Scand J Caring Sci; 2012 Supporting a caring fatherhood in cyberspace - an analysis of communication about caring within an online forum for fathers Background:  Today's parents seek out social support on the Internet. A key motivation behind the choice to go online is the need for more experience based ...

With an increasing amount of data becoming available, comparative analyses have called attention to the associations between cooperative breeding, monogamy and relatedness. We focus here upon the association between allomaternal care and relatedness among females within a social unit. Previous studies found a positive association, but such results date back ...

PURPOSE: To compare the differences of self-care behaviors between Korean Americans with heart failure (HF) and Caucasian Americans with HF. Method: Ninety (N = 90) participants (45 Korean Americans and 45 Caucasian Americans) were recruited for this study. A two-group, comparative, descriptive DESIGN: Self-care behavior was not significantly different between ...

The following article describes a midwife's experience in the adaption of the CenteringPregnancy model into her own group practice to provide education and support to the women in her care. Using personal experience and feedback from women and midwifery students the author describes not only the process of group care ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Pregnant women in Canada have traditionally received prenatal care individually from their physicians, with some women attending prenatal education classes. Group prenatal care is a departure from these practices providing a forum for women to experience medical care and child birth education simultaneously and in a group setting. ...

: Care provided by the families of those who have attempted suicide affects their healing and recovery process. Data on care provided by families to suicidal individuals in different areas of Taiwan are extremely limited. : This study explored care provided by families living in eastern and southern Taiwan to ...

PURPOSE: Caring for someone with a primary malignant brain tumour is very demanding due to the dynamic situation involving changes to personality, short term memory loss and changes in family relationships. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the support needs of carers of those with a primary ...

Male-only care is the most frequent parental care behaviour in teleost fishes, but little is known about its evolutionary origins and patterns of diversity in species-rich lineages. Darters are a clade of North American freshwater fishes that contain both nonparental care species and species with male-only care. In darters, paternal ...

Abstract When caring for an older relative with dementia, family members experience considerable distress and burden. Literature reviews show that supportive group interventions for these caregivers have significant positive effects on improving their distress and quality of life, but not consistent and conclusive. Limited research is found in Asian populations. ...

This commentary on "Her Own Decision: Impairment and Authenticity in Adolescence" by Campbell, Derrington, Hester, and Lew adds further consideration of obligations for guardians and physicians of minors who struggle in making serious decisions regarding medical treatment.

[This corrects the article on p. e32358 in vol. 7.].

Airway management in the intensive care unit is more problematic than during anaesthesia. In general, critically ill patients have less physiological reserve and complications are more common, both during the initial airway intervention (which includes risks associated with induction of anaesthesia), and later once the airway has been secured. Despite ...

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is a common procedure in intensive care. This guideline from the Danish Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DSIT) and the Danish Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DASAIM) describes indications and contraindications, timing, complications compared to surgical tracheostomy, anaesthesia and technique, decannulation strategy, as well as ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Airway management is of essential importance in emergency care. Training and skill retention of endotracheal intubation (ETI) - the technique considered as the "gold standard" -, poses a problem especially among care providers experiencing a low frequency of airway management situations. Therefore, alternative airway devices such as the ...

The use of laser resurfacing for cutaneous rejuvenation has become an important tool in the modern dermatologist's armamentarium. To ensure a successful outcome, proper preoperative and postoperative skin care is essential. Incorporating cosmeceuticals into the perioperative skin care regimen can promote a better overall patient experience by hastening postoperative healing, ...

In the present study, we compared isoflurane with sevoflurane in day care surgeries in order to determine the suitability of each agent for anaesthesia with Classical laryngeal mask airway (LMA). The aim of this study has been to compare isoflurane and sevoflurane as maintenance anaesthetic agents in day care surgeries ...

Vulvar pruritus is a common and distressing condition for patients, and its presentation is often delayed and complicated by home remedies. The true prevalence cannot be accurately estimated. Vulvar pruritus is a symptom, and an underlying cause must be sought and not assumed. This is best accomplished by obtaining a ...

While there is evidence of ethnic variation in the prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, few population-based studies examine GERD symptom prevalence amongst the growing Hispanic minority in the US as well as Asians in the West. To examine the prevalence, awareness and care patterns for GERD across different ...

Persistent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms can occur despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. To assess the prevalence and potential determinants of persistent GERD symptoms in primary care and community-based studies. Studies were identified by systematic PubMed and Embase searches; pooled prevalence data are shown as sample-size weighted means and ...

The delay in seeking timely medical care by patients with acute coronary syndrome and stroke is well established. Less is known about the delay in patients with heart failure (HF). Reducing the delay in seeking care and the early initiation of treatment is associated with improved outcomes in patients with ...

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a significant cause of suffering and disability in the Canadian population, and imposes a major cost on Canadian Society. Based on current medical science, much more could be done to provide better comprehensive medical care to the millions of individuals with migraine in Canada. OBJECTIVE: To propose ...

This paper examines diagnostic timelines for people suspected of having ALS/MND over a 20-year period, evaluates the impact of a 'fast track' diagnostic process and discusses typical causes of diagnostic delay. Key diagnostic timelines (dates of first symptom, diagnosis and death) were reviewed for people diagnosed between 1989 and 2008. ...

Although people with panic attacks are high utilizers of health care, the role of symptom assessment in care-seeking is unclear. Previous studies suggest that symptom perceptions are linearly related to utilization but panic appraisal is not. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationships between symptom assessment ...

The diagnostic yield of neuroimaging in chronic headache is low, but can reduce the use of health services. To determine whether primary care access to brain computed tomography (CT) referral for chronic headache reduces referral to secondary care. Prospective observational analysis of GP referrals to an open access CT brain ...

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a major health problem in Asia. OBJECTIVE: This study's purpose was to examine patient-reported symptoms and self-care strategies of Chinese adults during cancer treatments. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study in cancer centers in Hong Kong and Xi'an, China, was conducted. A total of 222 patients were included: ...

The seeking of a second opinion is the long-established process whereby a physician or expert from the same or a similar specialty is invited to assess a clinical case in order to confirm or reject a diagnosis or treatment plan. Seeking a second opinion has become more common in recent ...

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is reportedly a prearthritic condition in young adults that can progress to osteoarthritis. However, the prevalence of FAI is unknown in the young, active population presenting with hip complaints. We sought to determine (1) the prevalence of radiographic findings of FAI in a young, active patient population ...

Chronic pain conditions in the craniofacial region are common in the adult population with a prevalence of approximately 10%. They are included in the generic term temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and accompanied by restricted mouth opening capacity, chewing difficulties, headache and neck pain. These pain conditions cause psychological suffering, impaired social ...

OBJECTIVE: Previous research suggests that medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are maintained in an interpersonal context. The current study examined MUS concurrently and prospectively by measuring specific interpersonal predictors of symptom severity and health care use. METHODS: A total of 127 patients with MUS and their significant others were recruited through ...

The aim was to describe the consulting behaviour and clinical outcomes of children presenting with headache in primary care. This was a historical cohort study using data from the UK General Practitioner Research Database. Cases were children aged 5-17 years who presented to primary care with primary headache (migraine, tension-type ...

A theory-testing approach to the study of delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was performed using a descriptive design with 135 AMI patients. Participants provided information pertaining to history of AMI, symptom congruence, responses to symptoms, cardiac symptom attribution, and AMI care-seeking delay. Structural equation modeling fit ...

The authors investigated the sociodemographic differences in receiving a headache diagnosis for pediatric health care visits using 2 nationally representative databases--the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. For those visits involving a headache diagnosis, the authors explored 2 possible disparities in care--being diagnosed ...

Consider any alteration of mental status that follows a trauma to be a concussion, whether or not there is also a loss of consciousness. Don't order neuroimaging routinely; it is not necessary for diagnosing concussion. Neuroimaging is important, however, for patients who exhibit prolonged unconsciousness, focal neurologic deficits, or worsening ...

BACKGROUND: Despite the trend towards making a positive diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), many health care providers approach IBS as a diagnosis of exclusion. AIM: To summarize available evidence on the diagnostic performance of symptom-based IBS criteria in excluding organic diseases, and of individual signs and symptoms in diagnosing ...

The absence of hormone fluctuations and/or the analgesic effects of increased beta-endorphins are thought to confer improvements in headache symptoms during pregnancy. However, for a number of pregnant patients, they continue to suffer or have worsening headache symptoms. The use of pharmacotherapy for palliative care is a concern for both ...

This article reviews "other primary headaches," a classification of the International Headache Society that includes primary stabbing headaches, primary cough headache, primary exertional headache, primary headache associated with sexual activity, hypnic headache, primary thunderclap headache, and new daily persistent headache. Clinicians should be aware that these headaches may be symptomatic ...

Barriers to optimal migraine care have traditionally been divided into a number of categories: under-recognition and underconsultation by migraine sufferers; underdiagnosis and undertreatment by health care professionals; lack of follow-up and treatment optimization. These "traditional" barriers have been recognized and addressed for at least 15 years. Epidemiologic studies suggest that ...

Health care providers are faced with many challenges when working with adolescents. Vague symptoms, unreliable menstrual history, and adolescent reluctance to disclose sexual activity present challenges to early diagnosis. When pregnancy is suspected, clinicians need skills for accurate diagnosis, conducting comprehensive assessments, and providing options counseling. Complexities of providing confidential ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of incident transformed migraine on health care resource utilization, medication use, and productivity loss. In addition, the study estimates the total direct and indirect costs associated with transformed migraine. BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that migraine may be a chronic progressive disorder characterized by escalating frequency ...

Rhinitis is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting Americans today. Twenty to 40 million Americans (10%-30% of adults and up to 40% of children) are estimated to have allergic rhinitis. In recent decades, its prevalence in Western societies has increased dramatically, and studies from around the world are reporting ...

A 33-year-old woman with a 2-year history of swelling and pain in her buttock and left thigh fluctuating with her menstrual cycle who was becoming progressively disabled was referred to the department of orthopedics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected a left buttock lesion of 3 x 2 cm that was ...

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how primary care physicians (PCPs) in Asia diagnose and manage prostatitis-like symptoms. This study investigated the clinical diagnosis of and care provided for prostatitis-like symptoms by PCPs in a Malaysian population, and compared these findings to reports from other areas. METHODS: All members of the ...

BACKGROUND: The impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) on the daily lives of patients managed in primary care is not well known. We report the burden of GERD in a large population of patients managed in primary care, in terms of symptoms and impact on patients' daily lives. METHODS: RANGE ...

Cannulas and voice prostheses are mechanical aids for patients who had to undergo tracheotomy or laryngectomy for different reasons. For better understanding of the function of those artificial devices, first the indications and particularities of the previous surgical intervention are described in the context of this review. Despite the established ...

The number of referrals by primary care practitioners to secondary care neurology services, particularly for headache, may be difficult to justify. Access to imaging by primary care practitioners could avoid referral without compromising patient outcomes, but the decision to refer is based on a number of complex factors. Due to ...

The mother of a 3-month old girl presented her daughter for chiropractic care with a medical diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Her complaints included frequently interrupted sleep, excessive intestinal gas, frequent vomiting, excessive crying, difficulty breastfeeding, plagiocephaly and torticollis. Previous medical care consisted of Prilosec prescription medication. Notable improvement in ...

OBJECTIVE: The Headache Management Pattern (HMP) programme was designed to evaluate the current clinical situation regarding the diagnosis, treatment and referral of headache in a European primary care setting. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 705 GPs (from Germany, Portugal and Belgium), who regularly treated migraine patients, completed a questionnaire ...

PURPOSE: There is a growing movement to assess the quality of care provided to patients in the US, but few studies have examined initial care for epilepsy patients. We examined the relationships among patient race, setting of initial diagnosis, and initial treatment for older veterans newly diagnosed with epilepsy. METHODS: ...

INTRODUCTION: We sought to determine the epidemiological features and the headache burden of headache patients in the Singapore primary care setting. Particular attention was given to the adequacy of migraine diagnosis and management as well as the utilisation of prophylactic medication by primary care doctors. METHODS: Consenting patients who consulted ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine (i) the prevalence of unsuspected upper aerodigestive tract disease in snorers, (ii) the diagnostic yield of routine flexible endoscopy and (iii) the relationship between symptoms of upper aerodigestive tract disease and examination findings in snorers. DESIGN: Prospective analytical cohort study. SETTING: Snoring clinic in Secondary Care Otolaryngology ...