Psychomotor Dance Therapy Intervention (DANCIN) for people with dementia in care homes: a multiple-baseline single-case study.

BACKGROUND: A Psychomotor DANCe Therapy INtervention (DANCIN) using Latin Ballroom (Danzón) in care homes has previously been shown to enhance well-being for both residents with dementia and staff. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of this approach on the mood and behavior of individual people living with mild to moderate dementia. METHOD: A multiple-baseline single-case study across two care homes and one nursing home with 3-6 weeks baseline, 12-weeks DANCIN (30 minutes/twice-weekly sessions), and 12-weeks follow-up was conducted. Seventeen items from the Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (DMAS) outcome measure were adapted with input from senior staff to match participants' behavior and mood symptoms. Daily monitoring diaries were collected from trained staff on reporting individualized items for ten residents. Data were analyzed, using a non-parametric statistical method known as Percentage of All Non-Overlapping Data (PAND) which provides Phi effect size (ES). Medication use, falls, and life events were registered. RESULTS: Seven residents participated throughout DANCIN whilst three became observers owing to health deterioration. One participant showed adverse effects in three DMAS items. Nine participants, dancers and observers, showed a small to medium magnitude of change (PAND) in 21 DMAS items, indicating a decrease in the frequency of behavior and mood indices which were regarded as problematic; eight items showed no change. CONCLUSION: Despite methodological challenges, the DANCIN model has the potential to facilitate and sustain behavior change and improve mood (e.g. decrease irritability, increase self-esteem) of the residents living with dementia. The study was conducted in two care homes and one nursing home, strengthening the interventions' validity. Findings suggest DANCIN is appropriate for a larger controlled feasibility study.

Persistence of Trichomonas vaginalis serostatus in men over time.

PURPOSE: Previous epidemiologic studies have observed positive associations between Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) serostatus and both prostate cancer (PCa) risk and mortality. However, only a few small older studies have examined Tv antibody persistence over time, all of which were composed mainly of female patients. Therefore, we examined Tv antibody persistence over time, as well as intra-individual variability, among middle- to older-aged men in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). METHODS: We tested baseline and repeat plasma specimens (collected 1-3 years later) from 248 male participants for Tv antibodies. We used the same enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as in previous studies of Tv serostatus and PCa. RESULTS: At baseline, 46 (18.5 %) participants were seropositive for Tv infection. Seventy-six percent of these men were still seropositive 1-3 years later. A similar proportion of men "seroconverted" (4.0 %) as "seroreverted" (4.4 %), all of whom had absorbance values near the cutoff point for seropositivity. Overall, substantial agreement was observed between baseline and repeat serostatus (κ = 0.72, 95 % confidence interval 0.60-0.83). CONCLUSION: Tv seropositivity was largely persistent between plasma specimens collected 1-3 years apart from middle- to older-aged men. These high levels of persistence are similar to those observed for other sexually transmitted infections frequently investigated in relation to PCa.

Dancing as a psychosocial intervention in care homes: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to find meaningful and engaging interventions to improve mood and behaviour for residents of care homes. The demand on care staff might diminish opportunities for them to encourage these activities. Staff anecdotal information attests that dancing as an activity improves mood in residents and staff. Hence, the importance of investigating what dancing brings to the care home social environment. AIMS: To provide a systematic review of the evidence from studies related to dancing interventions for older people with dementia living in care homes. METHOD: Electronic databases were searched. Previous reviews were also included, and recognised experts were consulted up to January 2012. Inclusion criteria considered study methodology and evidence that the impact of the dance intervention had been measured. RESULTS: Ten studies were identified that satisfied the inclusion criteria: seven qualitative and three quantitative. Studies used different approaches such as therapeutic dance, dance movement therapy, dance therapy, social dancing and psychomotor dance-based exercise. There was evidence that problematic behaviours decreased; social interaction and enjoyment in both residents and care staff improved. A few adverse effects were also acknowledged. CONCLUSION: The evidence on the efficacy of dancing in care homes is limited in part owing to the methodological challenges facing such research. This review aims to raise awareness of the possibility of implementing dance work as an engaging activity in care homes. We shall also consider options for future dance work research as a means to encourage relationships and sensory stimulation for both residents and staff.

Outbreak of Salmonella Thompson in the Netherlands since July 2012.

An ongoing outbreak of salmonellosis due to Salmonella Thompson is affecting the Netherlands. Between 2 August and 19 October 2012, 866 cases were confirmed. Their median age was 44 years (range: 0-95 years), 63% were female and 36% were hospitalised. A matched case-control study suggested smoked salmon as the vehicle. Salmonella Thompson was confirmed in four of nine batches of smoked salmon from one producer. A recall of all concerned smoked salmon products was executed starting end of September.

[Large-scale, acute, bacterial gastroenteritis caused by the enterotoxin of Staphylococcus aureus after a barbecue]. / Grootschalige, acute bacteriële gastro-enteritis door enterotoxine van Staphylococcus aureus na een barbecue.

UNLABELLED: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATION: On a warm day, during a barbecue that was attended by over 100 guests, a large number became rapidly ill with signs of acute gastroenteritis within a few hours after eating the prepared food. The characteristic symptoms were nausea, vomiting, syncope and in some cases in a later stage, diarrhoea. Sixty patients were transferred to hospitals. INVESTIGATION: Investigation revealed that the cause of this outbreak of gastroenteritis was an enterotoxin-A-producing strain of Staphylococcus aureus in a noodle dish. Both the food residues and the faeces from patients contained genotypically identical strains of S. aureus. They all had the gene for the gastroenteritis-inducing enterotoxin A from S. aureus. CONCLUSION: This case shows that the timely involvement of the different health authorities responsible for intervening in explosions of food poisoning is crucial for the clarification and treatment of such large-scale outbreaks. In the investigation of this outbreak, the municipal health authority co-operated with regional laboratories and the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority/Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health.

Moderators of trainee therapists' competence in cognitive therapy.

OBJECTIVES: A revised version of the Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) was developed and used in an ecologically valid study designed to examine the acquisition of competence in cognitive therapy (CT). The relationship of therapist and patient variables to changes in competence was examined. Unlike most previous research, this study defines effectiveness of training in terms of therapist competence rather than patient outcome. DESIGN: A longitudinal design was employed within a naturalistic setting. Trainees' competence (the dependent variable) was sampled on three occasions during a training course. METHODS: Twenty screened out-patients, who had been routinely referred to the Newcastle Cognitive Therapy Centre, were assigned to 20 postgraduate trainees receiving training in CT. Expert raters assessed trainees' competence at three points over the first 12 sessions of treatment using the CTS-R. The relationship of therapist and patient variables to changes in competence was examined. The patient measures used were the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Suitability for Short-Term Cognitive Therapy (SSCT). RESULTS: Three therapist factors were found to be related to competence: time (trainee therapists improving over the training period), previous experience with CT (those with most experience were most competent), and gender of the therapist (males improving at a greater rate than females). Therapist competence was also related to patients' suitability. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that previous CT experience is an advantage prior to attending an advanced training course, and also that careful patient selection helps trainees to demonstrate therapeutic competence.

Cognitive therapy with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: People with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) are widely treated with a combination of medication and behavioural techniques. The success rate is 50-85%, but both relapse and drop-out rates appear high. The use of cognitive therapy (CT) for the treatment of OCD has been suggested. The empirical evidence supporting the use of CT for OCD is examined. METHOD: A manual and computer (Medline) literature search was performed. RESULTS: Fifteen empirical studies were found: ten non-controlled, and five controlled. CONCLUSIONS: There are few controlled CT studies, and these show little evidence of improvement when CT is added to existing therapeutic techniques.