Bakgrund: Valet av daglig verksamhet som undersökningsområde gjordes då vi ville undersöka hur personer med funktionsnedsättning upplever sin arbetssituation. Empowerment som perspektiv kändes passande i studien då många av de teoretiska begrepp vi ville använda oss av förekommer inom empowerment. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån ett empowermentperspektiv beskriva och analysera hur deltagare upplever och skapar mening inom daglig verksamhet. Metod: Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär med semistrukturerade intervjuer där empirin grundar sig på fem transkriberade intervjuer. De personer som intervjuats har valts ut utifrån två kriterier, att de kunde uttrycka sig muntligt samt beviljats och arbetar inom daglig verksamhet enligt LSS (1993:387). För att få svar på våra intervjufrågor utarbetades en intervjuguide. Empirin analyserades utifrån studiens tre teoretiska begrepp tillhörighet, meningsfullhet och makt. Intervjuanalys med fokus på meningen har används som omfattar meningskodning. Resultat: Resultatet visar att samtliga deltagare trivs med sin arbetssituation, genom att dem uttrycker att det är viktigt för dem att ha något att göra om dagarna samt att samspela med andra. Fortsättningsvis visar resultatet på att deltagarna upplever acceptans på sitt arbete, men de upplever inte att deras arbete är accepterat i samhället. Det framkommer i resultatet att maktrelationen mellan personalen och deltagarna är relativt likställd men att deltagarna är medvetna om att personalen har största ansvaret och har på så sätt makten. / Background: The choice of daily activities as a study area was made because we wanted to investigate how people with disabilities experience their work situation. An empowerment perspective seemed appropriate in this study because many of the theoretical concepts we wanted to use occurs within empowerment. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze how participants experience and create meaning in daily activities based on an empowerment perspective. Method: The study is of a qualitative nature with semi-structured interviews where the empiricism is based on five transcribed interviews. The persons interviewed have been selected on the basic of two criteria, that they could express themselves verbally and that they was granted and worked within daily activity according to LSS (1993:387). To get our interview questions answered an interview guide was composed. The empiricism was analyzed on the basis of the studies three theories belonging, meaningfulness and power. Interview analysis with focus on sentences has been used that includes sentence coding. Result: The result shows that all participants are content with their work situation, they express that it is important for them to have something to occupy their day and to interact with others, but they don't experience that their work is accepted in society. It is made clear from the result of the study that the power relation between the staff and participants are relatively equal but that the participants are conscious of the fact that the staff has the greater responsibility and in that way also the greater power.

Despite pharmacological advances, exercise remains a cost effective preventative for cardiovascular disease (CVD) by acutely and chronically lowering systolic blood pressure (SBP). Although numerous studies have investigated aerobic and resistance training’s role in eliciting an acute SBP response termed post-exercise hypotension (PEH), few researchers have investigated how performing both cardiovascular and weight training in a single session (concurrent training) or how different prescriptions for order of exercise modality will elicit this PEH response; no known studies have attempted altering the order of exercise types within each session. This study seeks to determine if the order of exercise type will affect a PEH response following concurrent exercise. Participants (n=13), considered low risk for cardiovascular disease participated in a control session, graded exercise test (GXT) and two concurrent sessions, with concurrent sessions counterbalanced for order of exercise mode. Recovery SBP was analyzed in the laboratory for sixty minutes and for twenty-four hours thereafter using an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. All exercise conditions elicited a depression in SBP; however, only the cardiovascular-weight training (CVWT) concurrent session elicited PEH (p = 0.05). However, there were no differences in SBP attenuation between conditions. There was no main effect for PEH between conditions during twenty-four hour assessment. With no statistically significant differences in the magnitude of PEH twenty-four hours after exercise, it may be determined that the order of exercise does not vi affect the preventative attributes of aerobic and resistance exercise in regards to acute SBP response. Furthermore, only exercise involving resistance training (CVWT) provoked PEH during the first 60 minutes; therefore it may be argued that individuals should pair cardiovascular exercise with weight training in order to elicit the greatest cardiovascular benefits. Future studies should consider evaluating the effect of time of day and PEH following concurrent exercise to determine if pairing exercise modalities will at different times will affect the blood pressure response.

Backgrund: Staphylococcus aureus förmåga till resistensutveckling mot antibiotika utgör ett globalt problem, samtidigt är andelen patienter med MRSA i Sverige relativt få i jämförelse mot andra länder i Europa och världen. Tidigare forskning har visat att sjukvårdspersonal som vårdar patienter med MRSA beskrivit att de varit obekväma i mötet med dessa patienter. Det har även framkommit att sjukvårdspersonal uppvisat brister i tillämpandet av gällande riktlinjer och rutiner i vården av patienter med MRSA. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka individers upplevelser av att vara bärare av MRSA. Metod: Arbetet har utformats inom ramar för en litteraturöversikt. Tio artiklar inkluderades i litteraturöversiktens resultat hämtade från databasen CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Resultat: I litteraturöversiktens resultat framkom att individer med MRSA upplevde att bemötandet från vårdpersonal varit ovärdigt samt att vårdpersonal uppvisat ett avståndstagande i kontakten med individerna.  Individer med MRSA kände sig ovälkomna och oönskade inom sjukvården. Vidare framkom att individer med MRSA förknippade sitt bärarskap med negativa känslor. Diskussion: Resultatet diskuterades utifrån Travelbees teori om mellanmänskliga relationer samt relaterades till annan vetenskaplig litteratur. Individer smittade med MRSA bör kunna för­vänta sig ett respektfullt bemötande samt att sjukvården ska vara en plats fri från fördomar gentemot smittan. Sjuksköterskan ska se till det friska hos individen, vilket innebär att individer med MRSA i be­mötandet från vårdpersonal inte ska likställas med sin diagnos. / Background: Staphylococcus aureus ability to develop a resistance towards antibiotics constitutes a global issue. The numbers of individuals suffering from MRSA in Sweden are relatively few in comparison to other European countries or even the world. Previous research has shown that caregivers describe a feeling of being uncomfortable in the contact with patients carrying MRSA and experienced insufficiency regarding usage of routines and guidelines. Aim: The aim was to investigate the experiences of being a MRSA carrier. Method: The work has been developed within the framework of a literature overview. Ten articles were included in the literature overview results, all of which were retrieved from the CINAHL database Plus with Full Text. Results: In the literature overview it was shown that individuals struggling with MRSA had experienced undignified treatment from health care providers, and those caregivers, at times, had demonstrated unwillingness towards any contact with the individuals. Individuals with MRSA also felt unwelcome and unwanted by healthcare providers. It was also found that individuals with MRSA carrier status associated their illness with negative emotions. Discussions: The results were discussed on the basis Travelbees human-to-human theory of interpersonal relationships and in relation to other scientific literature. Healthcare should be a place free from violations and all individuals infected with MRSA should be able to expect a respectful treatment and that healthcare should be a place free from prejudices. The nurse should focus on the healthy parts of the individual, which means that an individual with MRSA is not to be equated with the diagnosis in their contact with healthcare providers.

This thesis tests for seasonal anornalies and daily predictability on the UK stock market and investigates how mispricing caused by the bid-ask spread, known as the 'touch' and nonsynchronous trading in portfolio returns may explain these anomalies. By using constructed portfolios within a th-ne-series regression framework, I show that seasonality, in the first instance, is prominent in returns around the turn of the week and the turn of the year. However, this seasonal returns behaviour disappears when the touch is accounted for. Indeed, seasonality seerns to occur in the touch rather than returns. Despite this touch explanation, lagged returns remain significant, suggesting return predictability. In fact, when using a price adjustment model returns are predictable across portfolios. This predictability, while to some extent dependent upon firm size and the touch, may be accounted for by nonsynchronous trading. First-order autocorrelation and cross-autocorrelation found in returns proves more indicative of infrequent trading than return predictability. Thus, these results confirm that mismeasurernent in portfolio returns caused by market microstructure and nonsynchronous trading can create false inferences about the extent of stock market anornalies in the UK and subsequently, market efficiency.

This thesis investigates the pricing relationship between the FTSE 100 Stock Index and the FTSE 100 Stock Index futures market. We develop and apply a framework in which it is possible to evaluate whether or not markets can be said to function effectively and efficiently. The framework is applied to both the daily and intra-daily pricing relationship between the aforementioned markets. In order to analyse the pricing relationship within days, we develop a new method to remove the effects of nonsynchronous trading from the FTSE 100 Index. We find that on a daily basis the markets generally function effectively, although this does not carryover to the intra-daily pricing relationship. This is especially true during the October 1987 stock market crash, where it is argued that a possible cause of the breakdown lies with the stock market. If this is the case, then any regulation should be aimed at the stock market, not the stock index futures market.

Bakgrund: Multipel skleros (MS) är en vanlig neurologisk autoimmun sjukdom hos kvinnor i Nordamerika och Europa. I Sverige har cirka 18 000 människor MS. Sjukdomen är obotlig och kan påverka personens livskvalité. Syfte: Att beskriva vuxna kvinnors upplevelser av att leva med MS. Metod: En litteraturöversikt baserat på 12 kvalitativa artiklar. Resultat: MS påverkar personernas fysiska, psykiska och sociala välbefinnande. Negativa och positiva upplevelser förekom hos kvinnorna. Symtom påverkar personernas fysiska förmåga att utföra dagliga uppgifter. Jaget och identiteten utmanas samt olika känslor förekommer vid MS. Det sociala livet påverkas negativt då kontakter och aktiviteter reduceras. Slutsats: Resultatet ger sjuksköterskor en ökad förståelse och kunskap om hur personerna med MS upplever sin sjukdom och därmed kan sjuksköterskor lättare bemöta personerna i omvårdnaden. / Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common neurological autoimmune disease in women in North America and Europe. There are approximately 18 000 people with MS in Sweden. The disease is incurable and may affect the person's quality of life. Aim: Is to de-scribe adult women's experiences of living with MS. Method: A literature review based on 12 qualitative articles. Results: MS influences a person’s physical, mental and social well-being. Negative and positive experiences occurred in women. Symptoms affect people’s physical ability to perform daily tasks. The identities are challenged and different emotions occur in people with MS. The social life is negatively affected as contacts and activities are reduced. Conclusion: The results give registered nurses a greater understanding and a wider knowledge of how people with MS experience their illness therefore giving registered nurses an easier way of responding to people with MS.

For many it is a problem not to be able to read the daily newspaper. Compilations of a week’s newspaper articles are a compromise. Computer owners do not need to compromise as they can read their daily on their pc. But what if you don’t have a pc? For non- pc-owners the ORIONWebbox can be a godsend. The ORIONWebbox is a simple device that can easily navigate through a daily newspaper supporting the DAISY protocol and making use of TTS. In Finland and Belgium we have access to daily newspapers. Explanation of management of content per user follows.

The overall aim of this thesis was to study the daily process of coping, potential prognostic factors for recovery and evaluating an individually tailored behavioural medicine intervention in the acute stage of Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD). The studies comprised three samples of patients with acute Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD). All patients were included within the first month after the whiplash occurrence and were recruited from hospital emergency wards in six Swedish communities. Study I and II included 51 participants generating 260 daily coping diaries (WAD-DCA) during seven days in the acute stage of WAD. In Study I daily stressors and primary appraisal were analysed and in Study II patterns between stressors, appraisals, coping strategy profiles, daily activity level and well-being were described. The results showed a large variety of situations that the individuals perceive as stressful, not only pain itself. High self-efficacy was associated with high degree of physical/mental well-being. Threatening stressors and catastrophic thoughts were associated with low degree of physical and mental well-being. In Study III potential prognostic factors for good as well as poor recovery were studied more closely in a mildly affected sample (MIAS) (n=98) from within the first month after the accident up to one year later. Pain-related disability at baseline emerged as the only indicator of prognosis after 12 months in MIAS. Study IV (n=55) was a randomised control study, were current clinical recommendations of standard self-care instructions (SC) for the management of acute WAD was compared to an individually tailored behavioural medicine intervention delivered via Internet or face-to-face. The results showed that SC was not as effective as the behavioural medicine intervention. By early identification of situation-specific factors and potential behavioural (physical, cognitive and affective) determinants of activity performance, it seems possible to tailor a self-management intervention that decreases pain-related disability, fear of movement and catastrophising and increases self-efficacy. The use of innovative methods such as the Internet of distributing treatment interventions showed to be a good alternative to more traditional forms. The results of this thesis uncover new insights in understanding the individual’s specific perspective as applied in a behavioural medicine approach in acute WAD.

An aging population is one common challenge faced by many developed countries including Australia. The Australian government has realised that the existing healthcare system must be improved to provide better support longer-term for the healthcare needs of this population. This research examines one such opportunity by suggesting a reform on how the care needs of residents living in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACF) are assessed. A recent study has shown that the current assessment system, known as the Residential Classification Scale (RCS), is subjected to high administrative procedural overhead costs and significant deviations in assessment results. This thesis documents a technical feasibility study of a novel method aimed to solve issues related to the time demands and subjectivity of the RCS through the design and implementation of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). This WSN is engineered to unobtrusively collect data from wireless sensor nodes either embedded in the RACF environment or attached to the resident??s body. The collected data can be potentially used to provide automatic and accurate care level assessments for the resident. The methodology of preparing and conducting the experiments to prove the hypotheses is justified and described, including the experimental instruments and procedures involved. The results show that this WSN surpasses similar research systems in terms of its application scale, the number and types of sensor nodes involved and the complexity of its hardware and firmware architectures. The major contributions of this thesis are: ?? The WSN developed satisfies certain technical requirements to be declared fit for use in a mock Australian RACF. ?? The WSN provides high sensor detection accuracies (between 88% and 100%), superior location tracking capability (94.75%) and activities of daily living inference capability over similar studies. Opportunities for further improvements of this WSN include: ?? Fine tuning the detection accuracy of Passive Infra-red (PIR) motion sensors. ?? Minimising the down time of the sensor nodes due to firmware memory leak. ?? An extra location tracking mechanism to improve location accuracy determination.

An aging population is one common challenge faced by many developed countries including Australia. The Australian government has realised that the existing healthcare system must be improved to provide better support longer-term for the healthcare needs of this population. This research examines one such opportunity by suggesting a reform on how the care needs of residents living in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACF) are assessed. A recent study has shown that the current assessment system, known as the Residential Classification Scale (RCS), is subjected to high administrative procedural overhead costs and significant deviations in assessment results. This thesis documents a technical feasibility study of a novel method aimed to solve issues related to the time demands and subjectivity of the RCS through the design and implementation of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). This WSN is engineered to unobtrusively collect data from wireless sensor nodes either embedded in the RACF environment or attached to the resident??s body. The collected data can be potentially used to provide automatic and accurate care level assessments for the resident. The methodology of preparing and conducting the experiments to prove the hypotheses is justified and described, including the experimental instruments and procedures involved. The results show that this WSN surpasses similar research systems in terms of its application scale, the number and types of sensor nodes involved and the complexity of its hardware and firmware architectures. The major contributions of this thesis are: ?? The WSN developed satisfies certain technical requirements to be declared fit for use in a mock Australian RACF. ?? The WSN provides high sensor detection accuracies (between 88% and 100%), superior location tracking capability (94.75%) and activities of daily living inference capability over similar studies. Opportunities for further improvements of this WSN include: ?? Fine tuning the detection accuracy of Passive Infra-red (PIR) motion sensors. ?? Minimising the down time of the sensor nodes due to firmware memory leak. ?? An extra location tracking mechanism to improve location accuracy determination.