Dysfunctional grieving related to childbearing loss: A descriptive study

The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze client cases with the nursing diagnosis of dysfunctional grieving. Such research is in congruence with the American Nurses’ Association's definition of nursing as cited in Nursing: A Social Policy Statement and the call for diagnostic and case study research from the National Group for Classification of Nursing Diagnoses. A Grounded Theory, case study methodology was used to discover, categorize, and evaluate defining characteristics and strategies of assessment and counseling for the diagnosis. These cases include spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, infant death, and birth of severely handicapped and premature infants. Findings led to the development of a nursing counseling model, which highlights a creative nursing process of assessment and intervention that has not been identified in the literature. The assessment strategies of this model include the grief behavior paradox, mental imagery, and the diminutive therapeutic effect. Counseling strategies include dream baby identification, communication mapping, therapeutic use of humor, cultural and behavioral sensitivity, emotional time out, building self‐esteem, nurse authenticity, and self‐help groups. These findings describe advanced nursing practice that supports the position that nurses diagnose and treat “human responses to actual or potential health problems.”;     

A descriptive study of work aggravated asthma

Background and Aims: Work related asthma (WRA) is one of the most frequently reported occupational lung diseases in a number of industrialised countries. A better understanding of work aggravated asthma (WAA), as well as work related new onset asthma (NOA), is needed to aid in prevention efforts. Methods: WAA and NOA in the United States were compared using cases reported to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from four state Sentinel Event Notification Systems for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) surveillance programmes for 1993–95. Results: A total of 210 WAA cases and 891 NOA cases were reported. WAA cases reported mineral and inorganic dusts as the most common exposure agent, as opposed to NOA cases, in which diisocyanates were reported most frequently. A similar percentage of WAA and NOA cases still experienced breathing problems at the time of the interview or had visited a hospital or emergency room for work related breathing problems. NOA cases were twice as likely to have applied for workers'' compensation compared with WAA cases. However, among those who had applied for worker compensation, approximately three-fourths of both WAA and NOA cases had received awards. The services and manufacturing industrial categories together accounted for the majority of both WAA (62%) and NOA (75%) cases. The risk of WAA, measured by average annual rate, was clearly the highest in the public administration (14.2 cases/10⁵) industrial category, while the risk of NOA was increased in both the manufacturing (3.2 cases/10⁵) and public administration (2.9 cases/10⁵) categories. Conclusions: WAA cases reported many of the same adverse consequences as NOA cases. Certain industries were identified as potential targets for prevention efforts based on either the number of cases or the risk of WAA and NOA.     

A descriptive study of day care characteristics

The present study describes federally funded day care centers from a large metropolitan area in relation to the arrangement of classroom physical space, child care providers' interactions with children, and the intensity of children's involvement with activities and materials, as well as the structural context. The day care characteristics observed were: (a) well equipped classrooms with a variety of materials; (b) provider involvement in maintenance contexts and brief interactions; (c) providers engaged directly with children most of the time; (d) neutral and management oriented interactions with children; (e) high adult structure but low percentage of structured learning (lesson) time; and (f) relatively low child involvement in activities. The data present a profile of a child-maintenance program, or custodial care.     

Female genital mutilation: a descriptive study

Female circumcision is one of the tradition still practiced in Egypt. It is a custom related to morals. In order to study its practice in Sharkia governorate, mothers of 352 girls between the ages of 14 and 16 years were interviewed. Results showed that 97.2% of girls in rural areas were circumcised, compared with 81.9% of the girls in urban areas. Of the various factors studied, we found that mothers aged 40 years and older, those married before the age of 20 years, housewives, illiterate mothers, and those living in rural areas more significantly practiced daughter circumcision. Regression analysis revealed that the level of the fathers' education and the area of residence were the most significant factors influencing this practice. Fathers' illiteracy and rural residence were the factors most responsible for its continuation.     

A descriptive study of women injured by hand-arm vibration

The aim of this study was to describe the symptoms and the prognosis of vibration injuries in women. The investigation was based on a study of 374 women who had reported an injury due to hand-arm vibration to the Social Insurance Office or had received financial compensation from the Swedish Labor Market Insurance scheme during 1988-1997. Information on, for example, self-rated health symptoms and vibration exposure was collected by means of a questionnaire. On average, the first symptoms started after 7 yr of exposure and the first visit to a doctor took place after 11 yr. Neurological symptoms developed after a shorter period of exposure compared to vascular symptoms, 6.8 and 9.2 yr, respectively. The prevalence of numbness at the time of reporting the injury was 91% and the prevalence of white fingers was reported by 54%. The occupational group with the highest prevalence of vibration injuries was dental technicians. Two thirds of the women had stopped using vibrating machines in their work. Among the women who suffered from white fingers when they reported the injury, 50% declared impairment or no improvement of the symptoms. One woman in five was retired and the same number of women had retrained due to the occupational injury.     

汽车生产工人工伤事故的描述性研究

为了了解汽车生产工人中工伤的种类、分布特征及致伤原因,为劳动部门提供制定策略的依据,我们对东风汽车公司1983～1997年工伤事故情况进行了回顾性调查分析.     

Night eating in obesity: a descriptive study

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the frequency of night eating (NE) among obese patients, its biological correlates, and its relationships with binge eating disorder (BED). METHODS: The eating behaviors of 166 patients enrolled in a weight-loss program were evaluated by a clinical interview specifically designed to detect BED and NE and by the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire. In all cases body weight and resting energy expenditure were measured. RESULTS: Among all obese subjects, NE was observed in 18 cases (15.7%) and BED in 54 cases (32.5%). NE was more frequent among BED than among non-BED patients; however, in the BED patients the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire Disinhibition and Hunger scores were higher than those in non-BED and NE individuals. Further, between NE and non-NE subjects with similar body weights, fully comparable resting energy expenditure was observed, indirectly indicating the lack of difference in overall daily food intake. CONCLUSIONS: Although these behaviors may well overlap, the data of this study uphold the concept that NE and BED have different underlying behavioral constructs.     

Road-traffic-related mortality in Iran: a descriptive study

Road traffic accidents are considered to be the second highest cause of mortality in Iran. A study was conducted to describe road-traffic-related mortality data in Iran in a given period. All Iranian mortality data on road traffic accidents between March 1999 and 2000 (one complete Iranian calendar year) were obtained. The main variables studied were deceased's gender, age, education level, status (i.e. driver, car occupant, etc.), cause and place of death. A total of 15?482 individuals died from road traffic accidents in Iran in the study period. A disproportionate number of deceased individuals were male (79%), mostly aged 40 years or less (65%), and who were pedestrians or car occupants (62%). Head injury was the most common cause of road-traffic-related mortality (66%) in males and females of all ages. Following road traffic accidents, 57% of deaths occurred pre-hospital. Head injury is the most common single cause of mortality attributable to road traffic accidents in Iran, and since most deaths occur pre-hospital, it seems many are preventable. To overcome this major public health problem, there is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive injury control policy and strategy in Iran.     

A descriptive study of mastitis in Australian breastfeeding women: incidence and determinants

Background  

Mastitis is one of the most common problems experienced by women who are breastfeeding. Mastitis is an inflammation of breast tissue, which may or may not result from infection. The aims of this paper are to compare rates of mastitis in primiparous women receiving public hospital care (standard or birth centre) and care in a co-located private hospital, and to use multivariate analysis to explore other factors related to mastitis.     

Physical activity in persons with late effects of polio: A descriptive study

BackgroundTo promote a healthy and active lifestyle there is a need to increase our knowledge of the level of physical activity (PA) among people with late effects of polio.ObjectivesTo examine PA in people with late effects of polio and to assess the relationship between PA, life satisfaction and various sociodemographic factors.MethodsPA was assessed in 81 persons with late effects of polio using the Physical Activity and Disability Survey (PADS) and by a pedometer. Life satisfaction was assessed with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11).ResultsThe amount of PA varied considerably but on average the participants were physically active almost 3 h per day, mostly in household activities. The mean value of the pedometer counts was 6212 steps per day (SD = 3208). Sixty-nine percent of the participants rated themselves as satisfied with life as a whole. The sum of PADS was positively and significantly related to the number of steps (r = 0.39, p < 0.001), increasing age (r = 0.26, p < 0.05) and to the level of global satisfaction with life (rho = 0.23, p < 0.05). The number of steps was also positively and significantly associated with level of global satisfaction with life (rho = 0.37, p < 0.001).ConclusionDespite a progressive physical disability, people with late effects of polio are physically active, but much of the activities are performed as part of their household activities and not as traditional exercise. The relationship between PA, life satisfaction and age further supports the general contention that an active lifestyle is an important factor for perceived well-being among older people.     

Dieting and food craving. A descriptive, quasi-prospective study

Evidence linking food restriction and food craving is equivocal. This study investigated whether dieting was associated with a greater frequency of food craving. Dieting to lose weight was distinguished from watching so as not to gain weight. Participants were 129 women (mean age=41 yrs): 52 were currently dieting to lose weight, 40 were watching their weight, and 37 were non-dieters. They completed a food craving record after every food craving, a food diary, and a daily mood assessment over 7-days. Of the 393 craving incidents recorded, dieters experienced significantly more food cravings than non-dieters, with watchers intermediate. Chocolate was the most craved food (37% of cravings) but neither the types of food, the proportion of cravings leading to eating (～70%), the situations in which cravings occurred, nor the time since the last eating episode differed between groups. Compared with non-dieters, dieters experienced stronger cravings that were more difficult to resist, and for foods they were restricting eating. Watchers showed similarities in experience both to dieters (low hunger) and non-dieters (lower craving intensity). These results support an association between dieting and food craving, the usefulness of distinguishing dieting to lose weight and watching, and suggest a need for further experimental investigation of actual food restriction on food craving experiences.     

Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal: a descriptive study

A prospective study was conducted to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics and the clinical course of cholera due to Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal. The study subjects included 22 adult males with stool culture-proven V. cholerae O139. On enrollment, mean +/- SD concentrations (mmol/L) of serum sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate were 134 +/- 3, 4 +/- 1, 102 +/- 4, and 13 +/- 4 respectively, and stool sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate concentrations were 120 +/- 24, 18 +/- 6, 93 +/- 16, and 37 +/- 9 respectively. Seventeen patients (7.8%) had faecal leukocytes ranging from 11 to 50 per high-power field. All V. cholerae O139 isolates (100%) were susceptible to tetracycline, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin, 92% to furazolidine, and only 5% to trimethoprim-sulphamethaxazole. The median (interquartile) volume of liquid stool during the first 24 hours was 9 (5-12) litre. The median (interquartile) volume of liquid stool and the amounts of intravenous and oral rehydration fluids required during the entire study period were 16 (9-24) litre, 9 (6-18) litre, and 14 (9-20) litre respectively. The median (interquartile) duration of diarrhoea was 80 (48-104) hours. The median (interquartile) duration of excretion of V. cholerae O139 in stool was 5 (3-6) days. Clinical and laboratory features, and case management of cholera due to V. cholerae O139 are very similar to conventional cholera due to V. cholerae O1.     

Occupational risk among orchard workers: a descriptive study

Orchard workers are exposed to an array of occupational health and safety hazards that result in injury, illness, and, in some cases, death. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and explore factors that contribute to occupational risks related to orchard work. Twenty-five Hispanic orchard workers were interviewed. They reported that the most common type of accident was falls, usually from a ladder; and the most common injuries were strains and sprains. Three broad categories of factors that contributed to the occurrence of such injuries were Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors; Work-Related Factors; and Factors External to Work.