The aim of this research was to implement and evaluate guidelines that will be used by treatment support counsellors in an attempt to increase client adherence to antiretroviral treatment.

The treatment of schizophrenia today consists of a multi-component system of services. Mental health professionals generally agree that anti-psychotic medications are an essential treatment for schizophrenia. However, adherence to medication regimens by patients with schizophrenia is notoriously poor. To identify correlates and predictors of medication compliance, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS), a semi-structured diagnostic interview, was administered to 90 outpatients with schizophrenia. The results suggest that there are specific variables (i.e., mood symptoms, psychotic symptoms, and socio-demographic variables) that predict medication compliance. In addition, the confirmation of these variables was effective (90.0%) at identifying non-compliant patients. The results suggest that schizophrenia is a complex disorder composed of heterogeneous symptoms. However, a specific group of symptoms is proposed which may provide a screening measure for predicting patients who are likely to be non-compliant with their medications.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine in Family Medicine. / Introduction South Africa has more people living with HIV than any other country in the world.1 Women infected with HIV have a high risk in the development of cervical dysplasia and cancer of the cervix more so than women who are not infected.2,3 Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out by reviewing cervical smears of HIV positive women in a district hospital. Three hundred and ninety cervical Pap smears were classified according to the Bethesda system. Adherence was measured by the patient’s report and viral load. Data was collected through the use of self administered questionaire and data capture sheet. Results The prevalence of abnormal Pap smears was 57 per cent and LSIL was the commonest abnormality seen (142/390, 36%). Eighty-four per cent (328/390) had stage 1 WHO-HIV classification. WHO stage 3 participants seemed to be three times more likely to have abnormal Pap smears than those with WHO stage 1 (OD 3.3, STD. error 1.70, p=0.018, 95% CI 1.23-9.04). Abnormal pap smears were seen more in participants with CD4 cell count ≤ 350 cells/μL as compared to participants with CD4 cell count ≥ 500 cells/μL { 122/172, (71.00 %) vs 48/117, (41.03%), p-0.000, 95% CI : 0.09-0.37}. Similarly, participants who did not use HAART had more abnormal results as compared to those who used HAART {42/60(70.00%) vs 180/330 (55.00%), p-0.028, 95% CI 0.28-0.93}.Adherence to HAART did not show any link with abnormal smears. Conclusion The more immune-suppressed a woman is, the higher the risk of developing cervical cancer precursors. The high risk group in this study was found to be the participants with the CD4 cell count of ≤ 350 cells/μL and the viral load ≥1000 copies/mm3. The self-reported adherence level did not show any impact.

Bariatric surgery has emerged as the most effective method for producing substantial long-term weight loss and inducing remission or reducing severity of many comorbidities for individuals with severe obesity. However, maintaining these successes from surgery requires that individuals combine the surgical intervention with numerous behavioral changes including dietary, physical activity, and lifestyle behaviors. Despite the positive weight and health outcomes associated with bariatric surgery, a proportion of the population experiences insufficient weight loss or weight regain, which may depend on the individual’s adherence to the bariatric behavioral recommendations. Few studies have investigated specific bariatric behaviors and whether they are impactful on weight outcomes. The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the extent to which constructs of the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predicted six bariatric behaviors: (a) eating protein at the start of a meal, (b) eating three to five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, (c) avoiding sweet foods, (d) avoiding salty snack foods, (e) avoiding sugar sweetened beverages, and (f) exercising for 30 minutes daily at moderate to vigorous intensity; (2) to evaluate the relationship of the aforementioned behaviors with excess weight loss outcomes; and (3) to explore the facilitators and barriers successful bariatric patients identify as factors that influence their adherence to bariatric dietary and exercise behaviors. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was used to address the purpose of this study. The first component consisted of collecting quantitative data from bariatric patients between 6-24 months post-operative while the second was completed by collecting qualitative data from participants, who based on certain criteria, were considered to be successful one year or more after their bariatric surgeries. Quantitative component: A cross sectional design examined a convenience sample of 136 mainly female (89.7%) and Hispanic (72.1%) bariatric patients that underwent either a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy in one ethnically diverse New York City hospital. Instruments for this study were developed based on previous research and translated into Spanish. Reliability estimates and content validity were assessed with a sample similar to that used in the study for both the English and Spanish instruments. The variables found in the extended TPB were assessed through instrument items that measure intention, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, anticipated behavioral outcomes, normative beliefs, control beliefs, and the additional constructs of anticipated emotions and self-identity in relation to the six bariatric behaviors. Adherence to bariatric behaviors was measured by a frequency instrument. Pre- and post-operative weight measures were obtained from participants’ electronic medical records. Multiple regressions were used to establish the predictors for each behavior. For each behavior, attitudes towards the behavior contributed to the model for predicting behavioral intention. On the other hand, subjective norms were not found to be predictive for all behaviors with the exception of avoiding sweet foods. Behavioral intention for all behaviors was low and mainly non-significant, suggesting other constructs may be involved in order to adhere to the behavior. The level of adherence to these six behaviors remained consistent over the 6 to 24 post-operative months. To note, participants were not adherent to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity recommendations. Qualitative component: A purposeful sample of 11 bariatric patients that were considered successful based on study criteria participated in in-depth, semi-structured, individual interviews using a questionnaire developed from the main theoretical constructs of the TPB. In an effort to increase the understanding of the facilitators of and barriers to adherence, the addition of constructs found in the Health Action Process Approach framework were used to identitfy emerging themes. Content analysis of audio recording revealed (a) outcome expectations, (b) nutrition knowledge and skills, (c) social support, (d) attitudes towards adherence, (e) perceived behavioral control, (f) coping and planning strategies, and (g) recovery self-efficacy as major themes that influenced participants’ behaviors. A main facilitator to adhere to bariatric recommendations was outcome expectation, as post-operative patients saw the improvements in their health and quality of life following the bariatric surgery intervention as motivators to continue following recommendations and therefore preserve positive outcomes. At the same time, many participants stated difficulty in adhering to the recommendation of exercising at a moderate or vigorous intensity for 30 minutes on a daily basis. Conclusion: Using a behavioral change theory provides a valuable framework for explaining adherence to healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors for bariatric patients. Nutrition education and behavioral interventions should focus on improving adherence to the recommendations of consuming fruits and vegetable and exercising daily, aiming to enhance attitudes towards these post bariatric surgery behaviors and addressing barriers to physical activity.

Thesis (MCur. (Faculty of Health Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Adaptation to role transitions can have various outcomes. Health and demographic characteristics as well as environmental control have been shown to affect the transition to the role of patient. The acutely ill elderly's adaptation to the role of hospitalized patient has not been measured from the elderly patient's perspective. This study utilized a random sample of 176 hospitalized elderly medical-surgical patients and the patients' registered nurses to examine the relationships among demographic and health characteristics, latitude of choice and elderly hospitalized patient adjustment. Patients were excluded who had been in ICU for more than 24 hours, had decreased mental status, or were judged to be too physically ill to participate. The study used an adaptation of the Latitude of Choice Scale (a measure of environmental control) developed by Hulicka and colleagues, a nurse-rated hospitalized patient adjustment scale developed by Cicirelli, and an adaptation of the adjustment scale for patients' self-assessment. Results from a series of multiple regression analyses indicate that, taken as a group, neither demographic nor health characteristics predict environmental control, as measured by the adapted version of the Latitude of Choice Scale (LOC). However, one individual health characteristic, length of time since last hospitalization, was a negative predictor of LOC. Further, the results indicate that taken as a group, health and demographic characteristics, along with patient LOC scores are not predictive of either nurse or patient-rated adaptation. The individual health characteristic "patient acuity rating" did negatively predict both nurse and patient-rated adjustment scores. Nurse-rated patient adjustment scores were also negatively predicted by the participants' prior number of hospitalizations. A paired-t test indicated that patients rated themselves significantly better adjusted than did their nurses. This finding was judged to be clinically unimportant because of the small real difference in the mean scores. Random-effects ANOVA found no significant variance between nurses' ratings of patients. / Graduation date: 1991

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 240-252). Also available on the Internet.

Background: With the increasing incidence in stroke and the resultant high prevalence of residual disability resources are not adequately meeting the needs of the patients. Furthermore patients continue to express dissatisfaction with their care. New interventions are being developed and evaluated. However, when offered these new interventions, patients may refuse or not participate fully. A stroke workbook intervention was developed through a line of research examining the role of perceived control in recovery. During the randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating its efficacy patients failed to fully participate in the activities proposed in the workbook. Why, when there is such a dearth of treatment available, do stroke patients not fully participate in or adhere to the interventions offered? Methods: Three studies were conducted, a predictive study using the intervention group of the RCT exploring the demographic, clinical and psychological factors predicting adherence; a predictive study using one of the intervention groups from a larger 2x2 RCT to examine the predictors of adherence to an easier intervention (video); and a third longitudinal study examining the efficacy of an even simpler intervention (letter) on increasing adherence to the video. The theoretical framework of Leventhal's Self Regulation Model was used to develop the letter intervention and to explain the findings. Results: Five types of adherence behaviours emerged from the three studies, all with their own difficulties of definition, measurement and their individual predictor variables. Gender, impairment and illness representations were all predictive of adherence. An easier intervention promoted adherence especially for men and the more impaired. Women appeared to adhere more readily to the complex intervention. These gender differences may be associated with illness representations. A theoretical-based letter does not increase adherence per se but may increase the amount of adherence to an easier intervention. Conclusion: Adherence behaviour is not one type of behaviour and is associated with measurement difficulties. The Self-Regulation model appeared to offer some logical explanations to the findings. The findings have clinical implications and could possibly be associated with patients' satisfaction with care.

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

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