Biomedical subjects

Gina Browne

Publications and source records attributed to Gina Browne.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1984

The prevalence of pain complaints in a general population.

The authors argue that the study of the complaint of pain falls within the purview of epidemiological study. An analytic survey of 500 randomly selected households on the roster of a group family practice clinic was undertaken. The purpose was to determine the self-reported prevalence rates of any pain complaint and to determine the distribution of pain rates according to selected demographic and socioeconomic variables. Sixteen percent of the individuals sampled from a family practice (H.S.O.) had experienced pain within the 2 weeks preceding the survey. The prevalence rate of those with persistent pain was approximately twice that of those with temporary pain. More women than men reported temporary and persistent pain. The age specific morbidity rate for persistent pain increased with age. The back, lower extremities, and head and face were the most frequently identified sites of pain in both subgroups. Persons with persistent pain used health services, both community physicians and hospital care, more frequently than did those with temporary pain. No significant differences between the two groups were reported for physical, social or emotional function although the persistent pain group characterized their general health status more poorly.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Community-based HIV education and prevention workers respond to a changing environment.

The purpose of this study was to understand the culture, values, skills and activities of staff involved in education and prevention activities in community-based AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) in Ontario, Canada, and to understand the role of evaluation research in their prevention programming. In this qualitative study, 33 staff members from 11 ASOs participated in semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. ASO staff experience tension between a historical grassroots organizational culture characterized by responsiveness and relevance and a more recent culture of professionalization. Target populations have changed from being primarily gay men to an almost unlimited variety of communities. Program emphasis has shifted from education and knowledge dissemination to a broadly based mandate of health promotion, community development, and harm reduction. Integration of evidence of effectiveness, social-behavioral theory, or systematic evaluation is uncommon. Understanding these points of tension is important for the nursing profession when it is engaged with ASOs in programming or evaluation research.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An Ontario initiative to enhance the effectiveness of AIDS Service Organizations: Community-Linked Evaluation of AIDS Resources.

This report describes the rationale, process, and early outcomes of establishing a community-based research unit. The AIDS Bureau of the Ontario Provincial Government established the Community-Linked Evaluation of AIDS Resources Unit (CLEAR), which works in partnership with the AIDS Bureau and 31 of 74 AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) in Ontario.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of support services provided by a community-based AIDS service organization on persons living with HIV/AIDS.

This study examined demographic, health-related, social support, and service utilization characteristics of clients with high and low use of a community-based AIDS service organization in Canada. The study confirmed that the organizations' services were reaching the most vulnerable persons living with HIV/AIDS. It found that a significantly greater number of high users compared with low users were single, lived alone, and reported poorer health. The similarity in functional health status and depression between user groups, despite high users' poorer health and greater social vulnerability, supports client reports that services have reduced client isolation and improved health-related quality of life. Finally, high users had lower expenditures for government-provided health and social services overall, particularly HIV specialists and AIDS medication, but significantly more expenditures for emergency room services and complementary therapies. The results suggest community-based services can enhance health-related quality of life for persons living with HIV/AIDS by increasing providers' capacity to identify and address client depression and its consequences.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of people living with HIV who use community-based services in Ontario, Canada: implications for service providers.

Community-based AIDS service organizations (CBAOs) direct services to multiple-needs people living with HIV/AIDS who are less likely to use mainstream health promotion services. As people live longer with HIV, the potential to enhance quality of life increases, yet little is known about who uses CBAOs or how this use affects other health and social services. This study of people living with AIDS in Ontario, Canada (n = 297) examined the demographic and health-related characteristics of people with AIDS who do and do not use CBAOs and their patterns of mainstream service utilization. It found that users of CBAOs were significantly less healthy, less able to sustain normal activities, and more often depressed. They reported physical disabilities significantly more often. Their quality of life was also lower along certain dimensions. They were significantly poorer and more reliant on government income supports. They consumed significantly more nonhospital health and social services and had significantly higher out-of-pocket costs. These results suggest CBAOs are being accessed appropriately by those most vulnerable. In an effort to strengthen CBAO capacity to recognize and address depression and physical health problems prevalent among their clients, links to other mainstream health promotion and social services is recommended.

Adaptation, Psychological↗