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Biomedical subjects

J Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to J Roberts.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Problem-solving counselling or phone-call support for outpatients with chronic illness: effective for whom?

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to determine the effectiveness of problem-solving counselling or phone-call support provided by nurses to outpatients not well adjusted to chronic illness. Subjects (N = 293) completed measures at baseline and after the six-month period of intervention for psychosocial variables including coping behaviours, purpose in life, and psychosocial adjustment to illness. Subjects receiving phone-call support from nurses demonstrated less psychological distress. Results also suggest that problem-solving counselling improves psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness for outpatients who live alone, infrequently use problem-solving coping skills, or frequently use avoidance coping methods. As well, outpatients with a low purpose in life who show infrequent use of problem-solving coping skills appear to benefit most from problem-solving counselling provided by nurses. On the other hand, those not well adjusted who frequently use problem-solving coping seem to be served more effectively by phone-call support.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Making the most of health informatics projects: effective communication throughout the healthcare delivery organization and beyond.

The paper outlines some factors, which are usually not programmed into the schedule of procurement, that will maximize the potential for a successful health informatics systems implementation. The observations made are based on the implementation and support for procurements carried out by the author and colleagues in a number of UK healthcare situations, both hospital and non-hospital. The value of carrying out pre- and post-implementation reviews in order to quantify beneficial outcomes and a positive climate for subsequent developments is also discussed.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed1995

Prospective care of elderly patients in family practice. Part 3: Prevalence of unrecognized treatable health concerns.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of recognized and unrecognized health concerns and risks in an elderly population. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey. SETTING: Institutional primary care practice in a small southern Ontario city. PATIENTS: Volunteer sample of all patients older than 65 years (N = 1385) who were registered with the practice; were not demented, unstable, or residing in institutions at the time of contact; consented to participate; and completed a questionnaire (n = 674). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported health concerns and health risks, including compliance with periodic health examinations; patient-generated concerns; and medical, lifestyle, and psychosocial issues. RESULTS: Most (92%) patients had at least one health concern or risk; 83% of these had one or more unreported or unrecognized health concerns or risks. The proportion with at least one concern or risk did not differ by sex or by age group. Many but not all complied with periodic health examinations. Loneliness was a meaningful psychosocial problem. Many patients had unreported medical concerns; the proportion rose slightly with age. Seniors with more concerns visited more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: Although most seniors had health concerns or risks, on average, each patient had only one or two concerns. These concerns are not concentrated in any particular area. Although non-attenders have fewer concerns, many have risk factors for diseases likely to progress without preventive measures, such as influenza vaccine and screening procedures for hypertension and breast, cervical, and prostate cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Plasma pyridoxal phosphate in anxiety disorders.

One hundred and eighty-nine subjects with either generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder were evaluated for plasma pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) levels and compared with normal controls. There was no difference in plasma PLP levels between the anxiety disorder groups and normal controls. Low levels of plasma PLP were found in 42% of the controls. Our results suggest that previous reports of low PLP levels in psychiatric patients are unlikely to be significant in the etiology of the psychiatric disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Clinical and linkage study of a large family with simple ectopia lentis linked to FBN1.

Simple ectopia lentis (EL) was studied in a large family, by clinical examination and analysis of linkage to markers in the region of FBN1, the gene for fibrillin which causes Marfan syndrome on chromosome 15. No patient had clinical or echocardiographic evidence of Marfan syndrome, although there was a trend towards relatively longer measurements of height; lower segment; arm span; middle finger, hand, and foot length in the affected members of the family, compared with unaffected sibs of the same sex. Analysis of linkage to intragenic FBN1 markers was inconclusive because they were relatively uniformative. Construction of a multipoint background map from the CEPH reference families identified microsatellite markers linked closely to FBN1 which could demonstrate linkage of EL in this family to the FBN1 region. LINKMAP analysis detected a multipoint lod score of 5.68 at D15S119, a marker approximately 6 cM distal to FBN1, and a multipoint lod score of 5.04 at FBN1. The EL gene in this family is likely to be allelic to Marfan syndrome, and molecular characterization of the FBN1 mutation should now be possible.

Adolescent↗