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Sharon K Hull

Publications and source records attributed to Sharon K Hull.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Exploring outcomes associated with acupuncture.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore various methods of assessing clinically meaningful change associated with a course of acupuncture treatments. DESIGN: The design was a prospective cohort study. SETTING: The setting was an acupuncture clinic staffed by two physician acupuncturists in a university-affiliated family practice center. SUBJECTS: Subjects consisted of consecutive new patients to an acupuncture clinic. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes were measured using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and Measure Your Own Medical Outcomes Profile (MYMOP). Outcomes measured were global clinical change and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Out of 112 eligible patients, 110 consented to the study and contributed baseline data. Of these, 80 (71%) completed the 2-month follow-up questionnaire. Mean age of study subjects was 54.5 (standard deviation, SD 17.6) years; 85 (77%) were female, and 75 (68%) were married. Mean number of acupuncture treatments during the 2-month follow-up period was 5.8 (SD, 3.5, range, 1 to 16). Statistically significant improvement from baseline to follow-up was observed with the bodily pain subscale of the SF-36 and with the MYMOP. Among those who completed the study, 52 (67%) felt that the main symptom for which they sought acupuncture had improved over the course of the study and 72 (90%) were satisfied with their treatment in the acupuncture clinic. CONCLUSIONS: The MYMOP instrument appears to be the most useful of the four measures used to evaluate clinical outcomes associated with a course of acupuncture treatments (SF-36, MYMOP, global clinical change, and patient satisfaction). This easy-to-administer instrument appears to be sensitive to clinical change over a 2-month period among patients who sought acupuncture for a wide variety of clinical conditions.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2006

A prevalence study of faith-based healing in the rural southeastern United States.

BACKGROUND: Although prayer and other spiritual practices are common among residents of the rural south, the use of faith-based healers (FBH), or healers who use prayer as their primary healing modality, has not been explored in this population. METHODS: Secondary data analysis from a random digit dialing telephone survey of rural adults in eight southern states. RESULTS: Our overall response rate was 51% and 193 subjects (4.1%) had seen an FBH practitioner within the previous year. FBH use was significantly more common among younger respondents (OR 7.21, 95% Ci 2.00, 25.94), women (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.03, 2.14), those reporting poorer health (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.19, 2.83), and those who believed in avoiding physicians (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.24, 2.67). A relationship between FBH use and delayed or foregone medical care, and cost as a barrier to obtaining care was not statistically significant after controlling for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of FBH use is low, but is significantly related to younger age, female gender, poorer health status, barriers to medical care and devaluing medical care. Clinicians may consider exploring FBH usage with their younger, female patients, and those in poorer health. Policy makers should consider how FBH usage is related to various indicators of health care services demand, utilization and access.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Abnormal uterine bleeding.

Abnormal uterine bleeding is a common presenting symptom in the family practice setting. In women of childbearing age, a methodical history, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation may enable the physician to rule out causes such as pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders, medications, iatrogenic causes, systemic conditions, and obvious genital tract pathology. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (anovulatory or ovulatory) is diagnosed by exclusion of these causes. In women of childbearing age who are at high risk for endometrial cancer, the initial evaluation includes endometrial biopsy; saline-infusion sonohysterography or diagnostic hysteroscopy is performed if initial studies are inconclusive or the bleeding continues. Women of childbearing age who are at low risk for endometrial cancer may be assessed initially by transvaginal ultrasonography. Postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding should be offered dilatation and curettage; if they are poor candidates for general anesthesia or decline dilatation and curettage, they may be offered transvaginal ultrasonography or saline-infusion sonohysterography with directed endometrial biopsy. Medical management of anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding may include oral contraceptive pills or cyclic progestins. Menorrhagia is managed most effectively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or the levonorgestrel intrauterine contraceptive device. Surgical management may include hysterectomy or less invasive, uterus-sparing procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Effect of gender, age, and relevant course work on attitudes toward empathy, patient spirituality, and physician wellness.

BACKGROUND: The emphasis in medical education on viewing the patient as a whole person addresses current concerns about the negative impact of standard physician training that may lead to impaired patient-physician relationships. PURPOSES: To assess self-ratings of empathy, spirituality, wellness, and tolerance in a sample of medical students and practitioners to explore differences by gender, age, and training. METHODS: A survey was created that assesses empathy, spirituality, wellness, and tolerance in the medical setting. Surveys were completed anonymously by medical students and practitioners from the medical school. RESULTS: The youngest groups scored highest on empathy and wellness and lowest on tolerance. Participation in medical school wellness sessions correlated with higher empathy and wellness scores; participation in both empathy and spirituality sessions correlated with higher empathy scores. CONCLUSION: Exposure to educational activities in empathy, philosophical values and meaning, and wellness during medical school may increase empathy and wellness in medical practice.

Adult↗