Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2007. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, page: 0311. Adviser: Osama Mikhail. Includes bibliographical references.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Introduction. Aging favors the appearance of propitious clinical conditions to a high use of medicines, a reality in the elderly over 65 years of age. However, the number of medicines used should not be the only predictor of a medication regimen complexity, other factors may increase the complexity of pharmacotherapy leading to possible problems related to pharmacotherapy. In this perspective, there are few national studies that evaluate the medication regimen complexity in the elderly, especially those that evaluate outcomes influenced by this complexity, so as to allow interventions for its optimization. Thus, the objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the pharmacotherapeutic profile and the health outcomes associated with the medication regimen complexity. Methods. This study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the medication regimen complexity of elderly patients in three long-term care facilities using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). This study was conducted for 12 months in three long-term care facilities in the state of Sergipe. In the second stage, a systematic review was performed to identify in the literature which outcomes were influenced by the medication regimen complexity, using the MRCI. We analyzed all study designs published until February 2017 who met the following eligibility criteria: using the MRCI instrument to measure the medication regimen complexity, assessing the medication regimen complexity for global regimens, related the medication regimen complexity with clinical and/or humanistic and/or economic outcome, was written in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Results. In the first stage, the evaluation of the medication regimen complexity obtained an average of 15.1 points (± 9.8), with a minimum of two and a maximum of 59 points. The highest levels of complexity were associated with the dose frequency, with a mean of 5.5 (± 3.6) points. A significant relationship between the medication regimen complexity and the variables polypharmacy, drug interaction, drug potentially inappropriate for the elderly and therapeutic duplicity was found (p <0.001). In the second stage, of the 610 studies evaluated, 20 met the eligibility criteria. The health outcomes most influenced by the medication regimen complexity were the clinical outcomes: hospitalization, hospital readmission and adherence to pharmacotherapy, most of the studies presented satisfactory results to association the outcomes with the complexity and obtained good methodological quality. Conclusion. This dissertation made it possible to evaluate the pharmacotherapeutic profile of elderly patients, showed that besides polypharmacy, potential drug interaction, therapeutic duplicity and potentially inappropriate medicines for the elderly are risk factors for the increased medication regimen complexity in these patients. Furthermore, identified that the health outcomes most influenced by the medication regimen complexity were ones clinical: hospitalization, hospital readmission and adherence to the pharmacotherapy. / Introdução. O envelhecimento favorece o aparecimento de condições clínicas propícias para o elevado uso de medicamentos, observado principalmente em pacientes acima de 65 anos de idade. Entretanto, o número de medicamentos utilizados não deve ser o único preditor de uma farmacoterapia complexa, pois outros fatores podem elevar a complexidade, conduzindo a possíveis problemas relacionados à farmacoterapia. Nesta perspectiva, são escassos os estudos nacionais que avaliam a complexidade da farmacoterapia em idosos, principalmente os que analisam desfechos influenciados por essa complexidade, de modo a permitir intervenções para sua otimização. Assim, o objetivo desta dissertação foi avaliar o perfil farmacoterapêutico e os desfechos em saúde associados à complexidade da farmacoterapia. Metodologia. Este estudo foi realizado em duas etapas. Na primeira, foi realizado um estudo transversal descritivo para avaliar a complexidade da farmacoterapia de idosos atendidos em três instituições de longa permanência para idosos (ILPIs), por meio do instrumento Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). Este estudo foi conduzido por 12 meses em três instituições no Estado de Sergipe. Na segunda etapa, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática, a fim de identificar, na literatura, quais desfechos estão associados à complexidade da farmacoterapia, medida pelo instrumento MRCI. Foram analisados todos os delineamentos de estudos publicados até fevereiro de 2017 que atenderam aos seguintes critérios de elegibilidade: usar o instrumento MRCI para medir a complexidade da farmacoterapia; avaliar a complexidade da farmacoterapia para os regimes globais dos pacientes; e relacionar a complexidade da farmacoterapia com desfechos clínicos e/ou humanísticos e/ou econômicos, publicados em inglês, espanhol ou português. Resultados. Na primeira etapa, a avaliação da complexidade da farmacoterapia obteve média de 15,1 pontos (± 9,8), com mínimo de dois e máximo de 59 pontos. Os níveis mais altos de complexidade foram associados à frequência de dose, com uma média de 5,5 (± 3,6). Além disso, foi identificada relação significativa entre a complexidade da farmacoterapia e as variáveis polifarmácia, interação medicamentosa, medicamento potencialmente inapropriado para idosos e duplicidade terapêutica (p< 0,001). Na segunda etapa, dos 610 estudos avaliados, 20 preencheram os critérios de elegibilidade. Os desfechos em saúde mais influenciados pela complexidade da farmacoterapia foram os desfechos clínicos: hospitalização, readmissão hospitalar e adesão à farmacoterapia. A maioria dos estudos apresentou resultados satisfatórios para associação dos desfechos com a complexidade e obtiveram boa qualidade metodológica. Conclusão. Esta dissertação possibilitou avaliar o perfil farmacoterapêutico de pacientes idosos e identificar que, além da polifarmácia, interação medicamentosa potencial, duplicidade terapêutica e medicamentos potencialmente inapropriados para idosos são fatores de risco para o aumento da complexidade da farmacoterapia nestes pacientes. Além disso, identificou-se que os desfechos em saúde mais influenciados pela complexidade da farmacoterapia foram os clínicos: hospitalização, readmissão hospitalar e adesão a farmacoterapia. / Aracaju, SE

This exploratory study sought to identify factors which motivate individual participation in volunteer services for the Long-Term Ombudsman Program of the Volunteer Center of Riverside County.

Cooper, Heron and Heward define maintenance as the extent to which a learner continues to perform a target behavior after the intervention has been terminated. Testing for maintenance allows the trainer to see if gains were sustained following the termination of a treatment program. In addition, once it is shown that a learner's skills have remained in the repertoire, assessment of generalization is possible. Previous literature in behavior skills training have assessed maintenance in a variety of settings for a variety of skills. Following maintenance assessments, booster sessions are commonly used to re-train skills that did not maintain at criterion levels. The current project assessed the maintenance of caregivers' skills following a training package used to teach three behavior management techniques (use reinforcement, pivot, protect-redirect) at a large, residential care facility. Procedures were developed to assess caregivers' maintenance of the three behavior management techniques using a pre-test- post-test design. If needed, skills were re-established using 5-20 minute booster sessions. The results showed that time between post-test and maintenance did not seem to have a strong effect on maintenance scores. In general, post-test scores were somewhat indicative of maintenance scores, and patterns were most apparent across tools.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Résumé : L’administration de la médication en centre d’hébergement (CH) constitue une activité qui amène l’infirmière à résoudre des problèmes complexes dans un contexte d’incertitude. Elle exige un raisonnement clinique rigoureux pour lequel il n’existe pas d’instrument de mesure valide et fidèle. Le but de cette étude était d’élaborer un test de concordance de script (TCS) pour mesurer le raisonnement clinique infirmier relatif à l’usage optimal des médicaments en CH et pour documenter sa validité et sa fidélité. Après l’optimisation, le TCS comprenait 55 items répartis dans 20 vignettes cliniques. Il a été mis à l’essai auprès d’étudiantes en sciences infirmières (n=76) et d’infirmières expertes (n=10). Le test a été rempli une seconde fois (test-retest) par 35 étudiantes. La moyenne des scores obtenue par les étudiantes novices est de 55,6 ± 7,7 tandis que celle obtenue par les infirmières expertes est de 63,7 ± 8,0. Les tests statistiques appliqués ont démontré une différence significative dans la moyenne des deux groupes (p < 0,02). La valeur du coefficient alpha de Cronbach de l’ensemble du TCS est de 0,65. Un coefficient de corrélation intraclasse (CCI) a été calculé pour évaluer la stabilité temporelle de l’instrument de mesure. Son résultat est de 0,618 (p = 0,000). Le TCS conçu dans le cadre de cette étude a besoin d’être modifié afin d’obtenir un meilleur indice de fidélité. Les autres résultats statistiques démontrent que le TCS est capable de distinguer les niveaux d’expertise. Cette étude vient s’ajouter aux autres études ayant évalué le raisonnement clinique et confirme l’importance de suivre les directives fondées sur les données probantes pour développer un TCS. / Abstract : The administration of prescribed medication in long-term care facilities is a task that requires the nurse to solve complex problems in a context of uncertainty. It demands a rigorous clinical reasoning for which there is no valid and reliable measurement tool. The purpose of this study was to develop a script concordance test (SCT) to measure nursing clinical reasoning regarding the optimal use of medication in long-term care facilities and to document its validity and reliability. After optimization, the SCT was made up of 55 items divided in 20 clinical vignettes. It has been tested on nursing students (n = 76) and expert nurses (n = 10). The test was completed a second time (test re-test) by 35 students. The mean score obtained by the novice students is 55.6 ± 7.7 while the one obtained by the expert nurses is 63.7 ± 8.0. The applied statistical tests showed a significant difference in the average of the two groups (p < 0.02). The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the entire SCT is 0.65. An inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the temporal stability of the measuring tool. The result is 0.618 (p = 0.000). The SCT developed as part of this study needs to be modified in order for it to be more reliable. The other statistical results demonstrate that the SCT is able to differentiate between levels of expertise. This study adds to previous studies that evaluated clinical reasoning and confirms the importance of following guidelines that rely on evidence-based data to develop a SCT.

Funding of services to residents in publicly funded long-term care (LTC) facilities has historically rested upon a list of physical needs. However, more than 60% of residents in nursing homes have dementia; a condition in which physical needs are only a part of the overall clinical picture. Since past funding formulas focused primarily on the physical characteristics of residents, the Ontario government has adopted the RUG (Resource Utilization Groups)-III (34 Group) for use in LTC facilities which follows the adoption of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 2.0 assessment instrument. Some still question whether the newer formula adequately reflects the care needs of residents with dementia despite its validation in many countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the comprehensiveness of the RUG-III (34 Group) in addressing the needs of residents with dementia living in LTC. First, a critical systematic review of the literature was conducted to determine the needs of residents with dementia. Numerous electronic databases were searched for articles published between January 2000 and September 2010, and later cross-referenced. Second, needs identified from the literature were matched to the items of the RUG-III which are selected variables of the MDS 2.0. Third, the priority of the items in the RUG-III was analysed in accordance with the importance of the identified needs. The documented needs were taken from 68 studies and classified into 19 main categories. The needs most supported by the literature were the management of behavioural problems, social needs, the need for daily individualized activities/care and emotional needs/personhood. Among the needs identified, activities of daily living (ADLs), cognitive needs and general overall physical health met the most RUG-III items. These needs were found to be well represented within the system. Other needs of importance such as social needs are not thoroughly considered in the grouping methodology though matched to MDS variables. The fact that these needs are not well addressed in the RUG-III poses concerns. Future research is needed to validate the significance of these needs. Considerations should be made as to the adequacy of the funding system and the allocation of funding.

This research provides a feminist perspective on the lowest paid sector of the United States long-term care industry, Certified Nursing Assistants. This research adds to current feminist scholarship on the modern professional caregiving industry by focusing on the perspective of the workers. As the population of older adults requiring care is expected to increase over the coming decades, the demand for paid caregivers will increase as well. Historically, care work was an expected duty done freely by the women of the family, but today much of the vital intimate caring labor is relegated to paid caregivers. I examine how alternative social, political and economic frameworks can transform United States society’s attitude towards the increasingly relevant issue of caring labor. I argue that incorporating a feminist perspective will be helpful in developing a sustainable model for caring labor that acknowledges the dignity of both patients and their caregivers. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this research was to examine specific coping methods used by the elderly as they adjust to the environment of a long-term care facility, and to examine the correlations between these coping methods and levels of depressive symptomatology.

本文係針對台灣地區各縣市1999至2008年之老人安養機構設立之床位數進行分析，利用雙因子固定效果模型（two-factor fixed effects model）探討台灣地區各縣市老人安養機構設立之重要影響變數，以及這些變數對於老人安養機構設立床位數影響程度之強弱。本文首先將文獻之檢閱做整理介紹，先概述至今國內外討論老人安養機構設立及使用之相關文章重要觀點，了解這些文章作者的研究時間與空間範圍、所使用分析方法、論點及其變數設定，在最後與本研究之結論相互比較，觀察文獻與本研究之間是否具有一致性。 由於本論文重視各地區變數之影響，故本研究使用具地域性之各縣市數據資料作為變數，經由資料蒐集，將合適之變數納入研究考量，參閱文獻資料，加上能夠取得之數據資料為考量。本文將討論下列變數：台灣地區實質薪資、各縣市老年人口數、各縣市人口密度、各縣市教育程度為大專及以上人口之比率、各縣市失業率、各縣市女性勞動參與率、各縣市15歲以上人口婚姻狀況有偶人數比率、各縣市出生率、各縣市外籍與大陸配偶人數、各縣市社福外籍勞工人數以及各縣市每萬老人接受居家服務人次等十一個變數。對於老人安養機構設立數之關係，觀察其影響程度，了解各地區差異，期能對政府提供具體的政策建議，並對未來各縣市公私立老人安養機構之設立提供參考。 / This study analyses the number of the beds established of the long-term care (LTC) facilities of each city and county in Taiwan between 1999 and 2008, using “two-factor fixed effects model” to explore some of the important influential variables of the long-term care facilities of each city and county, and the strength of the relation of these variables of the hospital beds. This article firstly introduces and reviews some articles and studies that are basically related, and overview the important points of view of the establishment of the long-term care facilities, to understand the analytical methods and the arguments of these articles and authors. As the importance of this thesis, the effect of regional variables, the study uses cities and counties level variables. Through data collection, using the variables in the study that are considered appropriate. Refer to the literature, adding with data obtained for the considerations. This article will discuss the following variables: the real wage of Taiwan each year, the number of counties and cities in the elderly population, the population density, the population with tertiary education level, the unemployment rate, the female labor force participation rate, the population over the age 15 that have marital status, the proportion of birth rate, the number of foreign and mainland spouses, the number of the welfare of foreign workers per 10,000 of the elderly receiving home care people, totally 11 variables. To establish the relationship between the number of observed effect level of long-term care facilities of each city and county, to understand the regional differences, to provide the government on specific policy recommendations. In the future, we expect to provide the public and private sectors the reference establishment of nursing agencies of each city and county.