According to previous research results, the relationship between initial (pretherapy) patient-therapist value similarity and psychotherapy outcome is not clear. In this study, 45 adult outpatients were examined with the intention of clarifying the relationship between patient-therapist value similarity, convergence, patient locus of control, and improvement. As hypothesized, initial similarity was negatively correlated with convergence and convergence was correlated with therapist-rated improvement. Also, when improvement was measured within the realm of specific symptoms, especially symptoms of paranoia and interpersonal sensitivity, additional significant findings were discovered involving the correlation of initial similarity as well as locus of control with improvement. In general, this study suggested the need for evaluating improvement within specific areas of functioning and through the use of several rating sources such as the patient, therapist, and an independent rater(s).

Introduction Patient satisfaction is an important outcome of health care services and is regarded as one of the desired outcomes of care. Not much research has been done to measure satisfaction with maternity care services, especially in South Africa. Against this background this study aims to explore factors that influence women’s satisfaction with peri-partum care at Germiston hospital maternal unit. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was done among 260 women aged 18 years and above during the first three days of the postpartum period. A structured questionnaire was used to gather information. The factors studied were: pain relief, cleanliness, privacy, health education, and information and participation in decision making about their care. Data capture and analysis was done using STATA 10 statistical software. Frequency tables were used to describe data and Chi-square test was used to test for association between patient satisfaction and marital status, level of education and pain relief. Results: Sixty eight percent and 63% of patients respectively were not satisfied with pain relief during labour and after delivery. A majority of women ninety seven percent were satisfied by how privacy was maintained by both nonmedical and medical staff. Ninety percent of the respondents were satisfied with the cleanliness of the environment. Less than fifty percent of women were satisfied with the information that was given to them by the doctors in order to make informed choices about their care in contrast to 63 % of women who were satisfied with the information that they got from the nurses. A majority of women 73% were not satisfied with the number of times that the health care providers asked for their opinion in planning their care. There was no association between the level of satisfaction and marital status, level of education and pain relief. Conclusion: There were varying levels of satisfaction with services during labour. Cleanliness, privacy and information sharing by nurses were viewed by women as adequate. In contrast pain relief, time spent explaining procedures and information sharing by doctors was rated as unsatisfactory. These three factors should be taken into account when designing quality improvement programmes in the maternity department.

Despite the technological developments in medical care, patients still experience unacceptable levels of waiting time (Barlow 2002). Health care users perceive waiting time as a problem and this is articulated by media reports on how citizens complain about long waiting before receiving any medical attention especially for a prearranged appointment. They express dissatisfaction about long waiting time at various departments such as admissions, casualty, polyclinic, and pharmacy. Waiting time is perceived as a problem equal to lack of access to health care services in South Africa and internationally. These complaints prompt negative media reporting about health care services at public hospitals and clinics. Such damaging reports about health facilities may prevent nursing and other health professions from attracting neophytes. The result will be more staff shortage that impacts negatively on waiting time. On the other hand the working class citizens expect to receive health care services in public health facilities timely and go to work. Unfortunately patients and their relatives wait longer than they anticipated and the waiting causes anger, anxiety, fear, frustration, and sadness. These emotions are caused by lack of information about the doctors’ whereabouts and often cause conflicts between users and health workers. Some public hospitals and clinics do not have mechanisms on information giving regarding the doctors’ activities that may affect the waiting time. This information may assist patients to make informed decisions whether to wait or reschedule an appointment. In an attempt to reduce waiting time the Gauteng Department of Health introduced several measures. The problem statement for this research study is that health care users express dissatisfaction about waiting time at public health facilities and they lodge complaints which make approximately 20-30% of the Patients Complaints Hotline in the Gauteng Province. It was in view of this problem statement that the purpose of this research study was formulated to explore health care users’ experiences of waiting time at a diabetes clinic in an academic hospital and describe perceptions to which they give rise; in order to utilise the findings to facilitate formulation of policy guidelines for management of waiting time aimed at promotion of comfort in the outpatient departments..

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2000. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-157). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ56231

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No description available.

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A Thesis submitted to The University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Medicine. / Purpose: Acupuncture at point P6 has proven efficacious in alleviating postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Evidence supporting its use in pediatric patients is not nearly as conclusive. Furthermore, acupuncture’s effects when combined with antiemetics needs to be further elucidated. We conducted a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of P6 acupuncture combined with antiemetics on pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Methods: A total of 109 patients between the ages of 3 – 9 years old were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups prior to surgery. Each group received standard antiemetic medications while only one group received acupuncture intraoperatively. PONV was assessed via usual protocol while the patients remained at the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and Day Stay Unit. A follow-up phone call 24 hours following surgery was conducted to assess for overnight symptoms. Results: 106 patients completed the study with 58 randomly assigned to the Treatment Group, whom receive acupuncture and antiemetic therapy, and 48 to the Control Group, receiving only antiemetic therapy. When comparing baseline characteristics and possible confounding factors for each group, no statistical differences between the groups could be found. For primary outcomes, the only significant difference between the two groups occurred with the incidence of nausea in the PACU following the surgery (P = 0.02), but nausea in the Day Stay Unit trended toward significance (P = 0.06). Retching and vomiting incidence did not occur frequently enough in the hospital to be analyzed. No differences between the Treatment Group and Control group were seen in the 24 hours after the patients were discharged from the hospital. Discussion: With no adverse events from its use and with statistically significant efficacy, P6 acupuncture embodies a useful prophylactic treatment for postoperative nausea in children.

No description available.