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Biomedical subjects

W E Waters

Publications and source records attributed to W E Waters.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Respiratory symptoms among elderly people in the New Forest area as assessed by postal questionnaire.

This study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among people aged 65 years and older and assess the value of a postal survey in obtaining this information. A questionnaire was sent to 2011 subjects (957 men) drawn by age-stratified random sampling from the age-sex registers of four New Forest group practices (1:3.3 sample). A total of 1803 replied, a 96.2% response after excluding 136 who had died or moved from the area. The accuracy of replies was verified for 355 (20%) randomly selected subjects. Forty per cent had no respiratory symptoms. Exertional breathlessness was common (38%), increasing in prevalence with age but not with smoking history, and was the only symptom reported by 10% of subjects. Only 14.2% were current smokers; more of the subjects aged 85 years and over were lifelong non-smokers. Two hundred and ninety-six (16.4%) had chronic bronchitis, which was more common among smokers; 151 (8.4%) gave a history of asthma, of whom half (76) had active asthma, which was slightly less common among the very elderly subjects. Only 489 (27.1%) of subjects had seen their doctors with chest symptoms during the preceding 2 years.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Does anonymity increase response rate in postal questionnaire surveys about sensitive subjects? A randomised trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether complete anonymity improves the response rates to a postal questionnaire. DESIGN: The study derived from a series of postal surveys on AIDS knowledge conducted on six different dates in 1986 and 1987. The sample was randomly divided into two, each group being sent the same questionnaire. One group was informed that the replies were anonymous, the other that they were not. The latter were sent reminders. SETTING: Recipients of the questionnaires were drawn from the Southampton electoral rolls. PARTICIPANTS: 300 people in each survey (total 1800) were sent questionnaires, representing on each occasion a different 1:500 systematic sample. RESULTS: Response rate was 49% for the anonymous questionnaires and 51% for the numbered questionnaires. Reminders boosted the response in the numbered group to 72%. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that anonymity improves response to postal questionnaires, but the use of reminders may do so.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Prescription information leaflets: a national survey.

Three thousand four hundred and ten patients recruited at 254 pharmacies took part in a national postal survey of the effect of prescription information leaflets. The patients had been prescribed penicillins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. The 1809 patients who received leaflets knew more about their medicines, especially the side effects and were significantly more satisfied than the 1601 patients who were not given additional written information. The leaflets were found to be effective when issued in the north, in the south and in small, medium and large towns. Patients of both sexes, all age groups and social classes were found to benefit from the leaflets and almost everyone (97%) thought they were a good idea. These results confirm and extend our previous findings and add further support for the routine use of information leaflets with prescribed medicines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The benefits of prescription information leaflets (1).

1. Prescription information leaflets (PILs) giving information about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), beta-adrenoceptor antagonists and inhaled bronchodilators were evaluated in three small Hampshire towns, while a fourth, in which no leaflets were distributed, acted as a control. 2. Seven hundred and nineteen (82%) patients prescribed one of these medicines agreed to be interviewed in their homes, 1 to 2 weeks after the medicine had been prescribed. Four hundred and nineteen of them had received leaflets, while 300 received no written information. Two hundred and sixty patients received their leaflets from a pharmacist while 159 were given them by their general practitioner. 3. Patients who received leaflets were better informed about every item of knowledge tested, except for the name of the medicine. Awareness of the side effects showed the greatest improvement, but there was no evidence that these leaflets produced spurious side effects. 4. Much improved levels of satisfaction were recorded amongst patients who received leaflets, especially those for NSAIDs (P less than 0.001) and for beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (P less than 0.01). 5. Subsequently, three hundred and fifty-eight (77%) of the patients prescribed either a NSAID or a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist 1 year earlier responded to a postal questionnaire. The benefits in terms of knowledge and satisfaction were still apparent, although less marked than previously. Of the patients still taking beta-adrenoceptor antagonists 70% had retained their leaflets over the intervening 12 months. 6. Ninety-seven per cent of patients read their leaflet regardless of whether it was distributed by a general practitioner or pharmacist. However, those who obtained it from a pharmacist tended to be more knowledgeable and satisfied. 7. We conclude that patients welcome the idea of receiving PILs. They improve patients' knowledge of how to take their medicines correctly and their awareness of potential side effects. Importantly, patients who receive leaflets are more satisfied than those who do not. These overall benefits justify the use of leaflets on a routine basis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The benefits of prescription information leaflets (2).

Prescription information leaflets (PILs) for penicillins, diuretics and benzodiazepines were evaluated in a small Hampshire town. A second town, in which no leaflets were distributed, acted as a control. Knowledge about these medicines was greater amongst the 252 patients who received leaflets compared with 247 controls. Significantly more patients who received leaflets knew the potential side-effects of their treatment and, with the exception of those taking penicillins, were more satisfied with the information they received. These findings add further support for the routine use of PILs in general practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Respiratory symptoms and bronchial reactivity: identification of a syndrome and its relation to asthma.

Two postal questionnaire surveys were carried out among the adult population of Southampton aimed at clarifying the diagnostic criteria for asthma (study 1) and at testing the validity of symptoms so identified as diagnostic of bronchial hyper-reactivity (study 2). The questionnaires asked about respiratory symptoms and included three questions thought likely to disclose increased bronchial reactivity. Laboratory measurements on subsamples of respondents included spirometry and bronchial challenge with increasing doses of histamine till a concentration was reached provoking a fall of more than 20% (PC greater than 20) in forced expiratory volume in one second. In the first study no normal subject (that is, one who did not report shortness of breath or wheezing on the questionnaire) had a PC greater than 20 below 0.5 g/l. Of 51 subjects who reported shortness of breath or wheezing, or both, nine had a cluster of abnormalities consisting of one or more symptoms of bronchial irritability, nocturnal dyspnoea, and prolonged morning tightness together with PC greater than 20 values of 0.5 g/l or less. These symptoms in conjunction with a low PC greater than 20 were termed the bronchial irritability syndrome. In the second study bronchial challenge confirmed the close association of these symptoms with bronchial hyper-reactivity, all other subjects being less reactive to histamine. Only 27% of subjects with symptoms of the bronchial irritability syndrome had been diagnosed as asthmatic by their general practitioners. The bronchial irritability syndrome is a definable entity for epidemiological study and patient care.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Knowledge of and attitudes to medicines in the Southampton community.

A 1 in 200 sample of the Southampton electorate was sent a postal questionnaire in January, 1984. Of the 740 adults surveyed, 443 (59.9%) returned completed questionnaires. One hundred and eighty-eight (42.4%) of those replying had been prescribed a medicine within the previous month. Two hundred and seventy-five respondents (62%) felt that not enough was explained about medicines by doctors or pharmacists. Consistent with this, was the fact that 37% were unaware of safe methods of disposal of leftover medicines. In addition, 112 of 154 (72.7%) people currently taking a prescribed medicine knew of no side-effects which could result from this. Eighty-three per cent of respondents thought an information leaflet would be helpful. Of nine items which previous authors had suggested should be included, seven were thought to be important by more than 75% of those replying. Although 54% of people wanted detailed information, 43% stated a preference for short, summarized points. We conclude that most patients need to have more information about prescribed medicines and they would welcome written leaflets. However, further work is necessary to determine the best format for such leaflets.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Can general practitioners influence exercise habits? Controlled trial.

A health promotion campaign in the community organised by the general practitioner was evaluated by the use of a questionnaire before and after the campaign, both in the village where the campaign was based and in a control village. There was a general increase in the amount of exercise that people in both villages took. The results showed that having received a questionnaire, and been subject to the campaign, more people took exercise regularly.

England↗
PubMed1985

Mortality, haemoglobin level and haematocrit in women.

The mortality of 1438 women aged 45-74 from South Wales has been studied from 1967-1978 using techniques of survival analysis to determine whether the haemoglobin level (Hb) or the haematocrit (PCV) are risk factors for death due to ischaemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or cancer. In the 858 women who were not menstruating and who did not complain of angina at the time of the survey a PCV over 45% was a significant risk factor for IHD mortality. An Hb level over 14 g/dl was also a risk factor but this failed to reach conventional significance, when smoking was allowed for. In the 1098 women who were not menstruating an Hb less than 12 g/dl or a PCV less than 40% are increased risk factors for cancer and this risk persisted throughout the follow-up period. Neither Hb nor PCV were significant risk factors for CVA mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Headache and school absence.

The amount of time missed from school in two small town school populations was estimated by measuring absence from school and attendance at sickbay, and stated causes were analysed. School absence related to headache (expressed as percentage of pupil days missed out of possible pupil days, during two 12 week periods) in children aged 5 to 14 years, was 0.05%. This represented approximately 1% of all school absence, and was recorded (usually only once) in 3.7% of children. The duration of absence was one day or less on 85% of occasions. This low absence rate was in contrast with the high prevalence of headache reported by children aged 9 to 14 of between 76 and 94% according to age and sex. Attendance at school sick bay because of headache was recorded in 3.6% of children aged 5 to 19 (only 0.5% then left school early because of headache) in one 12 week period. It is concluded that although headache prevalence is high in the age groups studied, it is not a prominent cause of time missed from school.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1985

A useless raffle.

A mailed questionnaire was sent to 2712 subjects asking about respiratory symptoms, and a raffle for three prizes of 50 pounds, 30 pounds, and 20 pounds was organised. The response rate in the 1762 who were told about the raffle was no higher than for 950 subjects who served as controls.

Awards and Prizes↗
PubMed1979

Variation in hospital stay after inguinal herniorrhaphy.

A study was carried out of 1086 men aged 16-65 inclusive who were admitted under nine consultants to eight hospitals in Wessex for elective repair of an inguinal hernia. The mean postoperative stay was 5.7 +/- SD 2.7 days. For different consultants operating at any one hospital the mean postoperative stays were similar, whereas for consultants who operated at more than one hospital they were significantly different. The postoperative stay was also significantly related to the size of the hospital, development of postoperative complications, time spent on the waiting list, type of repair used, bilateral herniorrhapy, and the use of convalescent facilities. The hospital therefore appears to exercise a greater influence in determining the mean postoperative stay than does the individual consultant.

Adolescent↗