Challenges facing HIV-positive persons who use drugs and their families in Vietnam

It is hypothesized that persons who use drugs (PWUD) in Vietnam who are also HIV-positive may face additional challenges in psychosocial outcomes, and these challenges may extend to their family members. In this study, we examined depressive symptoms, stigma, social support, and caregiver burden of HIV-positive PWUD and their family members, compared to the outcomes of HIV-negative PWUD and their family members. Baseline, 3-month, and 6-month assessment data were gathered from 83 PWUD and 83 family members recruited from four communes in Phú Th? Province, Vietnam. For PWUD, although we observed a general decline in overall stigma over time for both groups, HIV-positive PWUD consistently reported significantly higher overall stigma for all three periods. Depressive symptoms among family members in both groups declined over time; however, family members of HIV-positive PWUD reported higher depressive symptoms across all three periods. In addition, family members of HIV-positive PWUD reported lower levels of tangible support across all three periods. Caregiver burden among family members of HIV-positive PWUD increased significantly over time, whereas the reported burden among family members of HIV-negative PWUD remained relatively unchanged. The findings highlight the need for future interventions for PWUD and family members, with targeted and culturally specific strategies to focus on the importance of addressing additional stigma experienced by PWUD who are HIV-positive. Such challenges may have direct negative impact on their family members' depressive symptoms, tangible support, and caregiver burden.     

Family Caregivers' Subjective Caregiving Burden,Quality of Life,and Depressive Symptoms Are Associated With Terminally Ill Cancer Patients' Distinct Patterns of Conjoint Symptom Distress and Functional Impairment in Their Last Six Months of Life

Context

Family caregivers constitute a critical component of the end-of-life care system with considerable cost to themselves. However, the joint association of terminally ill cancer patients' symptom distress and functional impairment with caregivers' subjective caregiving burden, quality of life (QOL), and depressive symptoms remains unknown.

我军第二次部队人员牙周疾病捷径调查和分析

目的:了解牙周疾病在我军部队人员中的流行情况。方法:采用世界卫生组织1997年版口腔健康调查基本方法和标准器材。结果:共调查1 269人,结果表明,我军现役人员男性牙龈炎患病率为21.12%,牙结石检出率为44.05%,早期牙周病患病率为2.75%,晚期牙周病患病率为0.39%。结论:根据本次调查结果和我军第一次口腔健康的牙周疾病监测,以及外军相关资料比照进行牙周疾病流行病学研究分析表明,我军牙周疾病患病率比较平稳,牙周疾病大部分处于早期阶段。     

创建良好的心理环境提供全方位优质服务

医院为患者创建温馨、舒畅的心理环境是当前医院改革中亟待解决的极其重要的任务之一。本文从①充分了解患者的心理需求；②注意患者的不良心理因素；③注意医务人员的不良因素三个方面阐述医院如何为患者创造良好心理环境及其重要性。并重点强调自觉培养自身良好的心理素质，保持稳定良好心态及自控力，尊重、理解患者，学习、实践与患者的沟通技巧，增强责任感，树立良好的白衣天使形象等要素是创建的基础。     

A randomized controlled trial of sedation in the critically ill

A randomized controlled trial comparing: a) a combination of oral chloral hydrate and promethazine to b) a continuous intravenous midazolam infusion, for maintenance sedation in critically ill children, was carried out. The level of sedation was assessed four hourly using a specifically devized sedation scale. Forty-four children entered the study of whom two were subsequently excluded. The number of satisfactory assessments (desired and actual levels of sedation equal) was significantly greater in the chloral hydrate and promethazine group (Chi-squared P <0.01; confidence intervals of the difference 0.06 to 0.20). The number of assessments at level 5 on the sedation scale (patient restless/distressed) was significantly greater in the midazolam group (Chi-squared P <0.05). The total number of satisfactory assessments in the two groups were only 61 and 48% respectively, suggesting that sedation can be considerably improved. Chloral hydrate and promethazine are more effective than midazolam as maintenance sedation in critically ill children. It is possible to prospectively study the efficacy of sedative drugs in critically ill children.