Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Faugier.
A survey of nurse directors showed that only half of those who had applied for chief executive posts had been shortlisted. As many as 70 per cent of respondents said that nurse directors are prevented from becoming chief executives because they are stigmatized. Gender was identified as a barrier by 43 per cent of respondents.
Studies on 'hidden populations', such as homeless people, prostitutes and drug addicts, raise a number of specific methodological questions usually absent from research involving known populations and less sensitive subjects. This paper examines the advantages and limitations of nonrandom methods of data collection such as snowball sampling. It reviews the currently available literature on sampling hard to reach populations and highlights the dearth of material currently available on this subject. The paper also assesses the potential for using these methods in nursing research. The sampling methodology used by Faugier (1996) in her study of prostitutes, HIV and drugs is used as a current example within this context.
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Male clients of prostitutes have proved to be a very difficult group to access for the purposes of HIV research and education. Prevention initiatives to date have placed less emphasis on HIV awareness with this potential target group and more on empowering prostitutes to control the sexual transaction with clients. Data is presented from a study of male clients of prostitutes, conducted as part of a wider study of drug using and nondrug using prostitutes in the Greater Manchester area during 1991-92. The study focuses on sexual activities and risk behaviours of male clients with female prostitutes, and with regular and casual partners. The data provides evidence of high levels of risk-taking, particularly by bisexual clients. Implications for research and HIV prevention are discussed. It is concluded that placing the major burden for behaviour change on prostitutes themselves may have only a limited effect and that other involved persons (including clients) should be more actively targeted in the development and implementation of STD/HIV prevention.
In an investigation of risk behaviour among injecting drug users in the North-West of England, information was obtained concerning the sharing of injecting equipment, respondent's sexual partners and the use of condoms. Between six and nine months after the initial contact, 169 respondents (56%) were contacted again. The emphasis in the second phase of the project was on changes, if any, in risk behaviour that had occurred in the intervening period. Significant reductions were found in sharing, mostly in the more indiscriminate use of others' injecting equipment. No reduction was observed in sharing between injecting partners and little in sharing between close friends. The number of sexual partners had decreased and the use of condoms, although it increased among those involved in temporary relationships, remained low. Impediments to further progress in risk reduction are discussed.
Three groups of injecting drug-users were defined in terms of their experience of methadone treatment: treatment for periods longer than 6 months, treatment for shorter periods, and no treatment. Methadone treatment and the use of needle exchanges were related in subsequent analysis to the sharing of injecting equipment. Comparisons between groups were made on other variables believed to be associated with sharing. Significant differences were observed between treatment groups in the recency of sharing and in the use of needle-exchanges. Age and length of drug use were important factors in sharing, which was least prevalent among older respondents in long-term treatment. Regular use of needle-exchanges was associated with the passing on of used equipment to others. Subsequent analysis of regular users suggested respondents in long-term treatment were less likely to pass on their equipment than those in the other two groups.
A project which investigated the injecting and sexual behaviour of drug users in the North West of England revealed several social and behavioural factors strongly associated with HIV-related risk behaviour. For example, homelessness, crime, ignorance of drug-related health problems and drug use by a regular partner were associated with the sharing of injecting equipment. Other variables predicted casual sexual intercourse and intercourse without condoms. Some factors were identified that were common to both injecting and sexual risk behaviour.
The sexual mediation of HIV infection by injecting drug users to the heterosexual population has become a major issue in AIDS prevention. Infection that is acquired through sharing contaminated injecting equipment can be passed on to non-injecting drug using partners and to non-drug using partners through sexual intercourse. A study of risk behaviour among injecting drug users in the North West of England focused, inter alia, upon aspects of their sexual activity and attitudes that have relevance for HIV transmission. It was found that in those respondents with regular partners, the level of sexual activity was related to the partner's use of drugs. The use of condoms was low in the sample as a whole, including those who reported having casual sexual contacts and sharing others' injecting equipment. These data confirm the need for concern and the advisability of targetting safer-sex education on drug users.
In a study of AIDS-related risk behaviour among injecting drug users in the north west of England it was found that 90% were polydrug users, and 28% were using temazepam. A third of all polydrug users had regularly used more than three drugs in addition to their preferred drug in the previous year. Statistical analysis revealed that the use of temazepam and extensive polydrug use were associated with sharing injecting equipment. Significant associations were also found with indices of sexual risk behaviour. It was concluded that multiple drug use and the use of temazepam were associated with behaviour that could increase exposure to HIV infection.
The AIDS epidemic has brought with it some fairly terrifying images of chronic illness and death among the young. Along with those images are the tremendous feelings of impotence (if that is the right word to use when writing about AIDS) which such an unknown infection creates among health care workers, who are used to dealing with somewhat more manageable entities. Yet, in their everyday work, nurses have to deal with many illnesses which are not particularly easier to cope with than those affecting the AIDS patient. The big difference is that AIDS-related illnesses are less familiar and much more bound up in the moral and political framework of our society.
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AIM: The aim of this study commissioned by the NHS Executive North West was to identify the main areas of the nurse's working environment that prevent healthy eating, to ascertain if nurses have enough nutritional knowledge to make informed choices, and to review sources, availability and quality of food provided for nursing staff. METHOD: A purposive sample size of 126 nurses from across eight healthcare sites in the North West region completed questionnaires. RESULTS: Shift patterns and failure to take breaks were identified as the two main barriers to healthy eating by respondents. However, satisfaction with food on offer and a supportive environment were also identified as important influences. CONCLUSION: Several recommendations were made as a result of the study. Ideally, nurses should take regular breaks. Food should carry nutritional labelling and nutritional information should be displayed at healthcare sites in a more imaginative and innovative way. More refrigerated vending machines with a selection of healthier options should be supplied. Packed lunches or plated salads obtainable from restaurants by evening and night-shift nurses should be offered, in addition to a better selection of sandwiches and other food choices outside the hours of 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Nurses should be encouraged to drink the recommended amount of eight glasses of water per day (Health and Fitness Tips 2000) by providing adequate water dispensers. The possibility of having separate catering facilities for staff who wish to avoid patients and visitors during breaks should be explored.
AIM: This is the second of two articles that report on work commissioned by the NHS Executive North West, to explore the perceived barriers to healthy eating within the nursing profession. METHOD: Observations were made of catering facilities within eight healthcare sites (six acute hospitals, an NHS walk-in centre and an NHS Direct site) across the North West region. Twenty four unstructured interviews were conducted with nurses and three were sampled from each healthcare site. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged as barriers to healthy eating: availability; variety; distance from catering facilities; and breaks/staffing levels/workload issues CONCLUSION: Respondents in this study do not consider their working environments to be conducive to healthy eating practices.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.