Comparison of Rectal and Esophageal Sensitivity in Women With Functional Heartburn.

This study tested the primary hypothesis that there is a correlation of maximum pain threshold (MPT) in the esophagus and rectum in persons with functional heartburn. Secondary aims evaluated correlations with initial perception threshold (IPT) and pain threshold (PT). This study explored objective sensory endpoints of IPT, PT, and MPT in the esophagus and rectum of 14 females with functional heartburn to determine whether visceral hypersensitivity is generalized or organ-specific. Data on volume and pressure measurements at IPT, PT, and MPT with esophageal and rectal barostat distention were collected. The relationship of sensation and pain to volume, pressure, and compliance was analyzed. Esophageal and rectal IPT balloon volume scores were highly and significantly correlated (r = .61, p = .02). Esophageal and rectal PT balloon volume scores were highly and significantly correlated (r = .6, p = .02). Esophageal and rectal MPT balloon volume scores were not correlated (r = .35, p = .26). The correlation of visceral sensitivity in the esophagus and rectum in persons with functional heartburn supports the hypothesis that visceral sensory changes in functional gastrointestinal disorders are not organ specific.

Update on research-based interventions for anxiety in patients with cancer.

Anxiety may begin at the moment a person is diagnosed with cancer and may fluctuate throughout the cancer trajectory as physical illness improves or declines. The purpose of this article is to present current evidence for nurses to implement interventions to reduce anxiety in patients who have cancer. The PubMed and CINAHL® databases were searched to identify relevant citations addressing interventions that treat or prevent anxiety symptoms in patients with cancer. Based on available evidence, the interventions addressed herein are categorized according to the Putting Evidence Into Practice (PEP®) rating schema. Interventions include pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches to care, and meet criteria for three PEP categories: likely to be effective, effectiveness not established (the largest category of results), or effectiveness unlikely.

Putting evidence into practice: evidence-based interventions for depression.

Depression is a distressing emotion that occurs during various times of the cancer trajectory. Depression often goes unrecognized and untreated, which can significantly affect cost, quality of life, and treatment adherence. The Oncology Nursing Society's Putting Evidence Into Practice depression project team reviewed current literature to identify evidence-based interventions to reduce depression in people with cancer. Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions were evaluated, and opportunities for nurses to integrate recommendations into practice are offered in this article.

Resilience and stigma influence older African Americans seeking care.

BACKGROUND: Stigma affects older adults' willingness to describe depressive symptoms to health care personnel and others. Specific aims targeted associations among depressive symptoms, resilience, stigma and willingness, predictors of willingness, and estimated causal effects. METHODS: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used; 158 participants from community agencies and churches participated. Multivariate analyses of variance and multiple regression data analyses were used. Principal components analysis was conducted to determine patterns among the items within specified scales. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability for each scale was 0.84 or above. Significant correlations between depressive symptoms and stigma (p < 0.05), between resilience and willingness (p < 0.0001), and single items were examined. Influences on willingness to seek mental health care for depressive symptoms unrelated to depressive symptom scores were revealed. CONCLUSIONS: Resilience influenced older African American's willingness to seek care for depressive symptoms. Exploration of early interventions to reduce depressive symptom escalation in older adults is warranted.