published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

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BACKGROUND:Obesity is an urgent public health problem, yet only a few clinical trials have systematically tested the efficacy of long-term weight-loss maintenance interventions. This randomized clinical trial tested the efficacy of a novel mind and body technique for weight-loss maintenance.METHODS:Participants were obese adults who had completed a six-month behavioral weight-loss program prior to randomization. Those who successfully lost weight were randomized into either an experimental weight-loss maintenance intervention, Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT(R)), or a control intervention comprised of social-support group meetings (SS) led by professional facilitators. TAT combines self-applied light pressure to specific acupressure points accompanied by a prescribed sequence of mental steps. Participants in both maintenance conditions attended eight group sessions over six months of active weight loss maintenance intervention, followed by an additional 6 months of no intervention. The main outcome measure was change in weight from the beginning of the weight loss maintenance intervention to 12 months later. Secondary outcomes were change in depression, stress, insomnia, and quality of life. We used analysis of covariance as the primary analysis method. Missing values were replaced using multiple imputation.RESULTS:Among 285 randomized participants, 79% were female, mean age was 56 (standard deviation (sd) = 11), mean BMI at randomization was 34 (sd = 5), and mean initial weight loss was 9.8 kg (sd = 5). In the primary outcome model, there was no significant difference in weight regain between the two arms (1.72 kg (se 0.85) weight regain for TAT and 2.96 kg (se 0.96) weight regain for SS, p < 0.097) Tests of between- arm differences for secondary outcomes were also not significant. A secondary analysis showed a significant interaction between treatment and initial weight loss (p < .036), with exploratory post hoc tests showing that greater initial weight loss was associated with more weight regain for SS but less weight regain for TAT.CONCLUSIONS:The primary analysis showed no significant difference in weight regain between TAT and SS, while secondary and post hoc analyses indicate direction for future research.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00526565

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / There is research to show that ischaemic compression is very effective in the treatment of myofascial trigger points (MFTP’s). It is less invasive when compared to other treatment methods such as dry needling however; according to Gulick (2010) there is a lack of randomised controlled studies with regard to standard ischaemic compression treatment protocols. This includes the appropriate amount of pressure, duration of compression or frequency of treatment (Gulick, 2010). This study was conducted in order to determine whether ischaemic compression that is applied at pain threshold would have a similar effect when compared to ischaemic compression at pain tolerance in the treatment of active rhomboid major and minor myofascial trigger points, using a hand held algometer. This study was specifically undertaken to provide more information regarding the most effective method of ischaemic compression with regard to the amount of pressure that is most suitable during treatment. The results of this study could potentially improve patient comfort and reduce pain during treatment by showing that treatment at pain threshold may be as effective as conventional ischaemic compression at pain tolerance. It was hypothesized that ischaemic compression applied at pain threshold may have a similar effect as application at pain tolerance by having a positive outcome on the subjective and objective findings in patients with active myofascial trigger points of the rhomboid major and minor muscles. Participants were recruited into the study by word of mouth as well as with the use of advertisements that were placed around the University of Johannesburg Doornfontein campus and clinic. Thirty participants that conformed to the specified limitations and diagnostic criteria were accepted to partake in this study. The participants were then placed in a random and stratified manner into two groups of 15, based on age and gender. Group A received ischaemic compression of the rhomboid major and minor muscles at pain threshold while Group B received ischaemic compression of the same muscles at pain tolerance. Ischaemic compression was administered over a 30 second duration. Each participant received 2 treatments a week for 3 weeks while a 7th and final visit served only for measurement taking.

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, resulting in about 2 million annual visits to the doctor. The purposes of this dissertation were to: 1) describe four theories of traditional Korean medicine; 2) review mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion and develop a conceptual model; 3) review findings from randomized controlled trials that tested the effects of acupressure used for the management of symptoms such nausea, pain, and dyspnea; 4) examine the reliability and validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in heart failure patients with constipation compared to those with gastrointestinal disease; 5) describe how Korean women experienced constipation and how constipation affected the quality of life and the experience of using complementary and alternative medicine for constipation; 6) test the effect of acupressure on constipation and to examine the quality of life and depressive symptoms in cancer patients with constipation. Meridian theory explains that acupressure stimulates meridians, a network of energy pathways in the body to increase the flow of bio-energy. Authors of 48 studies supported that acupressure reduced nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, pain, fatigue, and dyspnea. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to examine the depressive symptoms in cancer patients with constipation, but has not been tested in patients with constipation. Therefore, in this study, the psychometric properties of PHQ-9 were tested in patients with constipation. Cronbach’s alphas for the Patient Health Questionnaire were .89 and the correlation between the PHQ-9 and the BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory) was .81 (p<.01) in 382 heart failure patients with constipation. Ten Korean women reported that living with constipation is a stressful and uncomfortable experience which impacts daily activity, lifestyle, social relationships, and diet. In this pilot study, three out of five patients in the acupressure group reported that acupressure was effective in improving constipation. Cancer patients with less than a four-month history of constipation had less depressive symptoms and higher quality of life compared to patient with more than a four-month history of constipation. In conclusion, acupressure can be a safe and cost effective alternative medicine for constipation.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-55).

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2003. / The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effectiveness of a home programme of ischaemie compression, sustained stretch and a combination of the two, in terms of subjective and objective clinical findings for the treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome. / M

Bakgrund  Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) är utöver smärta bland de vanligaste biverkningarna för patienter som genomgår anestesi i det postoperativa förloppet. Individuella riskfaktorer för PONV anses vara kvinnligt kön följt av tidigare historia av åksjuka, att vara icke-rökare och användning av postoperativa opioider. Förutom ökat vårdlidande och ökat vårdbehov är PONV associerad med ökad risk för aspiration, och försämrad sårläkning och längre sjukhusvistelse. Syfte  Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva vilka effekter som framkommit för de icke- farmakologiska behandlingsmetoderna akupunktur, akupressur och transkutan elektrisk nervstimulering, mot postoperativt illamående och kräkningar hos vuxna. Metod  Systematisk litteraturstudie med beskrivande design valdes för att sammanställa resultat av relevant litteratur från tidigare studier gjorda inom problemområdet. Sökning av vetenskapliga artiklar gjordes i databasen PubMed. Efter urval och kvalitetsgranskning inkluderades 12 studier i resultatet. Granskning av de inkluderade artiklarnas kvalitet genomfördes utifrån rekommendationerna från Joanna Briggs Checklist for Randomized control trails.   Huvudresultat  Flera av de inkluderade studierna visade att de icke-farmakologiska behandlingsmetoderna akupunktur, akupressur och TENS hade signifikanta positiva effekter mot PONV, det första postoperativa dygnet hos framförallt kvinnor under 50 år. Slutsats  Utifrån de vetenskapliga artiklarna som har inkluderats i denna litteraturstudie, har det framkommit att de icke-farmakologiska behandlingsmetoderna akupunktur, akupressur och TENS har positiva effekter mot PONV hos framförallt kvinnor. Studien kan bidra till ökad förståelse för icke-farmakologiska behandlingsmetoder mot PONV. Därför bör icke-farmakologiska behandlingsmetoder betraktas som ett komplement till sedvanlig behandling mot PONV till patienter som genomgår anestesi i det postoperativa

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