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Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: B, page: 1628. Advisers: Belinda M. Reininger; Henry S. Brown. Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2010.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The goal of this study was to determine the impact of cognitive behavioural therapy on people who meet the international diagnostic criteria for CFS, by specifically looking at symptoms and health behaviour. Whereas CFS was originally only studied from a medical perspective, recent years have seen an increased interest from psychologists. Initially the debate centered around whether CFS was a medical or psychiatric illness, but with the development of health psychology as a recognised field of its own, the focus shifted to the investigation of how medical and psychological factors work together to create the symptomatology of CFS. The approach adopted by the research team was that CFS was a biopsychosocial illness and that biological factors such as genetic predisposition, psychological factors such as cognitions and emotions and social factors such as the pressures of families and society work together to establish the health of a person. The study thus set out to gather information regarding all of these aspects in order to add to the current body of knowledge. As previous research efforts had been critisised regarding the validity of the diagnosis of the CFS patients included in their samples, an important challenge that was faced by the researcher was to establish that all the research group participants did meet with the diagnostic criteria. It also had to be ensured that their symptoms could not be accounted for by any other medical illness that was listed as an exclusion criteria for CFS. In order to achieve this patients who had not already had the necessary medical tests done, were requested to do so. The therapeutic intervention was based on cognitive behavioural principles which had been proven to be effective in the treatment of other illnesses that had a biological as well as psychological , aspect to it, for example anxiety, fibromyalgia and chronic pain. The aspects that were addressed had been found by previous researchers to be of great importance in a therapeutic intervention for CFS. These aspects included illness beliefs, information regarding CFS, locus of control and coping mechanisms, avoidance, activity levels, negative and dysfunctional thoughts, social support, lifestyle changes, stress management, sleep, exercise and personality factors. The specific techniques that were included in the intervention were self monitoring, monitoring and modifying of dysfunctional thoughts, goal setting, relaxation and systematic desensitisation. The research group consisted of 37 patients who met the internationally accepted diagnostic criteria for CFS. The control group was a contrast group of comparable size, which included only people who were free from psychological disorders and medical illnesses. The research group participated in a cognitive behavioural intervention, which was designed around the needs of each individual. They therapy was conducted at a community clinic at Rand Afrikaans University between February 1995 and October 1995. Pretests were completed upon commencement of the therapy and the posttests upon termination of the therapy. The control group completed their pre- and posttests at the average interval of the research group pre- and posttests. In order to make a multi-dimensional assessment of the impact of the cognitive behavioural intervention on CFS, various instruments were ulitised. The first instrument was a biographical questionnaire, which recorded the name, sex, age, income group, highest formal qualification, type of work, etcetera. The second questionnaire was an adapted version of the Support and Service Utilisation Schedule, which was employed to control for the other medical and therapeutic interventions that patients participated in, for example the medication taken, alternative medical practitioners visited and sources of support. The participants were asked to maintain their use of these services that they had been using for a long period and to not embark on any new therapies and treatments while they were partaking in the cognitive behavioural intervention.

Master of Science / Department of Clinical Sciences / Gregory F. Grauer / Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in cats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Chinese rhubarb (Rheum officinale) supplementation on the progression of feline CKD. Cats with stable IRIS stage II or III CKD and without certain comorbidities were included in the study. Cats were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups and administered Chinese rhubarb extract (Group 1, Rubenal®, Vetoquinol, Forth Worth, TX; 75 mg tablet by mouth every 12 h), benazepril as a positive control (Group 2, 0.5 mg/kg by mouth every 24 h), or both (Group 3). Cats were fed a commercial renal specific diet and enteric phosphate binder as appropriate. Body weight, laboratory data, and blood pressure were recorded every 3 months. Variables between groups at enrollment and within groups over visits were compared with ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA, respectively. A treatment by visit interaction term was included in all repeated measures models. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Except for body weight there was no significant differences between treatment groups at enrollment. There was no significant change in body weight, hematocrit (Hct), UPC, serum creatinine, or systemic blood pressure over time as compared to baseline within any group. There was no significant difference between groups over time in regards to change in body weight, Hct, UPC, serum creatinine, or systemic blood pressure. The treatment by time interaction was non-significant in all models. Based on easily measured clinical parameters, this study failed to detect a significant difference in cats administered a Chinese rhubarb supplement, benazepril, or both.

The purpose of this study was to examine how chronic renal failure or cancer patients felt about their bodies during treatment. The sample was comprised of 22 subjects; 10 hemodialysis, six continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and six chemotherapy patients. The settings included an outpatient dialysis center and an inpatient/outpatient chemotherapy treatment center. Two instruments, the Body Attitude Scale and the Body Cathexis Scale, were used to describe the patients' feelings about their bodies. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. A significant difference on the Body Cathexis Scale among the subjects indicated that the chemotherapy patients had the most positive body attitude. The implications of the study for nursing are related to how nurses can provide anticipatory guidance to their clients. Both cancer and renal failure treatment require significant adaptation by the client. Therefore, appropriate nursing interventions must be instituted.

This study focuses on the experiences of the relationship between adolescents with asthma and their parents. Even though asthma has been described as the most common chronic illness in adolescence, very little research has been undertaken on the combined impact of asthma on the parent-adolescent relationship. The goal of this study was to explore and describe how adolescents with asthma and their parents experience their relationships with each other. The research was conducted from a qualitative research approach and followed a case study design. This allowed the researcher to develop an understanding of the meaning that the participants gave to their life experiences. A total of four families consisting of one adolescent and two parents each was purposefully selected and obtained with the assistance of a medical practitioner specialising in pulmonary disease in Bloemfontein. The adolescents had to be between the ages of 14 and 18, formally diagnosed with asthma by a medical practitioner and currently be taking medication prescribed by the relevant practitioner. In addition they had to be living with both of their biological parents in the same household. The qualitative data were gathered in the form of individual reflective journals, semistructured group interviews and unstructured individual interviews. The researcher‟s objective was to understand and interpret the meanings the participants gave to their own experiences, which were further done through field notes, member checking, and drawings participants made in the reflective journals. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the journal entries and transcribe data into meaningful information. The drawings made in the journals were analysed with the assistance of participants, thus a shared analysis. The Constant Comparative method was used to identify themes related to the research question from the researcher‟s field notes. The principles and strategies for ensuring the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallisation. The findings of the study revealed that adolescents and their parents experienced mixed emotions in terms of asthma and the impact asthma had on their relationships. The adolescents‟ and parents‟ beliefs concerning the topics of the research were often contradictory. It was evident that they experience specific and often contrasting roles and responsibilities regarding the management of asthma in the parent-adolescent relationship, and most families had to make significant adjustments in their family lifestyle and relationships as a result of the adolescents‟ asthma. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study focuses on the experiences of the relationship between adolescents with asthma and their parents. Even though asthma has been described as the most common chronic illness in adolescence, very little research has been undertaken on the combined impact of asthma on the parent-adolescent relationship. The goal of this study was to explore and describe how adolescents with asthma and their parents experience their relationships with each other. The research was conducted from a qualitative research approach and followed a case study design. This allowed the researcher to develop an understanding of the meaning that the participants gave to their life experiences. A total of four families consisting of one adolescent and two parents each was purposefully selected and obtained with the assistance of a medical practitioner specialising in pulmonary disease in Bloemfontein. The adolescents had to be between the ages of 14 and 18, formally diagnosed with asthma by a medical practitioner and currently be taking medication prescribed by the relevant practitioner. In addition they had to be living with both of their biological parents in the same household. The qualitative data were gathered in the form of individual reflective journals, semistructured group interviews and unstructured individual interviews. The researcher‟s objective was to understand and interpret the meanings the participants gave to their own experiences, which were further done through field notes, member checking, and drawings participants made in the reflective journals. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the journal entries and transcribe data into meaningful information. The drawings made in the journals were analysed with the assistance of participants, thus a shared analysis. The Constant Comparative method was used to identify themes related to the research question from the researcher‟s field notes. The principles and strategies for ensuring the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallisation. The findings of the study revealed that adolescents and their parents experienced mixed emotions in terms of asthma and the impact asthma had on their relationships. The adolescents‟ and parents‟ beliefs concerning the topics of the research were often contradictory. It was evident that they experience specific and often contrasting roles and responsibilities regarding the management of asthma in the parent-adolescent relationship, and most families had to make significant adjustments in their family lifestyle and relationships as a result of the adolescents‟ asthma. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (M.Tech.: Homoeopathy)-Dept. of Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005 xxvii, 153 p. / Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remains a medically unexplained syndrome, with differing aetiological models, case definitions and treatment recommendations (Ranjith, 2005:13). Sharpe & Wessely (1997:179) state that the current case definition for CFS has assumed acceptance as representing nothing more than a working definition of a clinical problem, pending further understanding. CFS has subsequently become the focus of much research and debate (Wessely, Hotopf & Sharpe, 1999:13). Notwithstanding, the definition in terms of diagnostic criteria is adequate in meeting the needs of research studies (Rutherford, 2003). Anecdotal reports, espousing the effectiveness of homoeopathic treatment of CFS, points to the use of the similimum. (Bailey, 1995:189; De Schepper, 2001:6-7; Hardy, 2005:8-10). However, the limited research available on the subject suggests that more research needs to be conducted in this regard (Wessely, Hotopf & Sharpe, 1999:371; Walach, 2004:210-211). This double-blind placebo-controlled study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of homoeopathic similimum treatment in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Nurses are at increased risk for job burnout, which can lead to psychological and physical problems, decreased quality of care, and premature exit from the profession. Studies have found common predictors of burnout in multiple service occupations, but there are important differences across settings. The current study used embedded mixed-method analyses to explore burnout in a sample of nurses that work with patients with chronic abdominal pain. Thirty-two nurses participated in focus groups and data analyses revealed the following six themes: negative pain beliefs, barriers to effective pain management, nurse empathy/compassion, moral distress, coping methods, and burnout. These themes were evaluated with proposed theoretical frameworks and the extant literature to build the Pediatric Chronic Pain Nurse Burnout model. The constructs in this model were then evaluated quantitatively via measures completed by 41 nurses. Analyses provided partial support for the model and highlighted areas for further evaluation of burnout in nursing.