Biomedical subjects

D Craig

Publications and source records attributed to D Craig.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of the Caring for Aging Relatives Group program: an evaluation.

Caregiver support programs have been developed with the goal of alleviating the stress associated with the demanding role of caring for an older person. The majority of these programs, however, have not been formally evaluated. This study is a formal program evaluation which assessed the impact of a caregiver support program on its participants. Both the intervention and matched comparison groups included a convenience sample of 23 female caregivers. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to measure morale, social support, and information. Findings showed there was a positive relationship between morale and social support. In the comparison group only, there was a positive relationship between morale and information in both the pretest and posttest. Within the intervention group, there was a significant increase (t = 2.79, p = 0.01) in the information scores between the pretest and posttest. Caregivers in the intervention group reported that the Caring for Aging Relatives Group (CARG) provided them with social support. The results of this study partially supported the usefulness of a caregiver support program; that is, information was gained, morale was maintained, and caregivers perceived the support program as helpful. Future research is needed to address what factors lead caregivers to attend a support program and what type of social support they receive from attending such a program.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intentions related to adult smoking cessation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between intention, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control related to smoking cessation in adults after initial coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). The theoretical framework for the study was derived from Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior. Intention, the global and belief-based measures of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were measured with the Determinants of Adult Smoking Cessation (DOASC) Questionnaire developed by the investigator. Thirty-two adult smokers completed the questionnaire 2 to 3 weeks following hospital discharge. Four weeks after the questionnaire completion, a follow-up telephone call was used to determine the participants' current smoking status. The study results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between the intention to quit smoking after CABG and the global measure of attitude, and perceived behavioral control. This study highlights some of the beliefs about the outcomes of quitting smoking permanently after CABG which may underlie attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control in this population. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Promoting positive affect and diminishing loneliness of widowed seniors through a support intervention.

Seniors are most vulnerable to conjugal bereavement. Although social support buffers the effects of bereavement, widows and widowers have lower levels of social support than married individuals. Self-help/support groups can supplement support from their depleted natural networks. Accordingly, the aim of this demonstration project was to examine the impact of support groups on widowed seniors' loneliness, affect, and perceived support. Four face-to-face support groups for widowed seniors were conducted weekly for a maximum of 20 weeks. Participants completed pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest measures of support need and support satisfaction, positive and negative affect, and loneliness/isolation. The statistically significant impacts of the intervention were enhanced support satisfaction, diminished support needs, and increased positive affect. There was a trend toward decreased social isolation and emotional loneliness. In postintervention semistructured interviews, bereaved seniors reported increased hope, improved skills in developing social relationships, enhanced coping, new role identities, and less loneliness. Community health nurse researchers could conduct randomized controlled trials of face-to-face and telephone support groups for bereaved people of all ages. Community health nurse practitioners could benefit from lessons learned about timing, duration, and selection of sensitive outcomes.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical repair of an esophageal stricture in a horse.

An esophageal stricture was diagnosed in a 9-month-old quarterhorse by esophagoscopy and positive pressure contrast esophagography. Medical management and two attempts at surgical intervention were unsuccessful. The initial surgical technique used was a linear esophagotomy, mucosal resection and anastomosis, and closure of the muscular tunic, which resulted in a more severe stricture. The second surgical procedure was interruption of the stricture cicatrix by a single linear esophagotomy and primary closure of only the esophageal muscular tunic. This technique resulted in an increased lumen diameter, but failed to adequately resolve the stricture. Successful resolution of the stricture with return to a normal diet was achieved by a two stage repair using formation of an esophagostomy to stabilize the esophagus, followed by fenestration of the mucosal-submucosal cicatrix. Six months postoperatively, the horse was asymptomatic on a normal diet.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adaptation of the nursing audit to community health nursing.

A selected literature review has revealed some of the ways in which the audit can be adapted to effectively evaluate the quality of care provided by community health professionals. Although a complex issue, the strengths of the audit can outweigh its limitations when a shared philosophy is adhered to and a review of the quality monitoring process occurs on a regular basis. But its success depends both on the approach and on the action taken. One requirement for an effective audit is a strong commitment of staff to reflect accurately nursing practice in nursing documentation. As the audit is neither inclusive nor exclusive, it should be used in conjunction with other quality assurance mechanisms, and in collaboration with other disciplines. Commitment at all levels--consumer, provider, administrator--is essential for success. There is no doubt that the variety of nursing audit instruments and techniques in existence have served to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of community health nursing audit programs as well as contributing to community health nursing quality assurance. However, the audit clearly remains a challenging issue, requiring further research to establish the reliability and validity of current audit measures and to develop innovative approaches to future community-based audits.

Canada↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An integrated model of discharge planning for acutely-ill elderly patients.

Prior research has demonstrated that current discharge-related practices present resource-related and ethical problems for all those involved. The purpose of this 9-month qualitative study was to develop a more resource efficient and compassionate discharge planning model for acutely-ill, elderly patients. The focus group interviewing method was used to elicit 99 participants' perceptions of an ideal approach to discharge planning. Focus group participants included professionals from acute-care hospitals and community organizations. Telephone interviews were also completed with 25 patients and 6 family members. Themes identified in the analysis revealed that an ideal approach to discharge planning would incorporate seven elements. According to participants, the approach is ideal because it potentially addresses both resource utilization and ethical issues. Program evaluation of the model is underway in order to determine its effectiveness.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Undercover research.

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England↗