Thesis (M Med.(Family Medicine & PHC))-- University of Limpopo, 2009. / A study on reasons why hypertensive patients seen at Natalspruit Hospital consult traditional healers whilst taking treatment from the hospital. Aim: To understand reasons given by patients receiving treatment for hypertension at Natalspruit Hospital for concurrently using traditional medicine. Design: Explorative descriptive qualitative study. Setting: Natalspruit Hospital, Gauteng – South Africa. Study population: All patients attending the researcher‟s practice suffering from hypertension and also consulted traditional healers. Results: The results of this study originated from the data collected from different interviews and their interpretations by the researcher. The respondents answered freely to the research question during a face to face conversation which was recorded with the purpose of exploring the topic in details. A certain number of information was obtained on why hypertensive patients despite their treatment from the researcher‟s practice were seeking help from the traditional healers. Number of answers derived from all respondents on the reasons why they combine the two types of medicine for their hypertension. This study focused on the ways the respondents felt about the service from the hospital/clinic, from the traditional healers and mainly on the reasons given by them when seeking help from traditional healers. Nine respondents were our group which was interviewed. The group consisted primarily of females than males, most of them were unemployed. Recommendations: Based on the results found, recommendations are that traditional medicine should be encouraged, especially in rural areas as it contributes substantially to primary health care. The government should primarily be using its resources in encouraging traditional healers to become a part of the health care delivery system through workshops involving both health professionals and traditional healers, training of modern doctors in the importance of cultural care and positive attitude towards the traditional healers. The government should consider integrating traditional medicine into the formal health system of the state. There is need to be education of patients on side-effects of anti-hypertensives at the time of dispensing, for instance ACE Inhibitors and the cough, to prevent patients seeking solutions for themselves, including taking traditional medication; education of staff in hospitals/clinics on care of patients to improve their attitudes. There is need for principles of Family Medicine to be taught and implemented in all levels of care. There is need for accessibility of modern medicine in remote areas where hospital facilities should be closer to all. A pilot referral system should be introduced and evaluated. If successful, a full-scale system should be introduced. This will ensure that the traditional healer feels both involved and committed. Traditional healers should come out into the open and be more assertive so that their work becomes transparent and this could further enhance their public image.

Clinical neuropsychologists assess the cognitive functioning of individuals with a wide range of psychiatric and neurological disorders. They provide feedback to patients that include both conclusions about their diagnosis and prognosis, as well as specific recommendations related to improving their everyday functioning. Despite the importance of this part of the assessment, there has been limited research on the types of recommendations that are provided to patients. The study surveyed 309 clinical neuropsychologists who work with adult patients to address this open question. The results from this research can be used to improve the lives of patients and their family members by informing best practices for what recommendations clinical neuropsychologists should give to patients with specific concerns.

<p>The aim of this research project was to assess the accuracy of four different types of VTO&rsquo / s, [Steyn (1979), Jacobson and Sadowsky (1980), Ricketts (1982) and Holdaway (1984)], in predicting the final result of the incisor and soft tissue response to orthodontic treatment in bimaxillary protrusive patients.</p>

This population-based, retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted to study a cohort of decedents who died between January 2004 and December 2005 who were referred to the Regina QuAppelle Palliative Care Services (RQPCS). Demographics, diagnostic information and palliative service utilization were collected and analyzed. <p>The first step of the analysis included interviewing the program director and clinical consultant of the RQPCS. They provided the program vision and philosophy of the RQPCS as well as a comprehensive description of the program, including descriptions of the services offered and the staff of the palliative care team.<p>The second step of the research described in detail the demographics, palliative care service use and diagnostic background of the patients of the RQPCS. The variables of interest were age, gender, marital status, living arrangements, area of residence and diagnosis. Analysis also included determining which services the decedents accessed and how many of the services were used by each decedent. Timing of referrals and location of death were also analyzed. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe categorical variables. Means, median and range were used for continuous variables. <p>The third step of this thesis tested for associations between patient attributes and palliative care services utilization, timing of referral and location of death using chi-square analyses. <p>This research determined each of the patient characteristics under investigation to be associated with palliative care utilization. Similar findings were also evident in the literature. In particular, age, marital status, living arrangements, area of residence and diagnosis appeared to be significantly associated with accessing palliative care services. <p>When analyzing the associations between patient attributes and timing of referrals for the RQPCS, no significant results were found. Previous research indicated strong associations between marital status and diagnosis on the timing of referrals into hospice and palliative care programs.<p>Finally, there were two significant associations found between location of death and patient characteristics (gender and living arrangements). However, no clear conclusion could be reached on whether age, gender, marital status, living arrangement, area of residence or diagnosis had any effect on place of death in previous literature.

The purpose of this study was to identify events that give a sense of control (decisional, behavioral, and cognitive) to clients during hospitalization, and to identify commonalities among patients related to the importance attached to selected hospitalization events and a sense of control. Bandura's social learning theory provided the conceptual framework for the study.A non probability convenience sampling of 45 adult patients hospitalized for the treatment of genitourinary, gastrointestinal, thyroid disease, or cancer of any origin, completed the instruments which measure client control: The Client Control Q Set (CCQS;) and, The Health Opinion Survey (HOS.) A semi-structured interview validated the CCQS and a background data form provided demographic information. Q factor analysis was used to identify factors of client control. The emerging factors were analyzed in relationship to the results of the HOS and patient demographic information. Subjects' human rights were protected.This study was a modified replication of Dennis' (1985) investigation to determine if a sense of control was important to hospitalized patients. The investigation supported Dennis' (1985) findings that cognitive control over diagnostic tests, surgery, treatment and illness care was important to hospitalized patients. Another important dimension of control was identified through behavioral means involving the environment. Health Opinion Survey scores identified a need to be actively involved in the health care process by patients who also desired cognitive control over diagnosis, surgery, and tests. Also, commonalities of occupation, sex, age, and diagnosis emerged among patients who identified a need for cognitive control. Likenesses emerged in nonprofessional females between the age of 21-40 receiving treatment for gastrointestinal disease.The study supported the assumption that patients do desire a senseof control during hospitalization and also supported the need to recognize other patients may not desire a sense of control. It is important to recognize the difference and respond appropriately to individual patients. The study revealed the need for nurses to facilitate a flow of information to patients regarding diagnosis, surgery and impending tests. / School of Nursing

This population-based, retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted to study a cohort of decedents who died between January 2004 and December 2005 who were referred to the Regina QuAppelle Palliative Care Services (RQPCS). Demographics, diagnostic information and palliative service utilization were collected and analyzed. <p>The first step of the analysis included interviewing the program director and clinical consultant of the RQPCS. They provided the program vision and philosophy of the RQPCS as well as a comprehensive description of the program, including descriptions of the services offered and the staff of the palliative care team.<p>The second step of the research described in detail the demographics, palliative care service use and diagnostic background of the patients of the RQPCS. The variables of interest were age, gender, marital status, living arrangements, area of residence and diagnosis. Analysis also included determining which services the decedents accessed and how many of the services were used by each decedent. Timing of referrals and location of death were also analyzed. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe categorical variables. Means, median and range were used for continuous variables. <p>The third step of this thesis tested for associations between patient attributes and palliative care services utilization, timing of referral and location of death using chi-square analyses. <p>This research determined each of the patient characteristics under investigation to be associated with palliative care utilization. Similar findings were also evident in the literature. In particular, age, marital status, living arrangements, area of residence and diagnosis appeared to be significantly associated with accessing palliative care services. <p>When analyzing the associations between patient attributes and timing of referrals for the RQPCS, no significant results were found. Previous research indicated strong associations between marital status and diagnosis on the timing of referrals into hospice and palliative care programs.<p>Finally, there were two significant associations found between location of death and patient characteristics (gender and living arrangements). However, no clear conclusion could be reached on whether age, gender, marital status, living arrangement, area of residence or diagnosis had any effect on place of death in previous literature.

Thesis (M.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2005. / Theses (School of Communication) / Simon Fraser University. Also issued in digital format and available on the World Wide Web.

Reproduction de : Mémoire d'orthophonie : Médecine : Nantes : 2009. / Bibliogr.

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Master / Master of Research in Medicine

published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences