Perceptions of families with adolescents utilizing augmentative and alternative communication technology: A qualitative approach.

PURPOSE: Although family involvement is critical to successful augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device utilization, little is known about how families adapt to technology. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore parent-reported factors contributing to family adaptation among families with adolescents diagnosed with autism and/or Down syndrome (DS) utilizing AAC technology. This study describes families' experiences related to several interacting variables of the Resiliency Model, including demand, type, appraisal, resources, and problem-solving/coping, that helped shape the outcome of adaptation to AAC technology. Nurses are well-positioned in a variety of practice settings to assess vulnerable families and assist with identifying resources and navigating complex service systems. DESIGN AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight parents of adolescents with autism and/or DS (aged 13-18) recruited through online research registries, support organizations, and a social networking site. Recorded interviews were transcribed, and two independent reviewers coded and analyzed the data. Comparisons across all families' thematic summaries were examined for patterns. RESULTS: Five themes described aspects of family adaptation: Contextual Strains and Influences, Continuum of Person-First Approach, Opening Doors, Facilitators of Support, and Planning Is Key. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlighted the challenges and demands associated with raising an adolescent using an AAC device, as well as the attributes, resources, perceptions, and strategies that either contributed or hindered family adaptation. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: AAC technology is readily available for adolescents with developmental disabilities. It is essential that nurses assess key adaptation components to support families in integrating and using the technology.

Adaptation to Technology Use in Families of Children With Complex Communication Needs: An Integrative Review and Family Theory Application.

Families with children who have developmental disabilities and complex communication needs (CCNs) face challenging demands affecting family adaptation. Many children with CCNs use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to support communication, yet little is known about family adaptation to such technology. To fill this gap, an integrative review, guided by the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation was conducted to assess conceptual foundations and the state of the science of family adaptation among children utilizing AAC. Web-based searches were conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thirty-three studies met eligibility. Findings demonstrated that to enhance the science underpinning family adaptation to AAC use, future research should be grounded conceptually and address important components of the Resiliency Model. Work in this emerging area will identify and facilitate nursing efforts to assist families as they adapt to communication technology.

Systematic Review of Social Support on Psychological Symptoms and Self-Management Behaviors Among Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to determine the relationship between social support, psychological symptoms and self-management behaviors among adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and examine the influence of types of social support and patient age. DESIGN: This was a systematic review. PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Communication and Mass Media Complete, and Communication Abstracts were searched. Publication dates were limited to January 2000 to August 2018. METHODS: The systematic review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement, and quality was appraised based on the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for cohort studies tool. The data were synthesized using narrative synthesis techniques. FINDINGS: The literature review yielded 458 results. Eight articles met inclusion criteria. Articles utilized a variety of conceptualizations of both social support and self-management behaviors, making comparisons difficult. Findings demonstrated an inverse relationship between social support and psychological symptoms, and in one study only when social support buffered high stress. Studies with significant relationships between age and self-management behaviors indicated that a lower age was associated with decreased self-management behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Social support has the potential to influence psychological symptoms among patients with IBD. Future research should examine types of social support (i.e., emotional, informational, and tangible support) and measure levels of received social support. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Social support may serve as a modifiable factor to improve psychological symptoms among adults with IBD. Younger adults (age <40 years) may benefit from specialized interventions to address self-management behaviors.

Estimating health literacy in family medicine clinics in metropolitan Detroit: a MetroNet study.

OBJECTIVE: Assessing health literacy during the clinical encounter is difficult. Many established instruments are lengthy and not practical for use in a busy practice setting. Our objective was to compare the performance of 3 health literacy screening questions against the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy for Adults (S-TOFHLA) in an urban, ethnically diverse primary care practice-based research network. METHODS: A convenience sample of patients in clinics in the Detroit area were recruited to complete a questionnaire that included the S-TOFHLA and 3 items similar to the Chew screening questions. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves compared the test characteristics of the screening questions to the S-TOFHLA. RESULTS: The participation rate was 92% (N = 599). Most participants were women (65%) and African American (51%); 51.8% had a household annual income of <$20,000. Almost all (96.7%) had an adequate score on the S-TOFHLA. The screening question with the largest AUROC (0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-0.95) was "How often do you have someone help you read instructions, pamphlets or other written materials from your doctor or pharmacy?"; the AUROC for all 3 questions was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.85-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Self-administration of the 3 screening questions demonstrated high performance compared with the 36-item S-TOFHLA interview instrument. These screening questions should help providers identify patients who may need extra support to follow health prescriptions.

A food desert in Detroit: associations with food shopping and eating behaviours, dietary intakes and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: Currently 67 % of the US population is overweight or obese and obesity is associated with several chronic medical conditions. Geographic areas where individuals lack access to healthy foods have been termed 'food deserts'. The study aim was to examine if area of residence within Metro Detroit was associated with dietary intake, food and shopping behaviours, and BMI. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: Participants were recruited in the waiting area of four primary-care clinics. SUBJECTS: Individuals (n 1004) completed a questionnaire comprising four sections: demographics; personal health status including self-reported height and weight; a modified diet, transportation and shopping survey; and a subscale from the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey. RESULTS: Seventy-four per cent of participants were female and the mean age was 46·7 (sd 15·0) years. In univariate analyses, living in Detroit was associated with being African American, unemployment, less education, no regular exercise, worse health self-rating and obesity (P < 0·0005 for all). Participants living in Detroit had a 3·06 (95 % CI 1·91, 4·21) kg/m2 larger BMI compared with people living outside the city (P < 0·0005) in univariate analyses, but the effect was attenuated when adjusted for demographics, disease status, shopping and eating behaviours, dietary intakes and diet knowledge (ß = −0·46 kg/m2, 95 % CI −2·23, 1·30 kg/m2, P = 0·60). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent both inside (82·9 %) and outside (72·8 %) the city of Detroit, presenting a major public health problem. However, living in this food desert was not significantly associated with BMI after potential covariates were considered.

Persuading physicians to test their patients' level of kidney functioning: the effects of message frame and point of view.

A two-part field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of message frame (gain vs. loss) and point of view (personal vs. impersonal) on physicians' intentions and behavior to test their patients' level of kidney functioning. One hundred and fifty-one physicians returned a survey that accompanied one of four different experimental cover letters or a generic control letter. One hundred and twelve (74%) of these physicians also completed and returned a follow-up survey sent approximately 4 months later. Physicians who received a letter (vs. the generic-letter control group) believed their patients were more susceptible to kidney disease, believed that kidney disease had more severe consequences, and also demonstrated greater intentions and behavior to test their patients' level of kidney functioning. Additionally, there was a significant frame by point of view interaction effect, in that physicians receiving the gain-framed personal letter or the loss-framed impersonal letter demonstrated greater intentions and behavior than physicians receiving other versions of the letter. These results extend the theoretical scope of the EPPM by suggesting that threat to other can motivate behavior change, and also can have significant practical application for the development of messages targeting physicians.

Health literacy instrument in family medicine: the "newest vital sign" ease of use and correlates.

BACKGROUND: Health literacy has been defined as the ability to obtain, process, and understand the basic information needed to make appropriate health decisions. Half of adults lack the health literacy skills needed for our complex health care environment. In 2005, Weiss et al introduced the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), an instrument that can be used to quickly assess health literacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the acceptability and timeliness of using the NVS to measure the level of health literacy in various suburban, urban, and rural primary care settings. A secondary purpose was to determine the influence of taking a health class on one's level of health literacy. METHODS: In this cross-sectional design, adults were recruited from 4 primary care settings and student athletes were recruited during preparticipation sports physicals. The NVS was administered and health literacy rates were compared with known trends. A subset of 50 patients was timed during test administration, and refusals were logged throughout. The adults and the athletes were analyzed separately. RESULTS: One thousand fourteen patients (including athletes) agreed to participate (response rate, 97.5%). Average time needed to complete the NVS was 2.63 minutes. Of the adults tested, 48.1% demonstrated adequate health literacy. In logistic regression analysis, younger age, more formal education, health class participation, and body mass index were positive predictors of adequate health literacy among adults. An interaction term was used for gender/race, with white women used as the comparator. The gender/race odds ratio negatively affected literacy, with white men at 0.497 (95% CI, 0.328-0.753), non-white women at 0.177 (95% CI, 0.111-0.282), and non-white men at 0.210 (95% CI, 0.110-0.398). Among the participating middle- and high-school athletes, 59.7% had adequate health literacy. In logistic regression of this population, body mass index was a positive predictor whereas gender/race was a negative predictor. CONCLUSION: The NVS revealed health literacy status in less than 3 minutes, was widely accepted, and provided results comparable to more extensive literacy tests. Particularly, taking a health education class was associated with higher levels of health literacy among adults.

Is seasonal variation another risk factor for postpartum depression?

INTRODUCTION: Postpartum depression (PPD) occurs in the first 6 months after delivery in 10% to 20% of mothers. Despite the availability of screening tools, there is a general consensus that PPD is under-diagnosed. A number of risk factors contributing to PPD have been investigated, but role of seasonal variability in PPD is unclear. Our purpose was to assess whether seasonal variation is another risk factor for PPD. METHODS: This cross-sectional pilot study was conducted at 2 family medicine clinics and an obstetrics/gynecology clinic over 24 months. During their postpartum visit, mothers who gave consent were asked to fill out a survey requesting demographic data, followed by the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). The EPDS is a well-validated tool shown to be highly effective in detecting postnatal depression. A score >12 on the EPDS indicated a likely risk of PPD. RESULTS: Of the 556 patients approached, 530 completed the EPDS. Mean (+/-SE) patient age was 24.9 +/- 0.2 years; 71% were African Americans; 74% were single mothers; and 39% had at least some college education. On the EPDS, 17.8% scored > or =13. Of the depressed patients, 18.1% had babies born during the winter, 19.2% had babies born during the spring, 13.4% during the summer, and 21.5% during autumn (chi(2); P = .342). Mothers with very good or excellent support at home had lower EPDS scores (12.6%) than mothers with just adequate support (44.0%) or very little or no support (30.8%; P < .0005). A greater proportion of women with a history of depression (42.9% vs 12.9%) or who were currently taking antidepressives (58.3% vs 15.9%) were in the depressed group (P < .0005). Logistic regression analysis with the above variables, excluding education and income (excess missing data), on the 452 women with complete datasets found 4 significant predictors of an EPDS score >12. Predictors were history of depression (odds ratio [OR], 4.003; 95% CI, 2.016-7.949); parity (OR, 1.431; 95% CI, 0.204-1.701); social support (OR, 3.904; 95% CI, 2.08-7.325); and currently taking medication for depression (OR, 3.613; 95% CI, 1.207-10.817). CONCLUSION: The slight seasonal variation in PPD in our pilot study was not statistically significant. Our study was underpowered to detect the projected differences in seasons. Additional patients are needed to diversify the participants and provide an adequate sample to test the projected seasonal differences. The high ORs found for greater parity, weak social support, history of depression, and currently taking antidepressants suggest that new mothers with these characteristics should be questioned about symptoms of PPD.

Primary care of overweight children: the importance of parent weight and attitudes about overweight: a MetroNet study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the association of parents' weight and attitude about their child's weight with the child's body mass index (BMI) status. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, clinic-based study in a practice-based research network. METHODS: One hundred seventy-one parents or adults accompanying children aged 5 to 17 years to a primary care visit in 4 family medicine centers completed a questionnaire. Parent/adult overweight status and attitudes were compared with child overweight status. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of children were overweight or obese (BMI >or= the 85th percentile) as were 56% of mothers and 77% of fathers (BMI >or= 25 kg/m(2)). Child and parent overweight were significantly associated, as were mother overweight and beliefs about child overweight status. Children aged 5 to 13 years were more likely to be overweight than those aged >or=14 years. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of overweight children are often overweight and many do not recognize that their children are overweight. Suggestions are made for primary care physicians to engage parents of overweight children in family weight control efforts.

Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.

OBJECTIVE: To review the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with bisphosphonates. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search (1966-January 2007) and a search of International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-January 2007) were conducted to identify relevant literature. Additional references were reviewed from selected articles. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Articles related to bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw were reviewed and summarized. Inclusion criteria required that articles be either case studies or case series that were reporting actual cases linking osteonecrosis of the jaw with bisphosphonate use. Articles that addressed sites of osteonecrosis not involving the jaw, teaching cases (fictitious patients), and a retrospective claims analysis paper were excluded from consideration. DATA SYNTHESIS: Bisphosphonates have recently been linked to osteonecrosis of the jaw, with the greatest incidence seen with the intravenous preparations zoledronic acid and pamidronate. Osteonecrosis refers to death of a part of the bone, resulting in decreased bone density. Although the majority of occurrences have been associated with the intravenous bisphosphonates, oral bisphosphonates have also been implicated. Other risk factors noted from reported cases include dental extraction or trauma to the jaw exposing part of the bone. It is difficult to determine an exact incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw in the general population of patients prescribed bisphosphonates; however, the incidence in cancer patients is approximately 6-7%. CONCLUSIONS: Although discontinuation of intravenous bisphosphonates in cancer patients has been recommended, stopping oral bisphosphonates prior to dental work cannot be universally endorsed at this time, since it is unknown whether this is effective in reducing the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. Treatment of this condition is not well established; therefore, efforts should be directed toward prevention. Pharmacists may further counsel patients to practice good oral hygiene and regularly follow up with their dentist during therapy. Current evidence suggests limited surgical debridement with systemic and local antibiotics as treatments.

Warfarin and its interactions with foods, herbs and other dietary supplements.

Despite its complex pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile, warfarin is still one of the most widely used oral anticoagulant agents. Attaining optimal anticoagulation with this agent is clinically challenging in view of its many food and drug interactions. Inappropriate anticoagulation control can expose patients to an increased risk of bleeding or thromboembolic complications, due to over and underanticoagulation, respectively. Fluctuations in dietary vitamin K intake can have a significant effect on the degree of anticoagulation in patients treated with warfarin. In addition, the explosion in use of various dietary supplements and herbal products can lead to undesired outcomes on anticoagulant levels. The aim of this review is to discuss the scope and the potential clinical impact of the most commonly reported food, dietary supplement and herbal interactions with warfarin therapy. Practical steps for patients and providers to minimise these interactions are highlighted.

Physical and psychological symptoms in emotionally abused and non-abused women.

BACKGROUND: This brief report compares emotionally abused and non-abused female family practice patients on physical and emotional symptoms, alcohol use problems, and social support problems. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional, multicenter study of victimization of family practice patients. Forty-seven adult women meeting criteria for emotional abuse (within the past year) and no physical abuse were matched demographically with 47 non-abused women. Each woman completed demographic and health history questionnaires, including questions about physical and emotional abuse. RESULTS: Emotionally abused women reported a greater number of physical (P < .001) and psychological (P < .0001) symptoms than non-abused controls. Emotionally abused women reported a significantly greater number of social support problems than non-abused women (P < .04). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports a growing literature that demonstrates an association between emotional abuse and physical and emotional symptoms in women who are currently suffering emotional abuse at the hands of their partner or ex-partner. It is recommended that physicians inquire about emotional abuse in female patients with multiple psychosocial and physical symptoms.

Correlation of same-visit HbA1c test with laboratory-based measurements: a MetroNet study.

BACKGROUND: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) results vary by analytical method. Use of same-visit HbA1c testing methodology holds the promise of more efficient patient care, and improved diabetes management. Our objective was to test the feasibility of introducing a same-visit HbA1c methodology into busy family practice centers (FPC) and to calculate the correlation between the same-visit HbA1c test and the laboratory method that the clinical site was currently using for HbA1c testing. METHODS: Consecutive diabetic patients 18 years of age and older having blood samples drawn for routine laboratory analysis of HbA1c were asked to provide a capillary blood sample for same-visit testing with the BIO-RAD Micromat II. We compared the results of the same-visit test to three different laboratory methods (one FPC used two different laboratories). RESULTS: 147 paired samples were available for analysis (73 from one FPC; 74 from the other). The Pearson correlation of Micromat II and ion-exchange HPLC was 0.713 (p < 0.001). The Micromat II mean HbA1c was 6.91%, which was lower than the 7.23% from the ion-exchange HPLC analysis (p < 0.001). The correlation of Micromat II with boronate-affinity HPLC was 0.773 (p < 0.001); Micromat II mean HbA1c 6.44%, boronate-affinity HPLC mean 7.71% (p < 0.001). Correlation coefficient for Micromat II and immuno-turbidimetric analysis was 0.927 (p < 0.001); Micromat II mean HbA1c was 7.15% and mean HbA1c from the immuno-turbidimetric analysis was 7.99% (p = 0.002). Medical staff found the same-visit measurement difficult to perform due to the amount of dedicated time required for the test. CONCLUSION: For each of the laboratory methods, the correlation coefficient was lower than the 0.96 reported by the manufacturer. This might be due to variability introduced by the multiple users of the Micromat II machine. The mean HbA1c results were also consistently lower than those obtained from laboratory analysis. Additionally, the amount of dedicated time required to perform the assay may limit its usefulness in a busy clinical practice. Before introducing a same-visit HbA1c methodology, clinicians should compare the rapid results to their current method of analysis.

Pharyngitis clinical prediction rules: effect of interobserver agreement: a MetroNet study.

OBJECTIVE: Pharyngitis clinical prediction rules improve Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) diagnosis and decrease unnecessary antibiotic use, yet few studies have addressed clinician variability in assessment of sore throat signs and symptoms. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which two clinicians examined each of 200 adult sore throat patients. Each patient had a rapid GABHS antigen test. Clinicians were blinded to each other's assessment and to the rapid antigen result. Interobserver agreement was estimated using a kappa coefficient. Effect of agreement on sensitivity, specificity, and hypothetic rapid antigen testing and antibiotic prescribing was determined for two clinical prediction rules. RESULTS: We found moderate inter-rater reliability on sore throat history and physical assessments. Clinician agreement was associated with significantly fewer hypothetic rapid antigen tests performed. CONCLUSION: Interobserver agreement enhances the utility of pharyngitis clinical prediction rules. Medical school and residency training should focus on correct assessment of history and physical examination components used in GABHS clinical prediction rules. Correct assessment will result in less GABHS testing and antibiotic prescriptions for sore throat patients.

Safety of COX-2 inhibitors in asthma patients with aspirin hypersensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: To review the safety of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors in asthma patients with aspirin hypersensitivity. DATA SOURCES: Clinical studies were identified using MEDLINE (1966-September 2002). Key search terms included cyclooxygenase inhibitors, aspirin, asthma, and hypersensitivity. English-language articles were identified and included. References from the identified articles were also reviewed. DATA SYNTHESIS: The literature provides information regarding the safety of COX-2 inhibitors in asthma patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). The mechanism of AERD involves inhibition of cyclooxygenase, particularly COX-1. Inhibition of COX-1 causes an increased production of certain inflammatory mediators, which results in the reactions seen with AERD. Considering this mechanism, COX-2 inhibitors may be an alternative to aspirin or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in a patient with AERD. This article analyzes 4 studies to evaluate the safety of COX-2 inhibitors in this population. RESULTS: The 4 studies evaluated included a total of 172 patients with AERD. All patients included demonstrated intolerance to aspirin or NSAIDs and tolerated the selective COX-2 inhibitor administered. CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 inhibitors provide a potentially safe alternative for treatment of inflammatory conditions in patients with AERD.

Herbal product use and menopause symptom relief in primary care patients: a MetroNet study.

OBJECTIVES: The four study objectives were to determine (1) the prevalence of use of four herbal product types promoted to reduce menopause symptoms (phytoestrogens, St. John's wort, Ginkgo biloba, and ginseng) among primary care patients approaching or in menopause, (2) the extent to which women who use these types of herbal products report menopause-related symptoms compared with herbal product nonusers, (3) the frequency of reported symptom reduction after use, and (4) if use was disclosed to their physicians. METHODS: A cross-section of ethnically diverse women 40-55 years of age (35.5% African American, 60.2% Caucasian) who were recruited from eight primary care centers in Michigan to complete a self-report survey. The questionnaire included demographic items, health history, recent use of four herbal product types purported to relieve menopause symptoms and perception of symptom improvement, and interest in additional herbal product information. RESULTS: Of 397 women, 24.9% reported taking, in the previous 6 months, at least one of the four study herbs. Herbal product use did not vary by patient demographics or health characteristics. Herbal product users reported more menopause symptoms than nonusers, and 68% of the users said that the herbs improved their symptoms; 56.4% said that their physician was aware of their herbal product use. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care patients experiencing common menopausal symptoms are likely to use herbal products that are purported to provide menopause symptom relief, and many believe that these products improve their menopausal symptoms. Healthcare providers should be aware of patient's positive attitude, use patterns, and lack of disclosure of use of herbal medicines. Inquiry of herbal product use is another way for physicians to learn about patient self-medication of bothersome symptoms.

Violent victimization of women and men: physical and psychiatric symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Our objectives for this exploratory study were (1) to assess the prevalence in a family practice of violent victimization of women and men by partners, friends, families, and strangers, and (2) to compare the physical symptoms, depression, alcohol use problems, and social support of women and men who were or were not victimized in the previous 12 months. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter study of family practice patients (1999-2000). One-thousand twenty-four patients, including 679 women and 345 men from 18 to 64 years of age completed a standard health history and a demographic questionnaire. The health history questionnaire included a question about violent victimization. RESULTS: Violent victimization was reported by 9.9% of the women and 10.9% of the men. Patients who were victimized were grouped into those who were victimized by partners (4.9% of women and 3.0% of men); by friends, or family, or strangers (2.3% of women and 5.0% of men); or by more than one category of persons other than partners (2.6% of women and 3.0% of men). Almost one third of patients victimized by partners were also victimized by another person. Women who were victimized had more physical symptoms than women who were not victimized. Women who were victimized and men who were victimized by their partners had more depressive symptoms than other women and men. Patients who were victimized by more than one category of other victimizers reported more alcohol use problems than other patients. Patients who were victimized reported less social support than patients who were not victimized. CONCLUSIONS: Both women and men report violent victimization in response to a screening question. Violence by partners and by others is related to physical and psychiatric symptoms in women and in men.

Real people. When hospital trustees speak, lawmakers listen to a community perspective.

Because they have no economic stake in the hospitals they serve, trustees can be most effective in bringing the community's health care perspective to their legislators' attention.