20

    Although trends in many physical characteristics and cognitive capabilities of modern humans are well-documented, less is known about how personality traits have evolved over time. We analyze data from a standardized personality test administered to 79% of Finnish men born between 1962 and 1976 ( n = 419,523) and find steady increases in personality traits that predict higher income in later life. The magnitudes of these trends are similar to the simultaneous increase in cognitive abilities, at 0.2-0.6 SD during the 15-y window. When anchored to earnings, the change in personality traits amounts to a 12% increase. Both personality and cognitive ability have consistent associations with family background, but the trends are similar across groups defined by parental income, parental education, number of siblings, and rural/urban status. Nevertheless, much of the trends in test scores can be attributed to changes in the family background composition, namely 33% for personality and 64% for cognitive ability. These composition effects are mostly due to improvements in parents' education. We conclude that there is a "Flynn effect" for personality that mirrors the original Flynn effect for cognitive ability in magnitude and practical significance but is less driven by compositional changes in family background.

  14. Accounting for job satisfaction: Examining the interplay of person and situation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elfstrand Corlin, Tinna; Kazemi, Ali

    2017-10-01

    In the present study, we investigate the interplay of personality traits (i.e., person) in frontline care staff in nursing homes and the way they relate to the residents (i.e., situation) to account for their job satisfaction. Participants completed a survey including Mini-IPIP tapping the five-factor model of personality, Individualized Care Inventory tapping four aspects of person-centered care and job satisfaction. The results revealed that staff scoring high on neuroticism experienced less job satisfaction. This relationship was partly accounted for by resident autonomy, suggesting that part of the adverse influence of neuroticism on job satisfaction may be mitigated by organizations providing a supportive care environment. In contrast, staff scoring high on agreeableness experienced higher job satisfaction. This relationship was accounted for by another aspect of person-centered care, that is, knowing the person. This suggests that agreeableness in a sense facilitated adjustment of acts of care toward the unique needs and preferences of residents and this partly explained why the more agreeable the staff was the more they felt satisfied at work. In sum, effects of personality traits on job satisfaction in care staff are partially mediated by the perception of working conditions and care policy and to the extent that a certain personality trait affects whether the staff have a positive or negative perception of the way they relate to the residents, they will experience, respectively, higher or a lower job satisfaction. This finding has implications for how to combine a focus on delivering person-centered care with improving personal job satisfaction. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Development and Implementation of Person-Centred Nursing Documentation

    OpenAIRE

    Daly, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Irvine et al (2006) assert structured documentation can improve resident care by limiting vague narrative style entries. Nevertheless, in practice the personal and         individual aspects of care can only be recorded through a person-centred approach to care planning   (Broderick & Coffey 2012, Butterworth 2012, Prideaux 2011).  Nurses  are therefore challenged to balance the factual, non-speculative principles of good record keeping with a person-centred approach to writ...

  16. A metasynthesis study of family caregivers' transition experiences caring for community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer at the end of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggleby, Wendy; Tycholiz, Jamie; Holtslander, Lorraine; Hudson, Peter; Nekolaichuk, Cheryl; Mirhosseini, Mehrnoush; Parmar, Jasneet; Chambers, Thane; Alook, Angele; Swindle, Jennifer

    2017-07-01

    Family caregivers (broadly defined as family and friends) experience multiple concurrent transitions when caring for a person with advanced cancer. To (a) explore the transition experience of family caregivers caring for persons with advanced cancer living in the community, (b) describe potential triggers for transitions, (c) identify what influences this experience, and (d) develop a conceptual framework of their transition experience. Sandelowski and Barroso's methodology for synthesizing qualitative research included (a) a comprehensive search of empirical literature, (b) quality appraisal of qualitative studies, (c) classification of studies, and (d) synthesis of the findings. Literature was sourced from six electronic data bases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) published qualitative studies (and mixed-method designs) of the caregiving experience of family caregivers of community-living persons with advanced cancer at the end of life, (b) participants (caregivers and care recipients) of 18 years of age and above, (c) studies published in English in any country, and (d) studies published between 2004 and 2014. A total of 72 studies were included in the metasynthesis. Family caregivers experience a "life transition" whereby their lives are permanently altered. The participants described the process of redefining normal which consisted of coming to terms with their situation and connecting with others. Outcomes of these processes were as follows: (a) maintaining a sense of personhood, (b) reframing hope, (c) maintaining self-efficacy, (d) finding meaning, and (e) preparing for the death of their care recipient. The findings provide a framework to guide the development of supportive programs and future research.

  17. Contributions to the old-age pension insurance and disability and survivor’s pension insurance for persons taking care of people with disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Roszewska

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The care issue brings together a number of social issues. From the legal classification of care, through the problem how to support, the amount of benefits to the scope of protection of caregivers. One of the most noteworthy problems in care for the disabled persons is the duty of providing social insurance for caregivers. The publication focuses on the issue of payment of contributions. Carers’ insurance status is complex and unstable. The difficulty of evaluation is related to the lack of the final shape of long-term care system in deinstitutionalized conditions.

  18. The Effect of a Personalized Dementia Care Intervention for Caregivers From Australian Minority Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Lily Dongxia; De Bellis, Anita; Kyriazopoulos, Helena; Draper, Brian; Ullah, Shahid

    2016-02-01

    Most caregiver interventions in a multicultural society are designed to target caregivers from the mainstream culture and exclude those who are unable to speak English. This study addressed the gap by testing the hypothesis that personalized caregiver support provided by a team led by a care coordinator of the person with dementia would improve competence for caregivers from minority groups in managing dementia. A randomised controlled trial was utilised to test the hypothesis. Sixty-one family caregivers from 10 minority groups completed the trial. Outcome variables were measured prior to the intervention, at 6 and 12 months after the commencement of trial. A linear mixed effect model was used to estimate the effectiveness of the intervention. The intervention group showed a significant increase in the caregivers' sense of competence and mental components of quality of life. There were no significant differences in the caregivers' physical components of quality of life. © The Author(s) 2015.

  19. Resident-Assisted Montessori Programming (RAMP): use of a small group reading activity run by persons with dementia in adult day health care and long-term care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skrajner, Michael J; Camp, Cameron J

    2007-01-01

    Six persons in the early to middle stages of dementia ("leaders") were trained in Resident-Assisted Montessori Programming (RAMP) to lead a reading activity for 22 persons with more advanced dementia ("participants") in an adult day health center (ADHC) and a special care unit (SCU) in a skilled nursing facility. Researchers assessed the leaders' abilities to learn and follow the procedures of leading a group, as well as their satisfaction with their roles. In addition, participants' engagement and affect were measured, both during standard activities programming and during client-led activities. Results of this study suggest that persons with dementia can indeed successfully lead small group activities, if several important prerequisites are met. Furthermore, the engagement and affect of participants was more positive in client-led activities than in standard activities programming.

  20. The ecological disruptive and bioaccumulative potentials of PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products) in freshwater streams

    OpenAIRE

    ERINN KATE RICHMOND

    2017-01-01

    Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) are now detected in waterways around the world, and are most commonly discharged into waterways via wastewater treatment plants. The effects of PPCPs on aquatic plants and animals including fish and insects within these environments are largely unknown. This research examines the ecological impacts of PPCPs on vital processes like photosynthesis, and assesses the potential exposure risks to aquatic animals, including platypus and fish, living...

  1. Concept mapping to improve team work, team learning and care of the person with dementia and behavioural and psychological symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aberdeen, Suzanne M; Byrne, Graeme

    2018-04-01

    The incidence of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential aged care facilities is high. Effective team work and knowledgeable staff are cited as important facilitators of appropriate care responses to clients with these symptoms, but to achieve this within a resource-poor workplace can be challenging. In the study reported in this paper, concept mapping was trialled to enhance multifocal person-centred assessment and care planning as well as team learning. The outcomes of team concept mapping were evaluated using a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-testing in 11 selected Australian residential aged care facilities , including two control residential aged care facilities , over a nine-month period. It was demonstrated that use of concept mapping improved team function, measured as effectiveness of care planning, as well as enhancing learning, with increased knowledge of dementia care even amongst staff who were not directly involved with the process. It is suggested that these results may be generalizable to other countries and care settings.

  2. Effects of reclaimed water matrix on fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodgen, L K; Zheng, W

    2016-08-01

    Reclaimed water is increasingly used to supplement water resources. However, reclaimed water has a complex matrix, which includes emerging chemical contaminants, that is introduced to the soil when this water is used for irrigation. The effects of microbial activity, dissolved matter, nutrients, and particulate matter in reclaimed water on half-life of 11 pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in soil were investigated with 7 treatment waters, namely swine lagoon effluent (either unaltered, sterilized, or filtered and sterilized) and nanopure water (either unaltered or with added nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium). The extractable residues of the parent PPCPs were measured over 35 d. Lagoon microbial activity was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) related to increased half-life of 4 PPCPs (carbamazepine, fluoxetine, ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole) by 14-74%, and to decreased half-life of 3 others (caffeine, gemfibrozil, naproxen) by 13-25%. The presence of lagoon dissolved matter was significantly correlated with a 20-110% increase in half-life for 6 PPCPs (caffeine, estrone, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen, triclocarban). However, lagoon particulate matter was significantly correlated with 9-52% decrease in half-life for these same compounds, as well as trimethoprim. The levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in the lagoon effluent were not significantly related to half-life for most PPCPs, except caffeine. Overall, specific components of reclaimed water matrix had different effects on the soil half-lives of PPCPs, suggesting that the composition of reclaimed water needs to be considered when evaluating PPCP fate after land application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Experiencing 'pathologized presence and normalized absence'; understanding health related experiences and access to health care among Iraqi and Somali asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Mei Lan; Sixsmith, Judith; Lawthom, Rebecca; Mountian, Ilana; Shahrin, Afifa

    2015-09-19

    Asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status have been reported to experience a range of difficulties when accessing public services and supports in the UK. While research has identified health care barriers to equitable access such as language difficulties, it has not considered the broader social contexts of marginalization experienced through the dynamics of 'othering'. The current study explores health and health care experiences of Somali and Iraqi asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status, highlighting 'minoritization' processes and the 'pathologization' of difference as analytical lenses to understand the multiple layers of oppression that contribute to health inequities. For the study, qualitative methods were used to document the lived experiences of asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. Thirty-five in-depth interviews and five focus groups were used to explore personal accounts, reveal shared understandings and enable social, cognitive and emotional understandings of on-going health problems and challenges when seeking treatment and care. A participatory framework was undertaken which inspired collaborative workings with local organizations that worked directly with asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. The analysis revealed four key themes: 1) pre-departure histories and post-arrival challenges; 2) legal status; 3) health knowledges and procedural barriers as well as 4) language and cultural competence. Confidentiality, trust, wait times and short doctor-patient consultations were emphasized as being insufficient for culturally specific communications and often translating into inadequate treatment and care. Barriers to accessing health care was associated with social disadvantage and restrictions of the broader welfare system suggesting that a re-evaluation of the asylum seeking process is required to improve the situation. Macro- and micro-level intersections of accustomed societal

  4. Transfer of nurse education to universities under a model of person-centred care: A consequence of changes in Spanish society during the democratic transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigo, Olga; Caïs, Jordi; Monforte-Royo, Cristina

    2017-07-01

    In Spain the transfer of nurse education to universities was accompanied by a shift towards a model of person-centred care. To explore whether the change in nurses' professional profile (from physician assistant to providers of person-centred care) was a response to changing needs in Spanish society. Qualitative study. Theoretical sampling and in-depth interviews using an inductive analytical approach. Four categories described the nursing profession in Spain prior to the introduction of university training: the era of medical assistants; technologisation of hospitals; personal care of the patient based on Christian values; professional socialisation differentiated by gender. Further analysis showed that these categories could be subsumed under a broader core category: the transfer of nurse education to universities as part of Spain's transition to democracy. The transfer of nurse education to universities was one of several changes occurring in Spanish society during the country's transition to democratic government. The redefined public health system required a highly skilled workforce, with improved employment rights being given to female health professionals, notably nurses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Adverse events reported to the Food and Drug Administration from 2004 to 2016 for cosmetics and personal care products marketed to newborns and infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornell, Erika; Kwa, Michael; Paller, Amy S; Xu, Shuai

    2018-03-01

    Despite their ubiquitous use and several recent health controversies involving cosmetics and personal care products for children, the Food and Drug Administration has little oversight of these products and relies on consumer-submitted adverse event reports. We assessed the recently released Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Adverse Event Reporting System database for adverse event reports submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for baby personal care products and to determine whether useful insights can be derived. We extracted the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Adverse Event Reporting System data file from 2004 to 2016 and examined the subset classified according to the Food and Drug Administration-designated product class as a baby product. Events were manually categorized into product type and symptom type to assess for trends. Only 166 total adverse events were reported to the Food and Drug Administration for baby products from 2004 to 2016. The majority of reports indicated rash or other skin reaction; 46% of reported events led to a health care visit. Pediatric dermatologists should consider submitting cosmetics and personal care product adverse event reports and encouraging consumers to do so likewise in situations in which a product adversely affects a child's health. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. [Is subjective well-being perceived by non-health care workers different from that perceived by nurses? Relation with personality and resilience].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrogante, O; Pérez-García, A M

    2013-01-01

    Subjective well-being (SWB), usually called 'happiness', is influenced directly by psychological factors. Personality and resilience (capacity of recover from adversity) are included among these factors. Empirical evidence has demonstrated that resilience is an essential and inherent characteristic for the nursery staff. This study has aimed to analyze personality factors (including resilience) related with SWB (satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect) in a nursery staff sample (n=59) of intensive care and cardiological units, and a non-health care workers sample (n=50) mainly made up of government employees and teachers. Multiple regression analyses showed that SWB was associated with more resilience and less neuroticism in the nursery staff. Extraversion and conscientiousness (positively related), and neuroticism (negatively related) were the significant predictors of SWB in the non-health care workers group. Finally, mediational analyses revealed that resilience measured the relationships between extraversion (total mediation) and neuroticism (partial mediation) with SWB in the nursery staff group, but not in the group of non-health care workers. The results show the importance of resilience for nursery staff of intensive care units, since they are constantly exposed to human suffering and to a continually adverse occupational environment. Likewise, the discussion stresses that resilience is a means for nursing staff to cope with the occupational stress and that resilient nurses are a crucial element in our health care system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

  7. Protocol for a nationwide survey of primary health care in China: the China PEACE (Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) MPP (Million Persons Project) Primary Health Care Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Meng; Zhang, Qiuli; Lu, Jiapeng; Li, Xi; Tian, Na; Wang, Yun; Yip, Winnie; Cheng, Kar Keung; Mensah, George A; Horwitz, Ralph I; Mossialos, Elias; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

    2017-08-28

    China has pioneered advances in primary health care (PHC) and public health for a large and diverse population. To date, the current state of PHC in China has not been subjected to systematic assessments. Understanding variations in primary care services could generate opportunities for improving the structure and function of PHC. This paper describes a nationwide PHC study (PEACE MPP Primary Health Care Survey) conducted across 31 provinces in China. The study leverages an ongoing research project, the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE) Million Persons Project (MPP). It employs an observational design with document acquisition and abstraction and in-person interviews. The study will collect data and original documents on the structure and financing of PHC institutions and the adequacy of the essential medicines programme; the education, training and retention of the PHC workforce; the quality of care; and patient satisfaction with care. The study will provide a comprehensive assessment of current PHC services and help determine gaps in access and quality of care. All study instruments and documents will be deposited in the Document Bank as an open-access source for other researchers. The central ethics committee at the China National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease (NCCD) approved the study. Written informed consent has been obtained from all patients. Findings will be disseminated in future peer reviewed papers, and will inform strategies aimed at improving the PHC in China. NCT02953926. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  8. Resource allocation in health care and the role of personal autonomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandjour, A

    2015-03-01

    Resource allocation decisions in health care require the consideration of ethical values. Major ethical theories include Amartya Sen's capability approach, Norman Daniels's theory of justice for health, and preference utilitarian theory. This paper argues that while only preference utilitarian theory explicitly considers the impact of an individual's actions on others, all 3 theories agree in terms of providing individual autonomy. Furthermore, it shows that all 3 theories emphasise the role of informed preferences in securing individual autonomy. Still, stressing personal autonomy has limited direct implications for priority setting. 2 priority rules for resource allocation could be identified: 1) to give priority to patients with mental disability (over those with pure physical disability); and 2) to give priority to patients with a large expected loss of autonomy without treatment. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Burnout and job satisfaction of intensive care personnel and the relationship with personality and religious traits: An observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ntantana, Asimenia; Matamis, Dimitrios; Savvidou, Savvoula; Giannakou, Maria; Gouva, Mary; Nakos, George; Koulouras, Vasilios

    2017-08-01

    To investigate if burnout in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is influenced by aspects of personality, religiosity and job satisfaction. Cross-sectional study, designed to assess burnout in the ICU and to investigate possible determinants. Three different questionnaires were used: the Malach Burnout Inventory, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Spiritual/Religious Attitudes Questionnaire. Predicting factors for high burnout were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. This national study was addressed to physicians and nurses working full-time in 18 Greek ICU departments from June to December 2015. The participation rate was 67.9% (n=149) and 65% (n=320) for ICU physicians and nurses, respectively). High job satisfaction was recorded in both doctors (80.8%) and nurses (63.4%). Burnout was observed in 32.8% of the study participants, higher in nurses compared to doctors (pJob satisfaction (OR 0.26, 95%CI 0.14-0.48, psatisfaction with current End-of-Life care (OR 0.41, 95%CI 0.23-0.76, p=0.005) and isolation feelings after decisions to forego life sustaining treatments (OR 3.48, 95%CI 1.25-9.65, p=0.017). Personality traits, job satisfaction and the way End-of-Life care is practiced influence burnout in the ICU. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The development of the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework: Revealing the being of person-centredness in nursing homes

    OpenAIRE

    Lynch, Brighide M; McCance, Tanya; McCormack, Brendan; Brown, Donna

    2017-01-01

    Aims and objectives\\ud \\ud To implement and evaluate the effect of using the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework to develop person-centred care within nursing homes.\\ud \\ud \\ud Background\\ud \\ud Many models of nursing leadership have been developed internationally in recent years but do not fit with the emergent complex philosophy of nursing home care. This study develops the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework that supports this philosophy. It forms the theoretical ba...

  11. Video personalization for usage environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Belle L.; Lin, Ching-Yung; Smith, John R.

    2002-07-01

    A video personalization and summarization system is designed and implemented incorporating usage environment to dynamically generate a personalized video summary. The personalization system adopts the three-tier server-middleware-client architecture in order to select, adapt, and deliver rich media content to the user. The server stores the content sources along with their corresponding MPEG-7 metadata descriptions. Our semantic metadata is provided through the use of the VideoAnnEx MPEG-7 Video Annotation Tool. When the user initiates a request for content, the client communicates the MPEG-21 usage environment description along with the user query to the middleware. The middleware is powered by the personalization engine and the content adaptation engine. Our personalization engine includes the VideoSue Summarization on Usage Environment engine that selects the optimal set of desired contents according to user preferences. Afterwards, the adaptation engine performs the required transformations and compositions of the selected contents for the specific usage environment using our VideoEd Editing and Composition Tool. Finally, two personalization and summarization systems are demonstrated for the IBM Websphere Portal Server and for the pervasive PDA devices.

  12. Nanomaterials for the Abatement of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Wastewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Stefania Freyria

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In this short-review, the most common types of both pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCP, a class of “emerging pollutants” are considered, as well as some of the most frequent methods for their removal that envisage the use of nanomaterials. The nanomaterials used in conservative methods (namely, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and adsorption are basically nanoporous solids. Non-conservative methods, which include photocatalysis and Fenton reaction, are currently considered more promising than conservative ones, as the former allow the (at least partial degradation of the original molecules into more biodegradable by-products, which can be further abated by subsequent biological treatments, whereas the former are not efficient for the removal of small quantities of pollutants and have to be regenerated.

  13. Medical and Personal Care Applications of Bacteriocins Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dicks, L. M. T.; Heunis, T. D. J.; van Staden, D. A.; Brand, A.; Noll, K. Sutyak; Chikindas, M. L.

    The frequent use of antibiotics has led to a crisis in the antibiotic ­resistance of pathogens associated with humans and animals. Antibiotic resistance and the emergence of multiresistant bacterial pathogens have led to the investigation of alternative antimicrobial agents to treat and prevent infections in both humans and animals. Research on antimicrobial peptides, with a special interest on bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria, is entering a new era with novel applications other than food preservation. Many scientists are now focusing on the application of these peptides in medicinal and personal care products. However, it is difficult to assess the success of such ventures due to the dearth of information that has been published and the lack of clinical trials.

  14. Caring Teaching as a Moral Practice: An Exploratory Study on Perceived Dimensions of Caring Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalil Gholami

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Caring teaching is a conceptual framework used to gain an insight into the moral aspect of teaching. Using a quantitative research approach, we studied 556 teachers in order to explore their perceived dimensions of caring teaching. Drawing on existing literature, we found that caring teaching has been elaborated in line with two broad concepts: personal care and academic care. Considering these concepts, we developed the Caring Teaching Scale with which we identified four dimensions of caring teaching: the nurturing of a student's character, didactical bias, awareness, and respectful didactics. A meta-analysis reflection suggests that the nurturing of students' characters and awareness represent personal care while didactical bias and respectful didactics call for academic care. Further analysis showed that these teachers attached more pedagogical value to personal care. Controlling for two demographic variables, we found statistically significant differences with regard to gender and caring teaching.

  15. Palliative sedation challenging the professional competency of health care providers and staff: a qualitative focus group and personal written narrative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leboul, Danièle; Aubry, Régis; Peter, Jean-Michel; Royer, Victor; Richard, Jean-François; Guirimand, Frédéric

    2017-04-11

    Despite recent advances in palliative medicine, sedating a terminally ill patient is regarded as an indispensable treatment to manage unbearable suffering. With the prospect of widespread use of palliative sedation, the feelings and representations of health care providers and staff (carers) regarding sedation must be carefully explored if we are to gain a better understanding of its impact and potential pitfalls. The objective of the study was to provide a comprehensive description of the opinions of carers about the use of sedation practices in palliative care units (PCU), which have become a focus of public attention following changes in legislation. Data were collected using a qualitative study involving multi-professional focus groups with health care providers and staff as well as personal narratives written by physicians and paramedical staff. A total of 35 medical and paramedical providers volunteered to participate in focus group discussions in three Palliative Care Units in two French hospitals and to write personal narratives. Health care provider and staff opinions had to do with their professional stance and competencies when using midazolam and practicing sedation in palliative care. They expressed uncertainty regarding three aspects of the comprehensive care: biomedical rigour of diagnosis and therapeutics, quality of the patient/provider relationship and care to be provided. Focusing on the sedative effect of midazolam and continuous sedation until death, the interviewed health care providers examined the basics of their professional competency as well as the key role played by the health care team in terms of providing support and minimizing workplace suffering. Nurses were subject to the greatest misgivings about their work when they were called upon to sedate patients. The uncertainty experienced by the carers with regard to the medical, psychosocial and ethical justification for sedation is a source of psychological burden and moral distress

  16. Borderline Personality in the Medical Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sansone, Lori A.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Individuals with borderline personality disorder in mental health settings tend to present with relationship difficulties, mood instability/dysphoria, and overt self-harm behavior. In contrast, it appears that individuals with borderline personality disorder in medical settings manifest physical symptoms that are medically difficult to substantiate. Through a review of the literature, we examine 2 symptom manifestations among patients with borderline personality in primary care and general medical settings—namely pain sensitivity and multiple somatic complaints. In addition to reviewing the research of others, we also highlight our own investigations into these 2 areas. Data Sources: We conducted a literature search of the PubMed database and a previous version of the PsycINFO search engine (no restrictions). Search terms included borderline personality, borderline personality disorder, personality disorders; chronic pain, pain, pain syndromes; and somatization disorder, Briquet’s syndrome, somatic preoccupation, somatic. Study Selection: Published articles related to borderline personality, pain and somatic symptoms (ie, somatization disorder, somatic preoccupation) were examined. Results: According to our review, the literature indicates higher-than-expected rates of borderline personality disorder among patients in primary care and general medical settings who present with chronic pain conditions and/or somatic preoccupation. Conclusions: Unlike patients with borderline personality disorder in mental health settings, who tend to present with relationship difficulties, mood instability/dysphoria, and overt self-harm behavior, patients with borderline personality disorder in primary care settings tend to present with unsubstantiated chronic pain of various types as well as somatic preoccupation. PMID:26644960

  17. Information needs of case managers caring for persons living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnall, Rebecca; Cimino, James J; Currie, Leanne M; Bakken, Suzanne

    2011-05-01

    The goals of this study were to explore the information needs of case managers who provide services to persons living with HIV (PLWH) and to assess the applicability of the Information Needs Event Taxonomy in a new population. The study design was observational with data collection via an online survey. Responses to open-ended survey questions about the information needs of case managers (n=94) related to PLWH of three levels of care complexity were categorized using the Information Needs Event Taxonomy. The most frequently identified needs were related to patient education resources (33%), patient data (23%), and referral resources (22%) accounting for 79% of all (N=282) information needs. Study limitations include selection bias, recall bias, and a relatively narrow focus of the study on case-manager information needs in the context of caring for PLWH. The study findings contribute to the evidence base regarding information needs in the context of patient interactions by: (1) supporting the applicability of the Information Needs Event Taxonomy and extending it through addition of a new generic question; (2) providing a foundation for the addition of context-specific links to external information resources within information systems; (3) applying a new approach for elicitation of information needs; and (4) expanding the literature regarding addressing information needs in community-based settings for HIV services.

  18. Person-centredness in the care of older adults: a systematic review of questionnaire-based scales and their measurement properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilberforce, Mark; Challis, David; Davies, Linda; Kelly, Michael P; Roberts, Chris; Loynes, Nik

    2016-03-07

    Person-centredness is promoted as a central feature of the long-term care of older adults. Measures are needed to assist researchers, service planners and regulators in assessing this feature of quality. However, no systematic review exists to identify potential instruments and to provide a critical appraisal of their measurement properties. A systematic review of measures of person-centredness was undertaken. Inclusion criteria restricted references to multi-item instruments designed for older adult services, or otherwise with measurement properties tested in an older adult population. A two-stage critical appraisal was conducted. First, the methodological quality of included references was assessed using the COSMIN toolkit. Second, seven measurement properties were rated using widely-recognised thresholds of acceptability. These results were then synthesised to provide an overall appraisal of the strength of evidence for each measurement property for each instrument. Eleven measures tested in 22 references were included. Six instruments were designed principally for use in long-stay residential facilities, and four were for ambulatory hospital or clinic-based services. Only one measure was designed mainly for completion by users of home care services. No measure could be assessed across all seven measurement properties. Despite some instruments having promising measurement properties, this was consistently undermined by the poor methodological quality underpinning them. Testing of hypotheses to support construct validity was of particularly low quality, whilst measurement error was rarely assessed. Two measures were identified as having been the subject of the most rigorous testing. The review is unable to unequivocally recommend any measures of person-centredness for use in older adult care. Researchers are advised to improve methodological rigour when testing instruments. Efforts may be best focused on testing a narrower range of measurement properties but to a

  19. Clinical drug development using dynamic biomarkers to enable personalized health care in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bihlet, Asger R; Karsdal, Morten A; Bay-Jensen, Anne-Christine

    2015-01-01

    Despite massive investments in development of novel treatments for heterogeneous diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the resources spent have only benefitted a fraction of the population treated. Personalized Health Care to guide selection of a suitable patient population...... at higher risk of progression. We review the role of extra-cellular matrix proteins found to be upregulated in COPD. Novel biomarkers of connective tissue remodeling which may provide added value for a personalized approach by detecting subgroups of patients with active disease suitable for pharmacological...... already in the clinical development of new compounds could offer a solution. In this review, we discuss past successes and failures in drug development and biomarker research in COPD. We describe research in COPD phenotypes, and the required characteristics of a suitable biomarker for identifying patients...

  20. Beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laditka, Sarah B; Tseng, Winston; Price, Anna E; Ivey, Susan L; Friedman, Daniela B; Liu, Rui; Wu, Bel; Logsdon, Rebecca G; Beard, Renée L

    2012-01-01

    We examined beliefs about promoting cognitive health among Filipino Americans who care for persons with dementia, their awareness of media information about cognitive health, and their suggestions for communicating such information to other caregivers. We conducted three focus groups (25 participants). The constant comparison method compared themes across focus groups. Caregivers most frequently described cognitive health benefits of social engagement and leisure; next in emphasis were benefits of healthy diets. There was less emphasis on physical activity. Participants had heard from television that avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs might promote cognitive health. Ways to inform others about cognitive health included information in Filipino newspapers, and handouts in Filipino languages, distributed in Filipino stores, workplaces, community organizations, and health care facilities. Findings suggest an opportunity to develop public health messages promoting cognitive health that are in-language, published in ethnic-specific media, and that are culturally appropriate for Filipino and other Asian Americans.

  1. Provider Tools for Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care Discussions: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Jeff; Cosby, Roxanne; Gzik, Danusia; Harle, Ingrid; Harrold, Deb; Incardona, Nadia; Walton, Tara

    2018-01-01

    Advance care planning and goals of care discussions involve the exploration of what is most important to a person, including their values and beliefs in preparation for health-care decision-making. Advance care planning conversations focus on planning for future health care, ensuring that an incapable person's wishes are known and can guide the person's substitute decision maker for future decision-making. Goals of care discussions focus on preparing for current decision-making by ensuring the person's goals guide this process. To provide evidence regarding tools and/or practices available for use by health-care providers to effectively facilitate advance care planning conversations and/or goals of care discussions. A systematic review was conducted focusing on guidelines, randomized trials, comparative studies, and noncomparative studies. Databases searched included MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the proceedings of the International Advance Care Planning Conference and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Palliative Care Symposium. Although several studies report positive findings, there is a lack of consistent patient outcome evidence to support any one clinical tool for use in advance care planning or goals of care discussions. Effective advance care planning conversations at both the population and the individual level require provider education and communication skill development, standardized and accessible documentation, quality improvement initiatives, and system-wide coordination to impact the population level. There is a need for research focused on goals of care discussions, to clarify the purpose and expected outcomes of these discussions, and to clearly differentiate goals of care from advance care planning.

  2. Organisational culture and change: implementing person-centred care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlström, Eric D; Ekman, Inger

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the connection between organisational cultures and the employee's resistance to change at five hospital wards in Western Sweden. Staff had experienced extensive change during a research project implementing person-centred care (PCC) for patients with chronic heart failure. Surveys were sent out to 170 nurses. The survey included two instruments--the Organisational Values Questionnaire (OVQ) and the Resistance to Change Scale (RTC). The results indicate that a culture with a dominating focus on social competence decreases "routine seeking behaviour", i.e. tendencies to uphold stable routines and a reluctance to give up old habits. The results indicate that a culture of flexibility, cohesion and trust negatively covariate with the overall need for a stable and well-defined framework. An instrument that pinpoints the conditions of a particular healthcare setting can improve the results of a change project. Managers can use instruments such as the ones used in this study to investigate and plan for change processes. Earlier studies of organisational culture and its impact on the performance of healthcare organisations have often investigated culture at the highest level of the organisation. In this study, the culture of the production units--i.e. the health workers in different hospital wards--was described. Hospital wards develop their own culture and the cultures of different wards are mirrored in the hospital.

  3. Development of a Lifespan-Based Novel Composite Person-Reported Outcome Measure Using Data from the CINRG Duchenne Natural History Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    Duchenne natural history study PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: McDonald, Craig M. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of California, Davis Davis, CA 95618...composite person- reported outcome measure using data from the CINRG Duchenne natural history study 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Craig...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Development of novel technologies and therapeutic agents to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have increased

  4. The Effect of Dining Room Physical Environmental Renovations on Person-Centered Care Practice and Residents' Dining Experiences in Long-Term Care Facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Lillian; Chaudhury, Habib; Rust, Tiana

    2016-12-01

    This qualitative study evaluated the effect of dining room physical environmental changes on staff practices and residents' mealtime experiences in two units of a long-term care facility in Edmonton, Canada. Focus groups with staff (n = 12) and individual interviews with unit managers (n = 2) were conducted. We also developed and used the Dining Environment Assessment Protocol (DEAP) to conduct a systematic physical environmental evaluation of the dining rooms. Four themes emerged on the key influences of the renovations: (a) supporting independence and autonomy, (b) creating familiarity and enjoyment, (c) providing a place for social experience, and (d) challenges in supporting change. Feedback from the staff and managers provided evidence on the importance of physical environmental features, as well as the integral nature of the role of the physical environment and organizational support to provide person-centered care for residents. © The Author(s) 2015.

  5. Characterisation and comparison of the uptake of ionizable and polar pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products by POCIS and Chemcatchers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kaserzon, S.L.; Hawker, D.W.; Kennedy, K.; Bartkow, M.; Carter, S.; Booij, K.; Mueller, J.F.

    2014-01-01

    Growing concern about the environmental impact of ionizable and polar organic chemicals such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products has lead to the inclusion of some in legislative and regulatory frameworks. It is expected that future monitoring requirements for these chemicals in

  6. Struggling to adapt: caring for older persons while under threat of organizational change and termination notice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fläckman, Birgitta; Hansebo, Görel; Kihlgren, Annica

    2009-03-01

    Organizational changes are common in elder care today. Such changes affect caregivers, who are essential to providing good quality care. The aim of the present study was to illuminate caregivers' experiences of working in elder care while under threat of organizational change and termination notice. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine interview data from 11 caregivers. Interviews were conducted at three occasions during a two-year period. The findings show a transition in their experiences from 'having a professional identity and self-confidence', to 'being a professional in a threatening situation caused by someone else' and to 'struggling to adapt to a changed working environment as a person and a professional'. The caregivers experienced a loss of pride and satisfaction. Previous literature indicates that this may have consequences for the quality of care and that employees may be at risk of negative health effects. However, the caregivers continued to struggle, doing their best to complete their duties. The study has implications for high-level decision-makers, managers and caregivers in similar work-life situations in that it deals with factors that facilitate or impede similar transitions.

  7. Translating Personality Psychology to Help Personalize Preventive Medicine for Young-Adult Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Israel, Salomon; Moffitt, Terrie E.; Belsky, Daniel W.; Hancox, Robert J.; Poulton, Richie; Roberts, Brent; Thomson, W. Murray; Caspi, Avshalom

    2014-01-01

    The rising number of newly insured young adults brought on by healthcare reform will soon increase demands on primary-care physicians. Physicians will face more young-adult patients which presents an opportunity for more prevention-oriented care. In the current study, we evaluated whether brief observer reports of young adults’ personality traits could predict which individuals would be at greater risk for poor health as they entered midlife. Following the Dunedin Study cohort of 1,000 individuals, we show that very brief measures of young adults’ personalities predicted their midlife physical health across multiple domains (metabolic abnormalities, cardiorespiratory fitness, pulmonary function, periodontal disease, and systemic inflammation). Individuals scoring low on the traits of Conscientiousness and Openness-to-Experience went on to develop poorer health even after accounting for preexisting differences in education, socioeconomic status, smoking, obesity, self-reported health, medical conditions, and family medical history. Moreover, personality ratings from peer informants who knew participants well, and from a nurse and receptionist who had just met participants for the first time, predicted health decline from young adulthood to midlife despite striking differences in level of acquaintance. Personality effect sizes were on par with other well-established health-risk factors such as socioeconomic status, smoking, and self-reported health. We discuss the potential utility of personality measurement to function as an inexpensive and accessible tool for healthcare professionals to personalize preventive medicine. Adding personality information to existing healthcare electronic infrastructures could also advance personality theory by generating opportunities to examine how personality processes influence doctor-patient communication, health service use, and patient outcomes. PMID:24588093

  8. Eating disordered patients: personality, alexithymia, and implications for primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beales, D L; Dolton, R

    2000-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Eating disorders are becoming more apparent in primary care. Descriptions of character traits related to people with eating disorders are rarely reported in the primary care literature and there is little awareness of the implications of alexithymia--a concept that defines the inability to identify or express emotion. We hypothesised that many individuals with active eating disorders have alexithymic traits and a tendency to somatize their distress. AIM: To analyse the character traits and degree of alexithymia of a selected group of women with active eating disorders and in recovery, and to recommend responses by members of the primary care team that might meet the needs of such individuals. METHOD: Letters were sent to 200 female members of the Eating Disorders Association who had agreed to participate in research. Seventy-nine women volunteered to complete four postal questionnaires. This gave a response rate of 38.5%. Responders were categorised into three groups--anorexic, bulimic, and recovered--using the criteria of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2). The results of the 16PF5 Personality Inventory (16PF5) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlated using Pearson's correlation. A biographical questionnaire was also completed. RESULTS: In all three subgroups, high scores were achieved on the 16PF5 on 'apprehension and social sensitivity', while there were significant differences in the scores for 'privateness': a scale that measures the ability to talk about feelings and confide in others. On the TAS-20, 65% of the anorexic and 83% of the bulimic group scored in the alexithymic range compared with 33% of the recovered group. There was a significant negative correlation between alexithymia and social skills such as 'social and emotional expressivity' on the 16PF5. CONCLUSION: The results of this study emphasise the difference between those with active eating disorders who

  9. Trends in Exposure to Chemicals in Personal Care and Consumer Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calafat, Antonia M; Valentin-Blasini, Liza; Ye, Xiaoyun

    2015-12-01

    Synthetic organic chemicals can be used in personal care and consumer products. Data on potential human health effects of these chemicals are limited-sometimes even contradictory-but because several of these chemicals are toxic in experimental animals, alternative compounds are entering consumer markets. Nevertheless, limited information exists on consequent exposure trends to both the original chemicals and their replacements. Biomonitoring (measuring concentrations of chemicals or their metabolites in people) provides invaluable information for exposure assessment. We use phthalates and bisphenol A-known industrial chemicals-and organophosphate insecticides as case studies to show exposure trends to these chemicals and their replacements (e.g., other phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers, various bisphenols, pyrethroid insecticides) among the US general population. We compare US trends to national trends from Canada and Germany. Exposure to the original compounds is still prevalent among these general populations, but exposures to alternative chemicals may be increasing.

  10. Health care utilization in persons with spinal cord injury: part 2-determinants, geographic variation and comparison with the general population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronca, E; Scheel-Sailer, A; Koch, H G; Gemperli, A

    2017-09-01

    Cross-sectional survey. To investigate annual rates and geographic variation of health care utilization in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), and to identify factors associated with health care utilization. Community setting, entire country of Switzerland. Annual rates of planned and emergency visits to the general practitioner (GP), planned and emergency outpatient clinic visits and in-patient hospitalizations were compared between individuals with chronic SCI, over 16 years of age residing in Switzerland between late 2011 and early 2013 and a population sample (2012) of the Swiss general population. Risk factors for increased health service utilization were identified by means of regression models adjusted for spatial variation. Of 492 participants (86.2% response rate), 94.1% visited a health care provider in the preceding year, with most persons visiting GPs (88.4%) followed by outpatient clinics (53.1%) and in-patient hospitals (35.9%). The increase in utilization as compared with the general population was 1.3-, 4.0- and 2.9-fold for GP, outpatient clinic and in-patient hospital visit, respectively. GP utilization was highest in persons with low income (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.85) and old age (IRR 2.62). In the first 2 years post injury, health service visits were 1.7 (GP visits) to 5.8 times (emergency outpatient clinic visits) more likely compared with those later post injury. People with SCI more frequently use health services as compared with the general population, across all types of medical service institutions. GP services were used most often in areas where availability of specialized outpatient clinic services was low.

  11. Personal information documents for people with dementia: Healthcare staff 's perceptions and experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baillie, Lesley; Thomas, Nicola

    2018-01-01

    Person-centred care is internationally recognised as best practice for the care of people with dementia. Personal information documents for people with dementia are proposed as a way to support person-centred care in healthcare settings. However, there is little research about how they are used in practice. The aim of this study was to analyse healthcare staff 's perceptions and experiences of using personal information documents, mainly Alzheimer's Society's 'This is me', for people with dementia in healthcare settings. The method comprised a secondary thematic analysis of data from a qualitative study, of how a dementia awareness initiative affected care for people with dementia in one healthcare organisation. The data were collected through 12 focus groups (n = 58 participants) and 1 individual interview, conducted with a range of healthcare staff, both clinical and non-clinical. There are four themes presented: understanding the rationale for personal information documents; completing personal information documents; location for personal information documents and transfer between settings; impact of personal information documents in practice. The findings illuminated how healthcare staff use personal information documents in practice in ways that support person-centred care. Practical issues about the use of personal information documents were revealed and these may affect the optimal use of the documents in practice. The study indicated the need to complete personal information documents at an early stage following diagnosis of dementia, and the importance of embedding their use across care settings, to support communication and integrated care.

  12. Uptake and Effects of the e-Vita Personal Health Record with Self-Management Support and Coaching, for Type 2 Diabetes Patients Treated in Primary Care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Vugt, M.; de Wit, M.; Sieverink, Floor; Roelofsen, Y.; Hendriks, S.H.; Bilo, H.J.G.; Snoek, F.J.

    2016-01-01

    We studied the use, uptake, and effects of e-Vita, a personal health record, with self-management support and personalized asynchronized coaching, for type 2 diabetes patients treated in primary care. Patients were invited by their practice nurse to join the study aimed at testing use and effects of

  13. Person-centered care in Norwegian nursing homes and its relation to organizational factors and staff characteristics: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Røen, Irene; Kirkevold, Øyvind; Testad, Ingelin; Selbæk, Geir; Engedal, Knut; Bergh, Sverre

    2017-12-04

    Person-centered care (PCC) is regarded as good quality care for persons with dementia. This study aimed to explore and understand the association between PCC and organizational, staff and unit characteristics in nursing homes (NHs). Staff from 175 NH units in Norway (n = 1,161) completed a survey, including measures of PCC and questions about staff characteristics and work-related psychosocial factors. In addition, data about organizational and structural factors and assessment of the physical environment in the units were obtained. The distribution of these factors in regular units (RUs) and special care units (SCUs) is described, and the differences between the two types of units are analyzed. Furthermore, multilevel linear regression analyses explored the extent to which variables were associated with PCC. Higher levels of PCC were associated with a greater job satisfaction, three years or more of health-related education, a lower level of quantitative demands and role conflict, a higher level of perception of mastery, empowering leadership, innovative climate and perception of group work, in addition to the type of unit and the physical environment in the NH unit designed for people with dementia. SCU and staff job satisfaction explained most of the variation in PCC. This study shows an association between PCC and organizational, staff and unit characteristics in NH. These findings indicate that providing PCC in NH care is closely linked to how the staff experiences their job situation in addition to both organizational and structural factors and the physical environment. Attention needs to be given to such factors when planning NH care.

  14. Harm reduction services as a point-of-entry to and source of end-of-life care and support for homeless and marginally housed persons who use alcohol and/or illicit drugs: a qualitative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeil, Ryan; Guirguis-Younger, Manal; Dilley, Laura B; Aubry, Tim D; Turnbull, Jeffrey; Hwang, Stephen W

    2012-05-17

    Homeless and marginally housed persons who use alcohol and/or illicit drugs often have end-of-life care needs that go unmet due to barriers that they face to accessing end-of-life care services. Many homeless and marginally housed persons who use these substances must therefore rely upon alternate sources of end-of-life care and support. This article explores the role of harm reduction services in end-of-life care services delivery to homeless and marginally housed persons who use alcohol and/or illicit drugs. A qualitative case study design was used to explore end-of-life care services delivery to homeless and marginally housed persons in six Canadian cities. A key objective was to explore the role of harm reduction services. 54 health and social services professionals participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. All participants reported that they provided care and support to this population at end-of-life. Harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs, managed alcohol programs, etc.) were identified as a critical point-of-entry to and source of end-of-life care and support for homeless and marginally housed persons who use alcohol and/or illicit drugs. Where possible, harm reduction services facilitated referrals to end-of-life care services for this population. Harm reduction services also provided end-of-life care and support when members of this population were unable or unwilling to access end-of-life care services, thereby improving quality-of-life and increasing self-determination regarding place-of-death. While partnerships between harm reduction programs and end-of-life care services are identified as one way to improve access, it is noted that more comprehensive harm reduction services might be needed in end-of-life care settings if they are to engage this underserved population.

  15. Type D (distressed) personality in primary care patients with type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nefs, Giesje; Pouwer, Francois; Pop, Victor J M

    2012-01-01

    D Scale-14 (DS14) in type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS: 1553 primary care patients with type 2 diabetes were assessed for demographic, clinical, lifestyle and psychological characteristics in 2007. A subgroup (n=1012) completed the DS14 again 1 year later. RESULTS: The two-factor model of the Type D...... or physiological risk factors, but Type D women had a more sedentary lifestyle (p=.003). Type D patients experienced less social support and more stressful life events, loneliness, and more depressed mood, anhedonia and anxiety (p0......OBJECTIVE: In cardiovascular research, Type D personality (high negative affectivity and social inhibition) has been associated with a more than 3-fold increased risk of adverse health outcomes. This study examined the validity and clinical correlates of the Type D construct as assessed by the Type...

  16. The impact of nurses' spiritual health on their attitudes toward spiritual care, professional commitment, and caring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Yi-Chien; Lee, Hsiang-Chun; Chu, Tsung-Lan; Han, Chin-Yen; Hsiao, Ya-Chu

    2016-01-01

    The personal spiritual health of nurses may play an important role in improving their attitudes toward spiritual care and their professional commitment and caring capabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of nurses' personal spiritual health on their attitudes toward spiritual care, professional commitment, and caring. A total of 619 clinical nurses were included in this cross-sectional survey. The measurements included the spiritual health scale-short form, the spiritual care attitude scale, the nurses' professional commitment scale, and the caring behaviors scale. Structural equation modeling was used to establish associations between the main research variables. The hypothetical model provided a good fit with the data. Nurses' spiritual health had a positive effect on nurses' professional commitment and caring. Nurses' attitudes toward spiritual care could therefore mediate their personal spiritual health, professional commitment, and caring. The findings indicated that nurses' personal spiritual health is an important value and belief system and can influence their attitudes toward spiritual care, professional commitment, and caring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Health-Related Quality of Life in Persons With Ostomies Managed in an Outpatient Care Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Vera Lucia Conceição de Gouveia; Augusto, Fabiana da Silva; Gomboski, Gustavo

    2016-01-01

    We examined health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in persons with ostomies receiving outpatient care. We also analyzed relationships among HRQOL, demographic, and pertinent clinical factors. We used a descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study design to collect and analyze data. Data in this article are a secondary analysis of data collected from a primary study, developed by Santos and Gomboski, on the adaptation and validation of the City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire (COH-QOL-OQ) to the Portuguese language in Brazil. A convenience sample of 215 adults living with an ostomy was evaluated. Slightly more than half (51.6%) were men, 67.5% underwent colostomy surgery, and 59.1% underwent cancer-related ostomy surgery. Subjects received care in specialized health care units in 3 cities in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. After approval by the Research Ethics Committee and permission from health care units, data were collected using 2 instruments: the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Short Version (WHOQOL-Bref) (generic HRQOL instrument) and the COH-QOL-OQ (disease specific HRQOL instrument). Data were analyzed using χ test and logistic regression (via a stepwise forward method). Patients were classified into 3 groups according to the means and standard deviations of the scores: low, moderate, and high quality of life (QOL). Ostomy patients had total scores of 69.6 ± 20.2 and 6.1 ± 1.4 for the WHOQOL-Bref and COH-QOL-OQ instruments, respectively. Patients with shorter times since their ostomy creation had worse scores on both the specific QOL (P = .006) and generic QOL (P = .019) instruments. Patients who did not practice religion (P = .027; odds ratio [OR] = 3.39) and those without a partner/spouse (P = .007; OR = 4.90) had increased probability of having worse scores on the WHOQOL-Bref (generic instrument). Persons living with ostomies were found to have scores indicating moderate HRQOL on a disease-specific and generic

  18. FastStats: Older Persons' Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Whooping Cough or Pertussis Family Life Marriage and Divorce Health Care and Insurance Access to Health Care ... tables 10, 11 [PDF – 4.4 MB] Leading causes of death among persons aged 65 and over ...

  19. A review of wastewater handling in the Arctic with special reference to Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) and microbial pollution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gunnarsdottir, Ragnhildur; Jenssen, Petter Deinboll; Jensen, Pernille Erland

    2013-01-01

    Treatment of wastewater is often inadequate or completely lacking in Arctic regions. Wastewater contains different kinds of substances that can be harmful for the environment and human health, including residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Bioaccumulation and biomagnifications ...

  20. The frequency of incidental injuries related infections in health care workers and other persons in celje region, their prevention and postexposure prophylaxis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gorazd Lešničar

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Injuries with sharp, potentially infected objects represent a danger, particularly due to the possibility of viral transmission, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus, and consequentially, the possibility of infections with these viruses. The possibility of a tetanus infection should always be excluded as well. In percutaneous exposure of patient’s blood to hepatitis B the possibility of infection ranges between 5–30%, while in exposure to hepatitis C it is 3–10% and in exposure to human immunodeficiency virus this rate is 0.3% (in exposure of mucous membranes 0.09%.Methods: The prospective investigation carried out in the period from 1997 to July 2004 was aimed at establishing the frequency and type of incidents as well as the categories of the affected health care workers along with the procedures and types of sharp objects involved in those incidents. A protocol with 20 incident-related questions was prepared. Post-exposure prophylaxis (immunoprophylaxis against hepatitis B (specific anti-hepatitis B immunoglobulin and/or anti-hepatitis B virus vaccine and against human immunodeficiency virus infection (chemoprophylaxis was carried out by infectologists according to state-of-the-art doctrine. Considering the possibility of infection with hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus, the injured persons were subjected to a clinical, laboratory and serological follow up for at least 6 months or more following the incident. Exactly the same follow-up approach after injury was used also in the rest of the injured persons from Celje region. In co-operation with the Commission for Control of Nosocomial Infections, the infectologists prepared written guidelines regarding the post-exposure prophylaxis for health care workers in hospitals with the risk for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus transmission, and also participated in the implementation

  1. Proposal of a service delivery integration index of home care for older persons: application in several European cities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Claude Henrard

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To propose an integration index of home care delivery to older persons, to study its validity and to apply it to home care services of European cities. Theory: Home care delivery integration was based on two dimensions referring to process-centred integration and organisational structure approach. Method: Items considered as part of both dimensions according to an expert consensus (face validity were extracted from a standardised questionnaire used in “Aged in Home care” (AdHoc study to capture basic characteristics of home care services. Their summation leads to a services' delivery integration index. This index was applied to AdHoc services. A factor analysis was computed in order to empirically test the validity of the theoretical constructs. The plot of the settings was performed. Results: Application of the index ranks home care services in four groups according to their score. Factor analysis identifies a first factor which opposes working arrangement within service to organisational structure bringing together provisions for social care. A second factor corresponds to basic nursing care and therapies. Internal consistency for those three domains ranges from 0.78 to 0.93. When plotting the different settings different models of service delivery appear. Conclusion: The proposed index shows that behind a total score several models of care delivery are hidden. Comparison of service delivery integration should take into account this heterogeneity.

  2. Mentoring. A quality assurance tool for dentists. Part 6: Outcomes: patient care, professional development and personal growth. Authentic happiness for dentists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holt, Vernon P; Ladwa, Russ

    2010-01-01

    This paper is the last in a series of six papers that have described different aspects of mentoring. It considers the impact of mentoring when it is used in general dental practice, applying the technique of learning through positive psychology. The first part of the paper considers this approach from a patient's perspective, the second from the perspective of a dentist. Because the impact on the quality of care for the patient is largely mediated through the personality of the dentist, the quality of the dentist's own performance, during his/her professional relationship with the patient, is a critical ingredient. The way that this critical ingredient impacts on quality of care is considered and parallels are drawn between roles assumed in dental practice and those found in industry. The paper also considers the way in which mentoring, as a part of a professional development programme, can enhance dentists' personal skills and performance. It is an opportunity for great personal growth, with increased levels of job and life satisfaction, leading to greater levels of authentic happiness for all those involved, not least for dentists and the dental team.

  3. The development of the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework: Revealing the being of person-centredness in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Brighide M; McCance, Tanya; McCormack, Brendan; Brown, Donna

    2018-01-01

    To implement and evaluate the effect of using the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework to develop person-centred care within nursing homes. Many models of nursing leadership have been developed internationally in recent years but do not fit with the emergent complex philosophy of nursing home care. This study develops the Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework that supports this philosophy. It forms the theoretical basis of the action research study described in this article. This was a complex action research study using the following multiple methods: nonparticipatory observation using the Workplace Culture Critical Analysis Tool (n = 30); critical and reflective dialogues with participants (n = 39) at time 1 (beginning of study), time 2 (end of study) and time 3 (6 months after study had ended); narratives from residents at time 1 and time 2 (n = 8); focus groups with staff at time 2 (n = 12) and reflective field notes. Different approaches to analyse the data were adopted for the different data sources, and the overall results of the thematic analysis were brought together using cognitive mapping. The Person-Centred Situational Leadership Framework captures seven core attributes of the leader that facilitate person-centredness in others: relating to the essence of being; harmonising actions with the vision; balancing concern for compliance with concern for person-centredness; connecting with the other person in the instant; intentionally enthusing the other person to act; listening to the other person with the heart; and unifying through collaboration, appreciation and trust. This study led to a theoretical contribution in relation to the Person-Centred Practice Framework. It makes an important key contribution internationally to the gap in knowledge about leadership in residential care facilities for older people. The findings can be seen to have significant applicability internationally, across other care settings and contexts.

  4. INTEDISCIPLINARITY IN SUPPORT GROUPS TO THE FAMILY AND TO THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE CARRIER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aline Miranda Fonseca

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This is a reflexive study about the intedisciplinarity in support groups to the family and to the person responsible for taking care of the Alzheimer’s Disease carrier. As health professionals, researchers and social subjects who transform the reality by scientific investigations we have responsibilities and try to make thoughtful studies which benefit society and nursering. Those studies have as main focus the care ruled on prevention, promotion e recovery of the population’s health.

  5. Toxicity and Treatment of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products Using Exotic Plants - A Laboratory Scale Experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramírez Vargas, Carlos Andrés; Paredes, Diego; Cubillos, Janneth

    Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) detected in the environment belong to a large and diverse group of organic substances (analgesics, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, soaps, lotions, toothpaste, etc.). PPCPs reach aquatic ecosystems through point and diffuse discharges (unused....../expired products, excretion of people and animals, application of fertilizers, direct delivery of veterinary products etc. Santos et al., 2010). Conventional technologies for water treatment (potable and sewage) fail to remove efficiently these compounds (Dordio et al., 2010), hence it is desirable to implement...

  6. The personal value of being part of a Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) links programme to develop a palliative care degree programme in Sub Saharan Africa: a descriptive study of the views of volunteer UK health care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jack, B A; Kirton, J A; Downing, J; Frame, K

    2015-12-14

    There is a global need to expand palliative care services to reach the increasing number requiring end of life care. In developing countries where the incidences of cancer are rising there is an urgent need to develop the palliative care workforce. This paper reports on a UK Department for international development (DFID) initiative funded through the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) where palliative care staff, both clinical and academic, volunteered to help to develop, support and deliver a degree in palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of the study was to explore the personal impact on the health care professionals of being part of this initiative. An evaluation approach using a confidential electronic survey containing quantitative and qualitative questions was distributed to all 17 volunteers on the programme, three months after completion of the first cohort. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content thematic analysis. Ethical review deemed the study to be service evaluation. 82 % (14) responded and several themes emerged from the data including the positive impact on teaching and educational skills; clinical practice and finally personal development. Using a score of 1-10 (1-no impact, 10 maximum impact) 'Lifestyle choices - life work balance' (rating 7.83) had the most impact. This approach to supporting the development of palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa through skill sharing in supporting the delivery of a degree programme in palliative care was successful in terms of delivery of the degree programme, material development and mentorship of local staff. Additionally, this study shows it provided a range of positive impacts on the volunteer health care professionals from the UK. Professional impacts including increased management skills, and being better prepared to undertake a senior role. However it is the personal impact including lifestyle choices which the volunteers reported as the highest impact

  7. Personal care services provided to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their subsequent use of physician services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Thomas R; Elliott, Timothy R; McMaughan, Darcy M; Patnaik, Ashweeta; Naiser, Emily; Dyer, James A; Fournier, Constance J; Hawes, Catherine; Phillips, Charles D

    2013-10-01

    Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) help families meet children's needs for assistance with functional tasks. However, PCS may have other effects on a child's well-being, but research has not yet established the existence of such effects. To investigate the relationship between the number of PCS hours a child receives with subsequent visits to physicians for evaluation and management (E&M) services. Assessment data for 2058 CSHCN receiving PCS were collected in 2008 and 2009. Assessment data were matched with Medicaid claims data for the period of 1 year after the assessment. Zero-inflated negative binomial and generalized linear multivariate regression models were used in the analyses. These models included patient demographics, health status, household resources, and use of other medical services. For every 10 additional PCS hours authorized for a child, the odds of having an E&M physician visit in the next year were reduced by 25%. However, the number of PCS hours did not have a significant effect on the number of visits by those children who did have a subsequent E&M visit. A variety of demographic and health status measures also affect physician use. Medicaid PCS for CSHCN may be associated with reduced physician usage because of benefits realized by continuity of care, the early identification of potential health threats, or family and patient education. PCS services may contribute to a child's well-being by providing continuous relationships with the care team that promote good chronic disease management, education, and support for the family. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Facilitators of the transition process for the self-care of the person with stoma: subsidies for Nursing].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mota, Marina Soares; Gomes, Giovana Calcagno; Petuco, Vilma Madalosso; Heck, Rita Maria; Barros, Edaiane Joana Lima; Gomes, Vera Lúcia de Oliveira

    2015-02-01

    To know the facilitating factors of the transition process from dependency to the self-care of people with a stoma. This is a descriptive study of qualitative approach, including 27 people with permanent stomas due to cancer. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and submitted to content analysis based on the Transition Theory as theoretical reference. The self-care facilitators related to the person were the positive significance of ostomy; the preparation for this experience already in the preoperative period; emotional stability; faith; religiousness; and a sense of normalcy acquired from a next image similar to the previous one. The facilitators related to the community were the following: receiving equipment for free from the government; support from family and the multidisciplinary team, especially the nurses; and having contact with other people with stomata. The results allow that nurses develop strategies to help people with stomata to resume their self-care.

  9. Facilitators of the transition process for the self-care of the person with stoma: subsidies for Nursing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Soares Mota

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To know the facilitating factors of the transition process from dependency to the self-care of people with a stoma. METHOD This is a descriptive study of qualitative approach, including 27 people with permanent stomas due to cancer. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and submitted to content analysis based on the Transition Theory as theoretical reference. RESULTS The self-care facilitators related to the person were the positive significance of ostomy; the preparation for this experience already in the preoperative period; emotional stability; faith; religiousness; and a sense of normalcy acquired from a next image similar to the previous one. The facilitators related to the community were the following: receiving equipment for free from the government; support from family and the multidisciplinary team, especially the nurses; and having contact with other people with stomata. CONCLUSION The results allow that nurses develop strategies to help people with stomata to resume their self-care.

  10. Personal Care Products Are Only One of Many Exposure Routes of Natural Toxic Substances to Humans and the Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas D. Bucheli

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The special issue “A Critical View on Natural Substances in Personal Care Products” is dedicated to addressing the multidisciplinary special challenges of natural ingredients in personal care products (PCP and addresses also environmental exposure. In this perspective article, we argue that environmental exposure is probably not so much dominated by PCP use, but in many cases by direct emission from natural or anthropogenically managed vegetation, including agriculture. In support of this hypothesis, we provide examples of environmental fate and behaviour studies for compound classes that are either listed in the International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients (INCI or have been discussed in a wider context of PCP applications and have been classified as potentially harmful to humans and the environment. Specifically, these include estrogenic isoflavones, the carcinogenic ptaquiloside and pyrrolizidine alkaloids, saponins, terpenes and terpenoids, such as artemisinin, and mycotoxins. Research gaps and challenges in the domains of human and environmental exposure assessment of natural products common to our currently rather separated research communities are highlighted.

  11. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs in the freshwater aquatic environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anekwe Jennifer Ebele

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs are a unique group of emerging environmental contaminants, due to their inherent ability to induce physiological effects in human at low doses. An increasing number of studies has confirmed the presence of various PPCPs in different environmental compartments, which raises concerns about the potential adverse effects to humans and wildlife. Therefore, this article reviews the current state-of-knowledge on PPCPs in the freshwater aquatic environment. The environmental risk posed by these contaminants is evaluated in light of the persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity criteria. Available literature on the sources, transport and degradation of PPCPs in the aquatic environment are evaluated, followed by a comprehensive review of the reported concentrations of different PPCP groups in the freshwater aquatic environment (water, sediment and biota of the five continents. Finally, future perspectives for research on PPCPs in the freshwater aquatic environment are discussed in light of the identified research gaps in current knowledge.

  12. [The host community of a child with food allergies: the personalized care project (PCP)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rancé, F

    2010-12-01

    The personalized care project (PCP) can manage allergic emergencies that may occur during school hours. Other objectives are to facilitate academic achievement, social and professional integration of children and adolescents with chronic illness such as food allergy, by promoting education through certain changes. The PCP is derived from official files including Circular N(o) 2003-135 of September 8 and the inter-ministerial circular of 25 June 2001. The family must request a protocol with the host school principal or school head. Then, the doctor of Education organizes the drafting of the document based on information provided by the physician (or allergist). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Personalized medicine: CCO's vision, accomplishments and future plans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Jennifer; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Rutherford, Michael; Hart, Jennifer; Melamed, Saul; Pollett, Aaron

    2015-01-01

    Personalized medicine is a rapidly expanding field, with the potential to improve patient care. Its benefits include increasing efficiency in cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment through early detection, targeted therapy and identifying individuals with an underlying genetic risk for cancer or adverse outcomes. Through the work of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)'s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program, a number of initiatives have been undertaken to support developments in personalized medicine. In keeping with the momentum of recent accomplishments, CCO has led the formation of the Personalized Medicine Steering Committee to develop a comprehensive provincial genetics strategy for the future of cancer care. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

  14. 'From activating towards caring': shifts in care approaches at the end of life of people with intellectual disabilities; a qualitative study of the perspectives of relatives, care-staff and physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekkema, Nienke; de Veer, Anke J E; Hertogh, Cees M P M; Francke, Anneke L

    2015-07-25

    Professionals and relatives increasingly have to deal with people with intellectual disabilities (ID) who are in need of end-of-life care. This is a specific type of care that may require a different approach to the focus on participation that currently characterizes the care for people with ID. This paper describes the shifts in care approaches and attitudes that relatives and professionals perceive as the death of a person with ID approaches, as well as the values underlying these shifts. A qualitative design was used to reconstruct the cases of twelve recently deceased people with ID. Relatives and professionals who were closest to the person at the end of their life were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed inductively, using elements of thematic analysis. Five shifts were found: 1) adapting to a new strategy of comforting care, taking over tasks and symptom relief, 2) interweaving of emotional and professional involvement, 3) stronger reliance on the joint interpretation of signals expressing distress and pain, 4) magnified feeling of responsibility in medical decisions, 5) intensified caring relationship between 'two families': relatives and care staff. Six relational values were behind these shifts: 'being there' for the person with ID, 'being responsive' to the person's needs, 'reflection' on their own emotions and caring relationships, 'attentiveness' to the ID person's wishes and expressions of distress, 'responsibility' for taking joint decisions in the best interests of the person, and 'openness to cooperation and sharing' the care with others. End-of-life care for people with ID involves curtailing expectations of participation and skill acquirement, and an increase in teamwork featuring intensified comforting care, symptom management and medical decision making. Three caring relationships need to be fostered: the relationship with the person with ID, relationships among professionals and the relationship between

  15. Potential barriers and facilitators for implementation of an integrated care pathway for hearing-impaired persons: an exploratory survey among patients and professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verschuure Hans

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Because of the increasing costs and anticipated shortage of Ear Nose and Throat (ENT specialists in the care for hearing-impaired persons, an integrated care pathway that includes direct hearing aid provision was developed. While this direct pathway is still under investigation, in a survey we examined expectations and potential barriers and facilitators towards this direct pathway, of patients and professionals involved in the pathway. Methods Two study populations were assessed: members of the health professions involved in the care pathway for hearing-impaired persons (general practitioners (GPs, hearing aid dispensers, ENT-specialists and clinical audiologists and persons with hearing complaints. We developed a comprehensive semi-structured questionnaire for the professionals, regarding expectations, barriers, facilitators and conditions for implementation. We developed two questionnaires for persons with hearing complaints, both regarding evaluations and preferences, and administered them after they had experienced two key elements of the direct pathway: the triage and the hearing aid fitting. Results On average GPs and hearing aid dispensers had positive expectations towards the direct pathway, while ENT-specialists and clinical audiologists had negative expectations. Professionals stated both barriers and facilitators towards the direct pathway. Most professionals either supported implementation of the direct pathway, provided that a number of conditions were satisfied, or did not support implementation, unless roughly the same conditions were satisfied. Professionals generally agreed on which conditions need to be satisfied. Persons with hearing complaints evaluated the present referral pathway and the new direct pathway equally. Many, especially older, participants stated however that they would still visit the GP and ENT-specialist, even when this would not be necessary for reimbursement of the hearing aid, and

  16. Toward Personalized Pressure Ulcer Care Planning: Development of a Bioinformatics System for Individualized Prioritization of Clinical Pratice Guideline

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0342 TITLE: Toward Personalized Pressure Ulcer Care Planning: Development of a Bioinformatics System for Individualized...Planning: Development of a Bioinformatics System for Individualized Prioritization of Clinical Pratice Guideline 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT...recommendations of CPG has been identified by experts in the field. We will use bioinformatics to enable data extraction, storage, and analysis to support

  17. Do care homes deliver person-centred care? A cross-sectional survey of staff-reported abusive and positive behaviours towards residents from the MARQUE (Managing Agitation and Raising Quality of Life) English national care home survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Claudia; Marston, Louise; Barber, Julie; Livingston, Deborah; Rapaport, Penny; Higgs, Paul; Livingston, Gill

    2018-01-01

    There are widespread concerns about abuse of care home residents. We report, in the largest care home survey, prevalence of staff anonymously-reported, perpetrated/witnessed abusive behaviours towards care home residents over 3 months. We also report positive care behaviours. 1544 staff in 92 English care home units completed the revised Modified Conflict Tactics Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Most staff reported positive care behaviours, but specific person-centred activities were sometimes infrequent. Many care home staff were never or almost never aware of a resident being taken out of the home for their enjoyment (34%, n = 520); or an activity planned around a resident's interests (15%, n = 234). 763 (51%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 47% to 54%) of care home staff reported carrying out or observing potentially abusive or neglectful behaviours at least sometimes in the preceding 3 months; some abuse was reported as happening "at least sometimes" in 91/92 care homes. Neglect was most frequently reported: making a resident wait for care (n = 399, 26%), avoiding a resident with challenging behaviour (n = 391, 25%), giving residents insufficient time for food (n = 297, 19%), and taking insufficient care when moving residents (n = 169, 11%). 1.1% of staff reported physical and 5% verbal abuse. More staff reported abusive/neglectful behaviour in homes with higher staff burnout-depersonalisation scores (adjusted odds ratio 1.191, CI 1.052-1.349). Staff anonymous reports of abusive behaviour and neglect could be used to monitor care quality, as cases currently reported are probably tip of the iceberg, and be an outcome in intervention studies.

  18. Improving Accessibility to Medical Services for Persons with Disabilities in Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anpatcha Sakhornkhan

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This action research aimed at developing an action plan to improve the accessibility to home health care and assistive devices for persons with disabilities in a rural community, and to evaluate changes in the numbers of such persons who received appropriate home health care and assistive devices after a three-month implementation of the action plan.Method: The study was conducted at a sub-district of Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand. The main beneficiaries were 99 persons with disabilities (mean age55.4±18.7 years. Group meetings were organised for persons with disabilities, caregivers, and various community members. An action plan for improving the accessibility of persons with disabilities to home health care and assistive devices was collaboratively formulated and implemented for three months.Results: The main strategy for improving accessibility was to increase the competency of village health volunteers in providing home health care and assistive devices to persons with disabilities. After the three-month action plan implementation, the number of persons with disabilities who received appropriate home health care, i.e. at least once a month, significantly increased from 33.3% to 72.2% (Chi-square test, PConclusions: Under the supervision of physical therapists and/or other allied health professionals, the village health volunteer is likely to be a key person for improving the accessibility to home health care and assistive devices for persons with disabilities in a rural community.Limitations: The study was limited to only one sub-district. No comparable areas were studied. Further, since the study recruited persons with disabilities from a rural community, applicability of the findings to persons with disabilities in an urban community should be considered judiciously.

  19. Palliative care and support for persons with HIV/AIDS in 7 African countries: implementation experience and future priorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Carla S; Memiah, Peter; Henley, Yvonne B; Kaiza-Kangalawe, Angela; Shumbusho, Anna Joyce; Obiefune, Michael; Enejoh, Victor; Stanis-Ezeobi, Winifred; Eze, Charity; Odion, Ehekhaye; Akpenna, Donald; Effiong, Amana; Miriti, Kenneth; Aduda, Samson; Oko, John; Melaku, Gebremedhin D; Baribwira, Cyprien; Umutesi, Hassina; Shimabale, Mope; Mugisa, Emmanuel; Amoroso, Anthony

    2012-06-01

    To combat morbidity and mortality from the worldwide epidemic of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the United States Congress implemented a President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 30 resource-limited countries to integrate combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) for both prevention and cure. Over 35% of eligible persons have been successfully treated. Initial legislation cited palliative care as an essential aspect of this plan but overall health strengthening became critical to sustainability of programming and funding priorities shifted to assure staffing for care delivery sites; laboratory and pharmaceutical infrastructure; data collection and reporting; and financial management as individual countries are being encouraged to assume control of in-country funding. Given infrastructure requisites, individual care delivery beyond ART management alone has received minimal funding yet care remains necessary for durable viral suppression and overall quality of life for individuals. Technical assistance staff of one implementing partner representing seven African countries met to clarify domains of palliative care compared with the substituted term "care and support" to understand potential gaps in on-going HIV care. They prioritized care needs as: 1) mental health (depression and other mood disorders); 2) communication skills (age-appropriate disclosure of HIV status); 3) support of care-providers (stress management for sustainability of a skilled HIV workforce); 4) Tied Priorities: symptom management in opportunistic infections; end-of-life care; spiritual history-taking; and 5) Tied Priorities: attention to grief-related needs of patients, their families and staff; and management of HIV co-morbidities. This process can inform health policy as funding transitions to new priorities.

  20. A usability evaluation of a SNOMED CT based compositional interface terminology for intensive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhshi-Raiez, F; de Keizer, N F; Cornet, R; Dorrepaal, M; Dongelmans, D; Jaspers, M W M

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the usability of a large compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT and the terminology application for registration of the reasons for intensive care admission in a Patient Data Management System. Observational study with user-based usability evaluations before and 3 months after the system was implemented and routinely used. Usability was defined by five aspects: effectiveness, efficiency, learnability, overall user satisfaction, and experienced usability problems. Qualitative (the Think-Aloud user testing method) and quantitative (the System Usability Scale questionnaire and Time-on-Task analyses) methods were used to examine these usability aspects. The results of the evaluation study revealed that the usability of the interface terminology fell short (SUS scores before and after implementation of 47.2 out of 100 and 37.5 respectively out of 100). The qualitative measurements revealed a high number (n=35) of distinct usability problems, leading to ineffective and inefficient registration of reasons for admission. The effectiveness and efficiency of the system did not change over time. About 14% (n=5) of the revealed usability problems were related to the terminology content based on SNOMED CT, while the remaining 86% (n=30) was related to the terminology application. The problems related to the terminology content were more severe than the problems related to the terminology application. This study provides a detailed insight into how clinicians interact with a controlled compositional terminology through a terminology application. The extensiveness, complexity of the hierarchy, and the language usage of an interface terminology are defining for its usability. Carefully crafted domain-specific subsets and a well-designed terminology application are needed to facilitate the use of a complex compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.