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Biomedical subjects

D L Lamping

Publications and source records attributed to D L Lamping.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Development and validation of an audit instrument: the Prostate Outcomes Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a short, patient-based questionnaire for auditing the outcomes of treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and to evaluate the acceptability, reliability and validity of the measure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from a long research questionnaire used in the Oxford/North West Thames Prostatectomy Study were analysed to identify the subset of items which contained the most scientifically sound indicators of outcome. Items were selected on the basis of standard psychometric analyses to develop a short questionnaire, the Prostate Outcomes Questionnaire (POQ), a 27-item instrument covering urinary symptoms, complications after surgery, quality of life and patient satisfaction with outcome. The POQ was field tested for acceptability, reliability and validity in a postal survey of 125 men undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate for BPH from seven hospitals in south-east England. RESULTS: The POQ was highly acceptable to patients, as indicated by a 95% response rate, the absence of 'floor' and 'ceiling' effects and a low proportion of missing data. It showed excellent internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.82-0.93 for the five summary scales and a mean item-total correlation of 0.56) and test-retest reliability (test-retest correlations for items were 0.40-1.00, with a mean test-retest correlation of 0.85, and for summary scales of 0.91-0.95). Construct validity was confirmed by: high intercorrelations between the five summary scales and the total score (0.88-0.95), with a pattern of intercorrelations among specific subscales that showed item-convergent and discriminant validity; higher scores for patients who reported an improvement after surgery than in those who were not improved (P < 0.001); the expected gradient of scores for patients reporting different levels of symptom distress (P < 0.001); high correlations with the longer parent questionnaire (0.75-0.88); and low to moderate correlations with the Nottingham Health Profile and Activities of Daily Living scores (0.15-0.67), with the pattern of correlations providing evidence of scale convergent and discriminant validity. Correlations with age and social class were low, suggesting that responses were not biased by sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSION: The POQ is a practical and scientifically sound patient-based measure of outcome after treatment for BPH which can be used for routine audit. It takes < 5 min to complete, is feasible for routine monitoring of large numbers of patients by postal survey, and is accompanied by a Users' Manual which provides practical help in conducting a local patient survey, and a computer program for scoring data. Most importantly, the POQ has been shown scientifically to perform well, having met standard psychometric criteria for reliability and validity.

Aged

Development and validation of the Menorrhagia Outcomes Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the acceptability, reliability and validity of a short, patient-based questionnaire for assessing the outcomes of surgical treatment for menorrhagia due to benign disease. DESIGN: A psychometric study by postal survey. SETTING: Five hospitals in southeast England. SAMPLE: One hundred and eleven women undergoing hysterectomy for menorrhagia due to benign disease. METHODS: Data from a long research questionnaire used in the North West Thames Hysterectomy Study were analysed using standard psychometric methods to identify the subset of items which were the most scientifically sound indicators of outcome. The Menorrhagia Outcomes questionnaire is a 26-item questionnaire which covers symptoms, post-operative complications, quality of life, and women's satisfaction with outcome. The questionnaire was field tested for acceptability, reliability and validity by postal survey. RESULTS: The Menorrhagia Outcomes Questionnaire was found to be highly acceptable to women and showed excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion and construct validity. CONCLUSION: The Menorrhagia Outcomes Questionnaire is a practical and scientifically sound measure of outcome from the woman's perspective following surgical treatment for menorrhagia due to benign disease. It takes less than five minutes to complete, is appropriate for use with different surgical treatments for menorrhagia (eg. hysterectomy, endometrial resection, laser ablation) and is feasible for routine monitoring of large numbers of women by postal survey. Most importantly, this questionnaire has been shown to perform well from a scientific point view, having met standard psychometric criteria for reliability and validity.

Adolescent

Cholesterol screening of children at high risk: behavioural and psychological effects.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the behavioural and psychosocial effects of screening asymptomatic children at high risk for hyperlipidemia. DESIGN: Observational study involving prospective longitudinal and cross-sectional portions. SETTING: Two tertiary care pediatric lipid clinics in Montreal. SUBJECTS: Longitudinal portion: all children aged 4 to 17 years who presented for screening at the lipid clinics between April 1990 and June 1991. Of the 56 eligible children 52 (93%) (and their mothers) agreed to participate, 34 with hyperlipidemia (case subjects) and 18 without hyperlipidemia (control subjects). Thirty-five children (67%) completed 3 assessments over 12 months. Cross-sectional portion: all children aged 4 to 17 years in whom hyperlipidemia had been diagnosed 2 to 5 years earlier at one of the lipid clinics. Of the 58 eligible children 48 (83%) (and their mothers) participated. OUTCOME MEASURES: For children, mean scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (Behavior Problems subscale) (CBCL), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC); for mothers, mean scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: In the longitudinal portion of the study, there was no significant difference between the case and control subjects in the mean CDI or STAIC scores at 1 or 12 months. At 1 month after diagnosis the case subjects in the longitudinal portion had a significantly higher mean CBCL score than the children in the cross-sectional component (p = 0.01). With the control group as the reference group, the adjusted odds ratios for a high CBCL score (greater than 62) for the case subjects were 15.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4 to 99.8) at 1 month and 15.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 223.4) at 12 months. The corresponding values for the children in the cross-sectional component were 1.3 (95% CI 0.3 to 6.2) and 5.0 (95% CI 0.5 to 50.9). CONCLUSIONS: The observed behavioural problems in children with a recent diagnosis of hyperlipidemia were independent of other risk factors, such as age and sex of child and mother's age and BDI score. Our results suggest that identification of hyperlipidemia in children may have harmful psychological effects in the families involved. This evidence strengthens arguments for the exclusion of cholesterol measurement from the periodic health examination of children at moderately high risk.

Adolescent

Measuring health-related quality of life in venous disease: practical and scientific considerations.

An important and often neglected aspect in the evaluation of patient outcomes in venous disease is quality of life. This paper addresses the why, what, and how of measuring health-related quality of life (HRQL) in venous disease by providing an overview of practical and scientific considerations in developing and using measures of HRQL in general. It begins with a brief overview of developments in the field of measuring HRQL and the definition of HRQL. This is followed by a consideration of issues relevant to the assessment of HRQL including generic and disease-specific measures, multiple components of HRQL, different methods of measurement, measuring change, and cultural appropriateness of HRQL measures. In the next section, criteria for evaluating the scientific credibility and practical utility of HRQL measures are outlined, followed by a description of some widely used generic and disease-specific measures of HRQL, including measures of HRQL in chronic venous disorders of the leg (CVDL).

Health Status

The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale: conceptualization and development.

The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale is a new measure of functional disability for patients with back pain. Functional disability was operationalized in terms of perceived difficulty associated with simple physical activities. The content of the scale was developed in several stages, including a literature review, two studies seeking the opinions of patients and experts, pilot testing, and a large, longitudinal study of back pain patients. Forty-eight disability items were extensively studied using standard methods such as test-retest reliability, item-total correlations, and factor analysis, as well as modern techniques based on item response theory. Items that were highly effective in discriminating between different levels of disability were selected for the final, reduced scale. The scale has 20 items, representing six empirically derived categories of activities affected by back pain. Measurement properties of this instrument have been previously discussed.

Activities of Daily Living

Physician and patient-oriented outcomes in progressive neurological disease: which to measure?

Outcomes can be described as either physician or patient-oriented depending on whose perspective is adopted. Both perspectives offer different yet complementary information. Traditionally, the effectiveness of interventions has been evaluated in terms of physician-oriented outcomes. recently there has been a growing recognition of the importance of the patient's point of view in assessing the outcomes of medical care. This is now held to be central to the monitoring and evaluation of health care. This review describes these two perspectives and compares the nature of the information provided by each.

Activities of Daily Living

The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale. Measurement properties.

STUDY DESIGN: The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale is a 20-item self-administered instrument designed to assess the level of functional disability in individuals with back pain. The scale was administered as part of a larger questionnaire to a group of 242 back pain patients. Follow-up data were obtained after several days and after 2 to 6 months. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine whether the Quebec scale is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure of disability in back pain, and to compare it with other disability scales. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A number of functional disability scales for back pain are being used, but their conceptual validity is uncertain. Unlike most published instruments, the Quebec scale was constructed using a conceptual approach to disability assessment and empirical methods of item development, analysis, and selection. METHODS: The authors calculated test-retest and internal consistency coefficients, evaluated construct validity of the scale, and tested its responsiveness against a global index of change. Direct comparisons with the Roland, Oswestry, and SF-36 scales were carried out. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability was 0.92, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.96. The scale correlated as expected with other measures of disability, pain, medical history, and utilization variables, work-related variables, and socio-demographic characteristics. Significant changes in disability over time, and differences in change scores between patients that were expected to differ in the direction of change, were found. CONCLUSIONS: The Quebec scale can be recommended as an outcome measure in clinical trials, and for monitoring the progress of individual patients participating in treatment or rehabilitation programs.

Adolescent

[Psychosocial intervention for persons infected with HIV].

We describe a psychosocial intervention program designed to enhance coping with the stress associated with HIV infection. The NUCARE intervention program is based on six components of coping including: cognitive reframing, problem-solving, relaxation, goal setting, social support and use of resources and services. The rationale and development of the intervention is discussed and practical case examples illustrating the benefits of each component are presented.

Adaptation, Psychological

[Psychological distress in persons afflicted with HIV in Montreal].

This paper describes the HIV-related mental health concerns of a sample of 128 persons with HIV infection in Montréal who participated in a larger national survey of HIV-related mental health needs and services in Canada. We examined mental health distress in persons with HIV infection in Montréal compared to other cities in Canada, and in subgroups of HIV-infected Montrealers defined on the basis of sex, age, diagnosis, and risk factor status. Results demonstrate that although HIV infection has a strong and far reaching impact on mental health, there are differences in the types of concerns and issues that are distressing to specific groups of Montréal respondents. Uncertainty about the future and not being able to realize life goals, as well as feelings of helplessness and fears about potential adverse neurological consequences of HIV disease, were major sources of psychological distress. Feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger, as well as concerns about increasing physical disability, pain, infecting others, confidentiality, and finances were predominant concerns among specific subgroups. Differences between respondents in terms of source of income, age, and sex, and to a lesser extent diagnosis and risk factor status, were associated with varying levels of mental health distress. Although respondents in Montreal (and Vancouver) were more distressed than respondents in Toronto and Halifax, these differences appear to be due primarily to differences in age and source of income. Findings from this study will be useful to policy makers and health planners in developing services to meet the mental health needs of HIV infected adults.

Adolescent

Effects of chiropractic treatment on blood pressure and anxiety: a randomized, controlled trial.

This study examined the effects of chiropractic adjustments of the thoracic spine (T1-T5) on blood pressure and state anxiety in 21 patients with elevated blood pressure. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: active treatment, placebo treatment, or no treatment control. The adjustments were performed by a mechanical chiropractic adjusting device. Dependent measures obtained pre- and post-treatment included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and state anxiety. Results indicated that systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the active treatment condition, whereas no significant changes occurred in the placebo and control conditions. State anxiety significantly decreased in the active and control conditions. Results provide support for the hypothesis that blood pressure is reduced following chiropractic treatment. Further study is needed to examine the long-term effects of chiropractic treatment on blood pressure.

Adult

Driving ability after intravenous fentanyl or diazepam. A controlled double-blind study.

Uncomfortable or moderately painful radiologic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are being performed increasingly on outpatients. If sedation and analgesia are used, patients cannot drive themselves home or return rapidly to normal activities. This study compares the effect of fentanyl (100 micrograms), diazepam (7.5 mg), and placebo on driving ability of young volunteers as measured by the thacometer. Speed and accuracy were impaired at 30 and 120 minutes by both drugs, and by fentanyl more than diazepam. This study design may be suitable for the assessment of whether patients can drive safely after other analgesic drugs.

Adult

A double-blind comparison of clovoxamine and amitriptyline in the treatment of depressed outpatients.

Forty-two outpatients with major depression were treated in a 4-week double-blind parallel-group comparison of the new antidepressant clovoxamine--a member of oximethers of aralkylketones--with amitriptyline. The two drugs were comparable in efficacy, although because of the small sample size a moderate clinical difference between treatments may not have been detected. The magnitude of unwanted effects also was comparable, but clovoxamine produced fewer "anticholinergic" effects; this was determined by patient complaints of typical anticholinergic symptoms, by decreased salivary flow, and by a new signal detection memory test.

Adolescent

Effects of two antidepressants on memory performance in depressed outpatients: a double-blind study.

Forty outpatients with primary depression were randomly assigned on a double-blind basis to treatment with amitriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant) or clovoxamine (a nontricyclic, experimental antidepressant). Memory and depression were assessed during a pretreatment baseline period and at the end of days 4, 7, and 28 of drug treatment. A signal detection recognition memory task and conventional memory measures (including the Benton Visual Retention, Wechsler Logical Memory, and verbal learning tests) were used to assess memory. Although both drugs led to comparable clinical improvement in depression, they affected memory performance differently. The signal detection recognition memory task detected an impairment in memory after chronic amitriptyline administration, as contrasted with an improvement in memory after chronic administration of clovoxamine. The memory impairment in the amitriptyline group and improvement in the clovoxamine group were the result of changes in sensitivity [P(A)]. No changes in response bias (B) were detected. Conventional memory tests failed to detect drug-related differences in memory between the two groups. On the Benton, errors decreased over time within both drug treatment groups, whereas correct reproductions increased within the amitriptyline group only. However, between-group differences on the Benton did not reach significance. Results from the signal detection task suggest an amitriptyline-associated memory impairment. However, this interpretation is tempered by the finding that conventional memory measures failed to detect differences in memory performance between the two groups. We discuss the limitations of traditional memory measures and the utility of a signal detection approach in studies of psychopharmacologic influences on memory.

Adult

The Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project: intervention, evaluation, and baseline results of a diabetes primary prevention program with a native community in Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project is a 3-year community-based, primary prevention program for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in a Mohawk community near Montreal, Canada. Objectives are to improve healthy eating and encourage more physical activity among elementary school children. METHODS: Intervention incorporates behavior change theory, Native learning styles, the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, and a health promotion planning model. Evaluation uses a mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional design to measure obesity, fitness, eating habits, and physical activity of elementary school children in the experimental and comparison communities. Intermediate variables are self-efficacy and perceived parental support. Process evaluation provides feedback to the intervention. RESULTS: During 3 years, 63 distinct interventions that included a Health Education Program reinforced by school events, a new Community Advisory Board, a recreation path, and community-based activities promoting healthy lifestyles were implemented. Baseline consent rates were 87 and 71% in the experimental and comparison schools. As expected, anthropometric data increase with age. Between 9 and 10 years there are increased weight, height, BMI, and skinfold thicknesses; decreased fitness; and increased television watching. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a Native community-based diabetes prevention program is feasible through participatory research that incorporates Native culture and local expertise.

Child