Treatment approaches for clients with a stroke‐affected upper limb: Are we following evidence‐based practice?

Stroke rehabilitation is an area of practice that many occupational therapists encounter during their career. The literature promotes a wide range of management techniques and support devices for people who have a stroke-affected upper limb, but little is known about the validity of those that occupational therapists actually use in practice. A questionnaire was sent to occupational therapists working in Queensland and northern New South Wales facilities (n = 35), in which adults with a stroke were likely to be treated. Eighteen respondents answered questions about the management techniques and support devices used in their facility, and their perception of the benefit of these devices in the reduction of hemiplegic shoulder pain. Results are discussed with reference to evidence-based practice and indicate an urgent need for the collation and dissemination of the best current evidence available for the management techniques and support devices used in this area, as well as further research to extend this evidence.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者家庭支持与自我概念的相关性研究

目的 探讨慢性阻塞性肺疾病(慢阻肺)患者的家庭支持与自我概念的关系。方法 用方便抽样法选取108位慢阻肺患者，应用修订的个人资源问卷、自我概念量表和一般资料问卷分别测定其家庭支持、自我概念水平和一般资料。结果 该组患者家庭支持程度为中到高度，自我概念中度积极；家庭支持与总的自我概念呈中度正相关，与自我概念中的体感、自我一致性、理想自我及道德一伦理一精神自我有显著相关．与体象无关。结论 慢阻肺患者的家庭支持水平越高，其自我概念越积极。     

Early parental adjustment to visible congenital disfigurement

Summary When a baby is born with a visible disfigurement, then parents need to adjust to the loss of the anticipated 'perfect' child and thus accept their baby. The impact of the birth on the parents is described in the context of a measure which identifies areas of potential difficulty. The two groups studied were parents of children with cleft palates and parents of children with congenital hand deficit. A wide range of adjustment was found. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their overall adjustment, but there were individual differences in adjustment which did not relate to the severity or type of anomaly. The only significant variable found to relate to parental adjustment was perceived family support.     

The Relative Contribution of Domains of Quality of Life to Overall Quality of Life for Different Chronic Diseases

This study examined the contribution of the quality of life (QoL) domains physical, social and psychological functioning to the explanation of overall QoL. Various disorders may differentially affect QoL domains due to disease-specific factors and, consequently, the relationship between QoL domains and overall QoL may vary between diseases. We therefore studied this relationship for several diseases as well as the differential impact of these diseases on QoL. The present study had a cross-sectional design. We selected patients (aged 57 years and older) with one of the following eight chronic medical conditions: lung disorder, heart condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, back problems, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, or dermatological disorders. The total group of respondents included 1457 patients and 1851 healthy subjects. Regression analyses showed that the domain of psychological functioning contributed to overall QoL for all disorders, whereas physical and social functioning contributed to overall QoL for some disorders. Differences were found between most patient groups and healthy subjects with respect to physical functioning; with respect to social and psychological functioning some groups differed from the healthy group. Explanations for the findings and implications for clinical practice are discussed.     

参加社会活动和锻炼对冠心病并发抑郁的影响1

目的：研究参加社会活动和锻炼对新兴工业化农村社区冠心病患者并发抑郁的影响。方法：对114例在我院就医、属三角镇户籍常住人口的冠心病（CHD）患者进行Zung量表（SDS量表）检测，同时调查其经济状况、健康习惯、参加社会活动和锻炼情况等。用SPSS13．0版统计软件进行统计分析。结果：抑郁发生率37．7％，女性44．3％（27／61）高于男性30．2％（16／53）。70岁以上者47．6％（30／63）高于70岁以下者25．5％（13／51）。缺少社会活动（几乎不参加社会活动）、缺少锻炼（几乎不锻炼身体）都抑郁发生率高，可能是冠心病并发抑郁的独立预测因素。结论：适度参加社会活动和锻炼对CHD患者并发抑郁可能有预防作用。     

消化道恶性肿瘤确诊初期患者社会支持与生命质量的调查

目的 调查消化道恶性肿瘤确诊初期的患者半年中的社会支持和生命质量变化。方法 采用社会支持评定量表和CARES-SF对146名患者的社会支持和生命质量进行为期半年的追踪调查。结果 消化道恶性肿瘤确诊初期患者的生命质量为中等，其中婚姻关系维度、性关系维度得分半年后下降。患者所获得的社会支持最多的是情感支持，其次是实际支持，信息支持为第三位。情感支持大多来源于家庭成员，信息支持大多来源于医务人员。患者大多很少参与社交活动。在半年中情感支持、实际支持、信息支持的变化模式不一。诊断初期的患者不能有效地利用社会支持。结论 应对确诊初期患者加强咨询，以充分识别和利用社会资源。应持续评估患者的生命质量和社会支持，并制订干预方案，提高消化道恶性肿瘤确诊初期患者的社会支持程度，最终提高其生命质量。     

Emergency Medicine Practitioner Knowledge and Use of Decision Rules for the Evaluation of Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism: Variations by Practice Setting and Training Level

Background Several clinical decision rules (CDRs) have been validated for pretest probability assessment of pulmonary embolism (PE), but the authors are unaware of any data quantifying and characterizing their use in emergency departments. Objectives To characterize clinicians' knowledge of and attitudes toward two commonly used CDRs for PE. Methods By using a modified Delphi approach, the authors developed a two‐page paper survey including 15 multiple‐choice questions. The questions were designed to determine the respondents' familiarity, frequency of use, and comprehension of the Canadian and Charlotte rules. The survey also queried the frequency of use of unstructured (gestalt) pretest probability assessment and reasons why physicians choose not to use decision rules. The surveys were sent to physicians, physician assistants, and medical students at 32 academic and community hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom. Results Respondents included 555 clinicians; 443 (80%) work in academic practice, and 112 (20%) are community based. Significantly more academic practitioners (73%) than community practitioners (49%) indicated familiarity with at least one of the two decision rules. Among all respondents familiar with a rule, 50% reported using it in more than half of applicable cases. A significant number of these respondents could not correctly identify a key component of the rule (23% for the Charlotte rule and 43% for the Canadian rule). Fifty‐seven percent of all respondents indicated use of gestalt rather than a decision rule in more than half of cases. Conclusions Academic clinicians were more likely to report familiarity with either of these two specific decision rules. Only one half of all clinicians reporting familiarity with the rules use them in more than 50% of applicable cases. Spontaneous recall of the specific elements of the rules was low to moderate. Future work should consider clinical gestalt in the evaluation of patients with possible PE.     

无创正压通气不同压力支持水平对正常人呼吸做功的影响

目的 :观察无创正压通气 (NIPPV)不同压力水平对正常人呼吸做功的影响 ,为临床合理地应用NIPPV提供理论依据。方法 :选择 9例正常人行NIPPV并寻找出“最舒适”的吸气压力水平 (IPAP) ,在此压力基础上增加或减少 2 5 %的压力 ,构成低IPAP、最舒适IPAP和高IPAP三个压力水平 ,每一IPAP水平通气 15min以上 ,比较不同压力水平呼吸做功改变。结果 :受试者认为“最舒适”的IPAP为 (11.33± 3.2 0 )cmH2 O ,EPAP为 (4 .5 6± 0 .88)cmH2 O[相当于PSV水平为 (6 .77± 3.2 0 )cmH2 O]。与自主呼吸相比 ,NIPPV增加VE的同时 ,总的呼吸做功(Wtot)明显增加 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,而受试者吸气肌做功占总的吸气做功的百分比 (Wi,p/Wi)明显减少 (P <0 .0 5 )。在最舒适IPAP时 ,Wi,p/Wi降低到基础值的 14 %± 9%。这种变化趋势与IPAP的水平相关。结论 :NIPPV可以显著降低吸气肌肉做功。吸气肌做功减少的比例与IPAP的水平相关。研究的结果为NIPPV时PSV的参数设定提供了生理学的依据。     

Development and evaluation of a breast cancer prevention decision aid for higher-risk women

Objective To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a breast cancer prevention decision aid for women aged 50 and older at higher risk of breast cancer. Design Pre‐test–post‐test study using decision aid alone and in combination with counselling. Setting Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Clinic. Participants Twenty‐seven women aged 50–69 with 1.66% or higher 5‐year risk of breast cancer. Intervention Self‐administered breast cancer prevention decision aid. Main outcome measures Acceptability; decisional conflict; knowledge; realistic expectations; choice predisposition; intention to improve life‐style practices; psychological distress; and satisfaction with preparation for consultation. Results The decision aid alone, or in combination with counselling, decreased some dimensions of decisional conflict, increased knowledge (P < 0.01), and created more realistic expectations (P < 0.01). The aid in combination with counselling, significantly reduced decisional conflict (P < 0.01) and psychological distress (P < 0.02), helped the uncertain become certain (P < 0.02), and increased intentions to adopt healthier life‐style practices (P < 0.03). Women rated the aid as acceptable, and both women and practitioners were satisfied with the effect it had on the counselling session. Conclusion The decision aid shows promise as a useful decision support tool. Further research should compare the effect of the decision aid in combination with counselling to counselling alone.