Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Include\s bibliographical references (leaves 78-87).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin. School of Nursing, 1975. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1983.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Florida, 2004. / Typescript. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 25 pages. Includes Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Siu, Hon Kei. / "November 2011." / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-88). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendix in Chinese. / Thesis/Assessment Committee --- p.1 / Abstract --- p.2 / Content --- p.5 / Acknowledgements --- p.7 / Introduction --- p.8 / Background --- p.12 / Defining continuity of care --- p.12 / Measuring continuity of care --- p.14 / Effects of continuity of care --- p.15 / Factors affecting the continuity of care --- p.16 / Health care system in Hong Kong --- p.18 / Health care service charges in public and private sectors in Hong Kong --- p.19 / Primary care service in public and private sector --- p.21 / Health status and health seeking behaviours of Hong Kong people --- p.22 / Summary --- p.22 / Objectives --- p.24 / Methods --- p.25 / Target population --- p.25 / Sample size --- p.25 / Data collection --- p.26 / Preparation of questionnaire --- p.26 / Questionnaire in detail --- p.27 / Ethics issue --- p.32 / Statistical analysis --- p.32 / Results --- p.38 / Survey findings --- p.38 / Detailed analysis - respondents claimed that they needed a family doctor --- p.44 / Detailed analysis - respondents claimed that they had a family doctor --- p.46 / Discussion --- p.50 / Limitations of the study --- p.50 / Strengths of the study --- p.51 / Discussion of the findings --- p.52 / Implications --- p.59 / Conclusion --- p.62 / Tables and figures --- p.64 / Appendix --- p.75 / Bibliography --- p.80

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between and among the concepts of severity of illness, dependency, uncertainty, functional status and the mediators of self-esteem and mastery relative to the outcome of wellbeing. The conceptual framework was adapted from various sources in the literature which support the concept of wellbeing as an important outcome in arthritis. Evidence also supports self-esteem and mastery as mediators of the chronic illness experience. Dependency, uncertainty and functional status have been shown to be predictors of wellbeing but have never been tested as a complete paradigm. The sample for the study was 128 patients with either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Subjects completed 7 questionnaires which measured the 7 variables under study. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic characteristics of the sample. Multiple regression technique was used to empirically test the predicted theoretical concepts and to estimate predictive validity for the theoretical concepts. The results demonstrated that when self-esteem was used in the causal model, 58% of the variance in wellbeing was explained by self-esteem and uncertainty. When mastery was included instead of self-esteem 52% of the variance of wellbeing was explained by mastery and uncertainty. When tested as mediators, both self-esteem and mastery emerged as significant mediators of dependency, uncertainty and functional status relative to wellbeing. These results are of clinical use to nurses who, by virtue of working with these patients on a daily basis, are in a position to intervene with actions which encourage positive self-esteem and maintain mastery over the environment. If these actions are successful, then wellbeing can be maintained for those patients diagnosed with arthritis.

This research tests and refines a middle range theoretical model about unitary developmental patterns in aging adults and dying adults. The primary aim was to explore the relationships among four unitary patterns of Health (power, personal death awareness, perceived symptoms in transition, and well-being) and three unitary patterns of Spirituality (self-transcendence, spiritual perspective, and meaning and purpose in life and death). A secondary aim was to explore the personal meanings of death for participants. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to answer the research questions. The sample was composed of 35 aging adults and 35 dying adults. Descriptive statistics were used to examine relationships among demographic and study variables. Relationships among variables were explored using bivariate and canonical correlational analysis. Content analysis was used to describe the meaning of death paragraphs. Analysis of variance and covariance was used to describe differences between the groups. Dying adults had greater death awareness than aging adults. There were no differences between the two groups for the other three patterns of Health. There were no differences in self-transcendence or meaning and purpose in life and death. Differences in spiritual perspective were gender-related, aging men having less spiritual perspective than aging women, dying men, or dying women. Different patterns of relationships were identified for each group. Greater purpose and self-transcendence were positively associated with greater well-being, more positive and fewer negative symptoms in transition, and more power for aging adults. For dying adults, less purpose, self-transcendence, and spiritual perspective were associated with less well-being, less positive and more negative symptoms, less power and more death awareness. Moderate or high scores were obtained on instruments measuring power, well-being, self-transcendence, spiritual perspective, and purpose in life. Both groups attributed positive evaluations, acceptance, and self-transcendence to meanings of death. This research enhances understanding of the potential for personal transformation and ongoing development in persons facing death. It also provides direction for nursing care in terms of fostering a sense of purpose in life, promoting spiritual expression, and assisting identification of patterns of power, symptoms in transition, and death awareness.

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the clarification of the phenomenon, social support, using a precise definition and a major theoretical perspective as a descriptive guide for the concept, structure; one of the three less abstract representations of social support. Social comparison theory provided the guiding framework for interpretation of how structure relates to help-seeking behavior. Data from the Self-Help Intervention Project (SHIP), an experimental study of women undergoing adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, were analyzed. A volunteer non-probability sample was comprised of 307 subjects, Time 1 (baseline), and all 59 of the 307 subjects (Time 2) who were randomly assigned to the control group (no intervention). A descriptive correlational design with a causal modeling approach was used to assess a four-stage conceptual framework: Help-Seeking in Adversity Model. Model predictions were that the individual's innate drive leads to self-appraisal and social comparison which are negatively associated with discrepancy judgment, which is positively associated with help-seeking behavior. Measures similarity perceived/similarity actual were constructed to index the model variable, social comparison. Reliability estimates (two total scales) were α.75 and α.72, respectively. Validity was assessed by face validity and statistically significant pattern of correlations with other variables. Six instruments indexed the conceptual variables. Model parameters were estimated by bivariate and multiple regression statistical techniques. Residual analysis was conducted to estimate violations of causal model and statistical assumptions. Self-appraisal, measured by mastery (B=-.41), and self-belief (B=-.22) and social comparison, measured by similarity actual (B=.27) explained variance in discrepancy judgment (R²=.33), Time 1. Only self-appraisal, measured by mastery (B=-.34) was found to reduce discrepancy judgment, Time 2. Discrepancy judgment was associated with increases in three of the four measures of help-seeking behavior (B=.12, R²=.01; B=.19, R²=.03; B=.17, R²=.03), Time Ii no variance was explained, Time 2. Empirical testings differed from theoretical testings (Time I, Time 2). Differences included (Time 1) Stage II variable explaining help-seeking behavior and (Time 2) only Stage II variables explaining help-seeking behavior. This study represents a beginning effort to provide clarification of the concept, structure.