Browsing Faculty of Health and Social Care by Title
Now showing items 21-40 of 643
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Anxiety and Compulsion Patterns in the Maintenance of Bingeing/PurgingThis paper reports on the results of a study into the self-reported coping strategies employed by a small sample (n=12) of individuals diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa purging sub-type, severe and enduring eating disorder (Seed-BN), referred to an out-patient clinic for psychotherapy. Data collection focused on the vomiting activities of participants through analysis of their self-management from diary extracts, which recorded vomiting patterns. Participants all experienced significant mental health issues, had complex histories of BN over a prolonged period, difficulties maintaining relationships, and many had an additional history of substance misuse including dependence on prescription drugs. The study findings indicated two different self-management strategies, anxiety-containment and compulsion-maintenance. There was a clear association between anxiety and controlled weekly vomiting patterns compared with compulsion and daily vomiting patterns. The implications for nursing practice relate to the potential for assessment of differences in vomiting patterns to indicate self-management status and subsequent interventions focusing on either anxiety or compulsive patterns.
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Anxiety, bonding and attachment during pregnancy, the transition to parenthood and psychotherapyAlthough becoming and being a parent are considered happy life events, parents can suffer from varying degrees of anxiety and variable mood. Anxiety and mood changes can be missed and this can lead to mental health problems if not recognised at an early stage. An insecure attachment in a parent's early infanthood can contribute to increased levels of anxiety and emotional problems when becoming and being a parent themselves, which can influence mother and child bonding as well as wider difficulties within family relationships. In many instances, attachment styles can be passed on to the infant causing a range of emotional and intellectual difficulties. In certain circumstances, these parents may benefit from psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a method of addressing troubling emotions along with life difficulties and relationship struggles. Using psychological methods, a psychotherapist can help a person change his or her life for the better by becoming more effective in work or personal relationships. Local community support and befriending approaches have been shown to be beneficial in alleviating anxiety and depression. This article briefly describes what psychotherapy is and demonstrates ways in which interpersonal attachment styles established early on in life can bring difficulties to adult relationships. Two disguised scenarios referring to actual psychotherapy consultations are included to illustrate how plans can be put in place to address interpersonal difficulties related to attachment styles.
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Applying the Food Multimix concept for sustainable and nutritious dietsBackground: Despite a rich and diverse ecosystem and biodiversity, worldwide, more than 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient malnutrition or hidden hunger. Of major concern are a degradation of our ecosystems and agricultural systems which are thought to be unsustainable thereby posing a challenge for the future food and nutrition security. Despite these challenges, nutrition security and ensuring well balanced diets depend on sound knowledge and appropriate food choices in a complex world of plenty and want. We have previously reported on how the food multimix (FMM) concept, a food-based and dietary diversification approach can be applied to meeting energy and micronutrient needs of vulnerable groups through an empirical process. Our objective in this article is to examine how the concept can be applied to improve nutrition in a sustainable way in otherwise poor and hard-to-reach communities. We have reviewed over 100 FMM food recipes formulated from combinations of commonly consumed traditional candidate food ingredients; on average five per recipe, and packaged as per 100 g powders from different countries including Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabawe and Southern Africa, India, Mexico, Malaysia and United Kingdom; and for different age groups and conditions such as older infants and young children, pregnant women, HIV patients, diabetes and for nutrition rehabilitation. Candidate foods were examined for their nutrient strengths and nutrient content and nutrient density of recipes per 100 g were compared to reference nutrient intakes (RNIs) for the different population groups. We report on the nutrient profiles from our analysis of the pooled and age-matched data as well as sensory analysis and conclude that locally produced FMM foods can complement local diets and contribute significantly to meeting nutrient needs among vulnerable groups in food-insecure environments. Key words: food multimix, candidate foods, sustainable, food security, resource-poor, nutrition interventions.
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APT studyTo evaluate the effectiveness of a a new cooling device (gel pad) with a standard regimen (ice pack) and compare these with a no localised treatment regimen (control). Design: A randomised controlled trial initially based in hospital and then continued in the community. Setting: A Midwifery Unit in the North of England and then in women's own homes. Participants: 450 women who had undergone either a normal or an instrumental delivery that required suturing of an episiotomy or second degree tear. Key Conclusions: This clinical trial confirms earlier findings in a previous study and provides evidence that the use of a specifically designed cooling gel pad is a safe and effective localised method to alleviate perineal trauma without any adverse effects on healing.
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Are we preparing student nurses for final practice placementThe aims of this research were to illuminate student nurses’ perceptions of preparedness for final practice placement, and to ascertain factors that supported and hindered preparation for final placement practice. This phenomenological qualitative research was carried out in a UK higher education institution (HEI) with eight adult branch student nurses maintaining written diaries for the first 4 weeks of their final 10-week practice placement. Data were then analysed by means of an interpretive phenomenological approach (IPA). Results showed that students felt ill-prepared for placement. Eight clear themes emerged, including: being used as ‘an extra pair of hands’; mentors appearing to treat student practice documentation as unimportant; and high staff expectations. Other themes were: mentor importance; students feeling that they lacked knowledge; and students feeling unsupported and stressed. In conclusion, although students felt that they lacked knowledge and were used as an extra pair of hands, they did show clinical competence.
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Art therapy with refugee children: a qualitative study explored through the lens of art therapists and their experiencesThis article sets out to explore the use of art therapy with refugee children, from the perspective of art therapists and their experiences. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insights by capturing experiences and stories. Using thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (1) giving voice; (2) rebuilding trust, opening wounds; (3) sharing stories, healing pain; (4) exploring identity, discovering new-self; and (5) understanding art therapy. Upon reflection, two key aspects of art therapy were established, these were identified as: (1) providing refugee children with a safe space to heal and discover new-self, and (2) giving refugee children a voice to express and share stories. Despite the last of the five themes (understanding art therapy) being established as a factor that limits the use of art therapy, this has created an avenue for further research. From the findings, it was concluded that art therapy can be a useful form of psychotherapy for refugee children. Art therapy can provide these children with a safe space to heal, and give them a voice to be heard.
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Assessing public health needThis book chapter discusses the health needs assessment.
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AssessmentThis book chapter discusses assessment as an integral part of the learning processes and how to use a variety of assessment strategies to assess professional competence.
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Assessment and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the emergency department.Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in more than 70 countries worldwide. It is a non-fatal disease caused by the Leishmania parasite that is transmitted to humans via bites of infected female sandflies. Cutaneous leishmaniasis causes skin lesions on areas of exposed skin, such as the face and limbs, which often produce scarring and atrophy. If untreated, cutaneous leishmaniasis can develop into mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, which is potentially life-threatening. Furthermore, patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis commonly experience psychosocial issues such as anxiety, distress, stigma and rejection. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is spreading outside of its traditional endemic areas because of the effects of environmental changes such as urbanisation and climate change. In the UK, healthcare professionals may encounter the disease in migrants from endemic areas, members of the armed forces, tourists and expatriates. Therefore, emergency nurses need to be able to assess and support patients who present with symptoms suggestive of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease.
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Assessment of risk and special observations in mental health practice: A comparison of forensic and non-forensic settingsThis article discusses research into the use of special observations in both forensic and non-forensic psychiatric settings. A comparative approach was adopted to establish if the perceived risk factors leading to the adoption of special observations were similar in both settings. Three groups of nursing staff were requested to assess 30 patients who were placed on special observations. Before this, nurses were requested to rate the risk factors in terms of their severity on a 7-point Likert scale. The rank-ordering analysis revealed a similarity of identified risk factors and anova (one-way, unrelated) and the Jonckheere Trend Test revealed that there were significant differences between the scores in the forensic and the non-forensic settings.
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Assessment: PhysicalThis chapter examines the need for effective assessment skills in the nursing profession, and argues that the process of assessment is not a one-off activity and that ongoing assessment of patients is needed in order to identify actual and potential problems along with need to prioritise the need against demands on resources. Further consideration is given to the underpinning philosophy of the process of assessment.
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Assistive Technologies and the Carers of People with DementiaAssistive technologies have a role in supporting both formal and informal carers of people with dementia, and in maintaining the independence, and quality of life of both people with dementia and their carers. The authors report a narrative review of the use of technological interventions to empower the carers of people with dementia, and relate this to a model of ageing well. They argue that this highlights the importance of empowering and connecting with carers in order to increase their participation and connection in the care of their relative/client; and conclude that both empowerment and connection contribute to maintaining autonomy and well-being of both carers and people with dementia. Technological interventions should not be used as alternatives to connection. The emphasis in practice should be on empowering and connecting with both carers and people with dementia.
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Association of apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms with blood lipids and their interaction with dietary factorsBackground: Several candidate genes have been identified in relation to lipid metabolism, and among these, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymorphisms are major sources of genetically determined variation in lipid concentrations. This study investigated the association of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at LPL, seven tagging SNPs at the APOE gene, and a common APOE haplotype (two SNPs) with blood lipids, and examined the interaction of these SNPs with dietary factors. Methods: The population studied for this investigation included 660 individuals from the Prevention of Cancer by Intervention with Selenium (PRECISE) study who supplied baseline data. The findings of the PRECISE study were further replicated using 1238 individuals from the Caerphilly Prospective cohort (CaPS). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in PRECISE and a validated semi-quantitative FFQ in the CaPS. Interaction analyses were performed by including the interaction term in the linear regression model adjusted for age, body mass index, sex and country. Results: There was no association between dietary factors and blood lipids after Bonferroni correction and adjustment for confounding factors in either cohort. In the PRECISE study, after correction for multiple testing, there was a statistically significant association of the APOE haplotype (rs7412 and rs429358; E2, E3, and E4) and APOE tagSNP rs445925 with total cholesterol (P = 4 × 10− 4 and P = 0.003, respectively). Carriers of the E2 allele had lower total cholesterol concentration (5.54 ± 0.97 mmol/L) than those with the E3 (5.98 ± 1.05 mmol/L) (P = 0.001) and E4 (6.09 ± 1.06 mmol/L) (P = 2 × 10− 4) alleles. The association of APOE haplotype (E2, E3, and E4) and APOE SNP rs445925 with total cholesterol (P = 2 × 10− 6 and P = 3 × 10− 4, respectively) was further replicated in the CaPS. Additionally, significant association was found between APOE haplotype and APOE SNP rs445925 with low density lipoprotein cholesterol in CaPS (P = 4 × 10− 4 and P = 0.001, respectively). After Bonferroni correction, none of the cohorts showed a statistically significant SNP-diet interaction on lipid outcomes. Conclusion: In summary, our findings from the two cohorts confirm that genetic variations at the APOE locus influence plasma total cholesterol concentrations, however, the gene-diet interactions on lipids require further investigation in larger cohorts.
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Association of apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms with blood lipids and their interaction with dietary factorsAbstract Background: Several candidate genes have been identified in relation to lipid metabolism, and among these, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymorphisms are major sources of genetically determined variation in lipid concentrations. This study investigated the association of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at LPL, seven tagging SNPs at the APOE gene, and a common APOE haplotype (two SNPs) with blood lipids, and examined the interaction of these SNPs with dietary factors. Methods: The population studied for this investigation included 660 individuals from the Prevention of Cancer by Intervention with Selenium (PRECISE) study who supplied baseline data. The findings of the PRECISE study were further replicated using 1,238 individuals from the Caerphilly Prospective cohort (CaPS). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in PRECISE and a validated semi-quantitative FFQ in the CaPS. Interaction analyses were performed by including the interaction term in the linear regression model adjusted for age, body mass index, sex and country. Results: There was no association between dietary factors and blood lipids after Bonferroni correction and adjustment for confounding factors in either cohort. In the PRECISE study, after correction for multiple testing, there was a statistically significant association of the APOE haplotype (rs7412 and rs429358; E2, E3, and E4) and APOE tagSNP rs445925 with total cholesterol (P=4x10-4 and P=0.003, respectively). Carriers of the E2 allele had lower total cholesterol concentration (5.54± 0.97 mmol/L) than those with the E3 (5.98± 1.05 mmol/L) (P=0.001) and E4 (6.09± 1.06 mmol/L) (P=2x10-4) alleles. The association of APOE haplotype (E2, E3, and E4) and APOE SNP rs445925 with total cholesterol (P=2x10-6 and P=3x10-4, respectively) was further replicated in the CaPS. Additionally, significant association was found between APOE haplotype and APOE SNP rs445925 with low density lipoprotein cholesterol in CaPS (P=4x10-4 and P=0.001, respectively). After Bonferroni correction, none of the cohorts showed a statistically significant SNP-diet interaction with lipid outcomes. Conclusion: In summary, our findings from the two cohorts confirm that genetic variations at the APOE locus influence plasma total cholesterol concentrations, however, the gene-diet interactions on lipids require further investigation in larger cohorts.
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Attachment theory and schoolsThe implications of attachment theory are becoming more relevant to the work of schools. This article looks at the research and signposts a range of resources, training and support.
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Attachment Theory: Developments, Debates and Recent Applications in Social Work, Social Care and EducationAttachment theory may be considered controversial given that some of its foundational principles are contested. Not only this, it is currently being developed by insights from neuroscience, another perspective that academics have subjected to critique. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the twenty-first century in England and the United Kingdom in general, there has been a renewed interest in its explanation of child development, as well as its application in schools, social care settings and the practice of professionals such as social workers and teachers. This paper outlines the core principles of attachment theory, acknowledges some of the criticisms, then traces the ways in which the theory has been developed over time. The theory is then illustrated with a description of the ways in which it is being applied in the training of foster carers, the provision of support to adoptive parents and in the school environment.
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Attributes of palliative caringThis book chapter discusses the attributes of palliative care which include developing a therapeutic relationship between the carer and cared-for, as well as professional colleagues.
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Autobiographical memory response to a negative mood in those with/without a history of depressionIn this study, we investigated the accessibility of overgeneral autobiographical memories (OGM) and specific memories by observing the effects of induced negative mood state on the characteristics of memory recall in those with and without a previous history of a depression. The Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT) was used to assess OGM. The effects of previous history of depression (without history or with previous history of depression) and self-reported mood (pre or post negative mood induction) on autobiographical recall was shown in a mixed factor design. A significant interaction was observed between time and group in their effects on general memories (F(1, 32) = 5.06, p = .03) and specific memory (F(1, 32) = 4.88, p = .03), such that the previous history of depression group experienced a larger increase in general memory and a larger reduction in specific memory from pre to post manipulation.
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AutonomyThis chapter examines the concept of autonomy within the health care profession, which involves consideration of the moral and legal implications. The chapter also discusses the practicalities of autonomy when it is not always possible for the patient to exercise their autonomy because of an inability to communicate or act independently.