published_or_final_version / abstract / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Biological Sciences / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Pharmacology / Master / Master of Philosophy

The prevalence of herbal supplement use by the elderly and factors that influence regular versus occasional use were investigated in a group of independent residents of a continuing care retirement community in Salem, Oregon. A nine-page questionnaire was delivered to 402 residents of Capital Manor; 318 questionnaires were usable (84% response rate). The majority of respondents were female (68%) and Caucasian (88%) with an age range of 65 to 100 (average 82.2 years). Twenty percent of all respondents (n=65) were herbal supplement users. Sixty-two percent of them were regular users and 39% were occasional users. The majority of users were female (68%), Caucasian (85%), and non-smokers (78%). Their age range was 65 to 91 years (mean of 79.6 years). Sixty-nine percent reported living with a spouse. They had more than a high school education (78%) and had annual household incomes above $50,000 (49%). "Books, newspapers, and magazines" (84%) were the information sources most frequently relied on for herbal supplement information, followed by "medical doctor/nurse" (72%). Forty-four percent of user households spent more than $10 per month on herbal supplements. Supermarkets (41%) and health food stores (41%) were the most popular places to purchase herbal supplements. The majority of herbal supplement users strongly agreed/agreed that taking herbal supplements would "make you feel less stress" (88%), "protect you from getting a cold" (81%), and "improve your memory" (81%). Fifty-two percent of users strongly agreed/agreed that "herbal supplements may cause side effects" and 24% strongly agreed/agreed that "herbal supplement shouldn't be taken with other medications". Gingko biloba was the most frequently used of eight herbal supplements (71% of respondents) followed by echinacea (39%) and ginseng (29%). Males were significantly more likely to use saw palmetto (claimed to prevent enlargement of the prostate gland). Eighty-three percent of herbal supplement users reported having some knowledge about possible benefits of ginkgo biloba (claimed to reduce memory loss). A belief that herbal supplements "improve your memory" was significantly associated with usage. Regular herbal supplement users were significantly more likely to agree that taking herbal supplements reduces severity of memory loss. Four factors were significantly related to herbal supplement use: age group (with age group of 75 to 84 years old more likely to be users than age groups of 65 to 74 years and age group of 85 years and over); living status (with those living with spouses being more likely to be users than those living alone), health status changes in the past year (with users being more likely to report their health status as "improved" than non-users); and physical exercise participation (with users being more likely to exercise than nonusers). The fundamental hypothesis of this study was that the frequency of use of herbal supplements among older adults would be mediated by several factors including: perceived susceptibility to and severity of chronic diseases (i.e., heart disease and cancer); perceived benefits of and barriers to herbal supplement usage; information sources; vitamin/mineral supplement usage; and perceived preventive lifestyle factors. Of these, only vitamin/mineral supplement usage was significantly associated with herbal supplement usage. Ninety-seven percent of herbal supplement users also used vitamin/mineral supplements. In addition, perception of control over health (a measure of self-efficacy) was significantly associated with herbal supplement use. The more control perceived, the more likely respondents were to be herbal supplement users. In general, the Health Belief Model did not predict frequency of herbal supplement usage (i.e., regular vs. occasional). Hence, further research is needed to focus on factors predicting herbal supplement use versus non-use. In addition, lack of awareness about risks and benefits of herbal supplement use suggests a need for education targeted at older adults. / Graduation date: 2001

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Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, Durban, 1998. / The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of adjustments versus the use of ultrasound in the treatment of mechanical neck pain. It was hypothesized that treatment with adjustments over a four week period, with a further four week follow-up period, would be more effective than ultrasound in terms of improving patients' cervical ranges of motion and their perceptions of pain and disability. Thirty consecutive patients suffering from mechanical neck pain were randomly assigned to either the adjustment or ultrasound groups. An experimental design was employed, whereby both groups received treatment twice a week for four weeks. After a follow-up period of a month, the patients were re-assessed. Measurements of the cervical spine ranges of motion with the CROM goniometer, algometer readings, and the completion of the Numerical Pain Rating Scale-101, CMCC Neck Disability Index and the Short Form McGill Pain questionnaires were performed before the first, fourth and final treatments as well as at the one month follow-up consultation. The data were then transferred to spreadsheets and underwent statistical analyses, using a 95 % confidence level. Analyses within each group were performed, using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test and various readings were compared. The reading taken before the first treatment was compared to the reading taken before the final treatment. The initial reading was then again compared with the reading taken at the one month follow-up consultation. Comparison of the results of both treatment groups was statistically evaluated, using the Mann-Whitney U-Test. The comparison was made using the readings of the first, fourth and final treatments, as well as the one month follow-up consultation. This was done for all measurement parameters. / M

分娩痛是一種生理性的疼痛，分娩過程中劇烈疼痛痛苦難以忍受，同時使產婦焦慮、緊張和恐懼，致使產婦血中兒茶酚胺、腎上腺皮質激素增高，導致血壓升高，心臟負荷加重﹔產婦由於疼痛呼喊、過度換氣、耗氧量增加，可導致呼吸性堿中毒，從而影響胎盤血供，導致母兒出現低氧血症。隨著產程進展、疼痛加劇，產婦血壓升高、呼吸頻率增快，過度耗氧，引起胎兒宮內窘迫，種種危險和痛苦導致剖宮產率逐年上升，加之藥物麻醉對產婦和胎兒都可以產生一定的不良反應。因此，合理地運用適當的疼痛緩解措施，可以使疼痛應激反應減輕甚至消失，提 高圍產期品質，分娩鎮痛日益受到重視。 研究目的 研究希望通過對現有關於通過穴位進行分娩鎮痛的臨床研究類文獻搜集、整理、分析，從而對通過穴位分娩鎮痛的常用方法、常用穴位、有效率等等方面做一個較為全面的展示，並對當前通過穴位分娩鎮痛的臨床研究的現狀和可能存在的問題進行探討。 方法 以中國期刊全文資料庫進行標準檢索，檢索選項為“主題”，檢索詞為“針刺”or“穴位”並包含“分娩鎮痛”or“分娩痛”，時間年限設定為2004年－2014 年。按納入排除標準進一步篩選文獻。 小結 就通過穴位分婉鎮痛的常用方法、常用穴位、有效率、產程變化、產後出血量等等方面進行文獻研究總結後，發現近年來通過穴位分娩鎮痛的臨床實驗文獻逐漸增多，初步證明穴位分娩鎮痛安全有效，但目前可搜到的臨床文獻存在臨床研究方式較為單一、選穴單一、結論標準不統一、隨機對照試驗設計不嚴謹等等問題，提示我們進行進一步研究。 關鍵字：分娩鎮痛﹔針刺鎮痛﹔ 穴位鎮痛﹔ 分娩痛﹔