PURPOSE: this study was to describe patient learning needs and the relationship between health promoting behavior and health concept with women with disabilities. METHODS: A descriptive survey design was used and the SPSS 11.0 program was used for data analysis, which included t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficients. The women (n=50) were in-patients in a rehabilitation center. RESULTS: The study results indicate that they had high levels of patient learning needs and the most important information for patient learning needs was support and care. Patient learning need was correlated with health promoting behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study give useful information to construct further studies in educational programs and rehabilitation nursing care and to support a healthcare system for women with disabilities.
Delivery of Health Care ; Disabled Persons ; Female ; Health Behavior* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Learning* ; Patient Education as Topic ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Rehabilitation Nursing ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: Epidemiologic evaluation and investigating the causes of visual impairment in any society is a matter of concern and has a direct effect on the country's health care planning. In this study we describe causes of low vision and blindness in Iranian patients referred to rehabilitation clinics for taking vision aids. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, visual acuity was classified based on best-corrected visual acuity in the better eye according to the World Health Organization definition (blindness, visual acuity [VA] < 20 / 400; severe visual impairment, VA < 20 / 200-20 / 400; mild to moderate visual impairment, VA < 20 / 60-20 / 200). The causes of blindness and low vision were determined using the 10th version of International Classification of Diseases based on the main cause in both eyes. To describe data, we used mean +/- SD and frequency. RESULTS: The study included 432 patients, 65% male, with a mean age of 43.6 +/- 25.5 years (range, 3 to 92 years). Mild to moderate visual impairment, severe visual impairment and blindness were present in 122 (28.8%), 196 (46.4%) and 105 (24.8%) of the patients, respectively. The main causes of visual impairment were retinal and choroidal diseases (74.5%), optic nerve and optic tract diseases (9.8%), vitreous and globe disorders (5.3%), congenital cataract (3.1%), and glaucoma (2.6%). The distribution pattern of the causes was similar in all age subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Diseases of the retina and choroid are the main cause of visual impairment among patients referred to an academic visual rehabilitation clinic in Iran.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Audiovisual Aids ; Blindness/*epidemiology/rehabilitation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Choroid Diseases/*epidemiology/rehabilitation ; Female ; Humans ; Iran/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Optic Nerve Diseases/epidemiology/rehabilitation ; Referral and Consultation/*statistics & numerical data ; Rehabilitation Centers/*statistics & numerical data ; Retinal Diseases/*epidemiology/rehabilitation ; Vision, Low/*epidemiology/rehabilitation ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study is to act nursing intervention strategies to promote quality of life (QOL) in Spinal Cord Injury patients. Therefore, the study is designed to evaluate religion, marital status, educational background economic status, level of injury, voiding pattern, transportation by driving, rehabilitation education, self-concept, sexual status, perceived barrier, powerlessness, depression, hope, social support, self-efficacy, anxiety, ADL, perceived hopelessness, personality and pain for QOL at the same time. It was gathered empirical data was collected using a self report questionnaire from 61 patients during a six month period after SCI at 5 general hospitals, at 2 rehabilitation centers and at 2 rehabilitation schools located in Seoul, Dae-jeon city, and Kyung-ki province from Jun. 18, 1999 through Sep. 28, 1999. The reliability of the 19 instruments was tested with Cronbach's alpha which ranged from .6319 to .9769. For the data analysis a SAS program was used for Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows; 1. The mean of total item score in the QOL scale was 2.814, which showed a much lower score than the cancer points. 2. There was a significant correlation between self concept, transportation by driving, perceived barrier, powerlessness, depression, hope, social support, self-efficacy, anxiety, ADL and QOL.(gamma= .27~-.79, p< .05) 3. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that; a) Depression was the main predictor of QOL and account for 53.7% of the variance in QOL. b) Hope, ecomic status and body satisfaction accounted for 8%, 4%, 3.4% respectively and these variables combined accounted for 69.2% of the variance in QOL. In conclusion, to begin with, it is important to reduce depression and to help for SCI points to inspire hope, economic status and body satisfaction. That will be short cut for nursing strategies to enhance QOL.
Activities of Daily Living ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hope ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Self Concept ; Self Report ; Seoul ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Statistics as Topic ; Transportation

OBJECTIVETo explore the factors associated with retention in a community-based methadone maintenance treatment(MMT) among drug users in Urumqi.

METHODSWith national MMT guideline( drift) for heroine addicted drug users, local heroine-dependent people were admitted to community-based MMT program affiliated to Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region Center for Mental Health. Data on outpatients' social-demo characteristics, baseline behaviors on drug use and daily stabilized dose of drugs were entered to MMT database.

RESULTSUp to 10, Feb. , 2006,353 persons withdrew MMT treatment among 709 heroin dependant drug users. Between 11, Aug., 2005 and 10, Feb., 2006, with median duration as 77 days, cumulative drop-out rate of 90 days and 180 days after first dose of MMT were 73.8% among 455 and 99.4% among 355 drug users, respectively. The incidence of drop-outs was 29.8 per 100 person-month. The median length of stay (days) in MMT was 68.0 (95% CI: 59.0- 78.0). Correlates of retention were found as: Being Uigur(HR = 1.35;95% CI :1.09-1.67), duration of drug use (HR =0.74; 95% CI:0.55-0.99) and stabilized dose(HR = 0.60;95% CI: 0.48-0.74) was found in multiple Cox proportional hazard regression model.

CONCLUSIONRetention of MMT among drug users in Urumqi was low. Uigur people should be given individual counseling to help them increase the compliance rate. Within the ranges of clinic dosage, adjustment of the methadone dose on an individual base might serve as an appropriate approach to increase the effectiveness of the program.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; Drug Users ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heroin Dependence ; psychology ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance ; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONThe level of participation is an important factor influencing rehabilitation outcome. However, few studies have evaluated rehabilitation participation and its clinical predictors in patients with stroke. This study aimed to establish the level of participation in patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation, and define the clinical predictors for participation.

METHODSThis was a prospective observational study of first-time patients with stroke admitted to a rehabilitation centre over a 12-month period. The primary outcome measure was the level of rehabilitation participation as measured on the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS). PRPS measurements were made one week after admission and one week before planned discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Other outcome measures evaluated were the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ), Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Lubben Social Network Scale-Revised, and Multidimensional Health Questionnaire.

RESULTSA total of 122 patients with stroke were studied. The mean PRPS score on admission was relatively high at 4.30 ± 0.90, and this improved to 4.65 ± 0.79 before planned discharge (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the mean PRPS score on admission was predicted by FIM, EACQ and FSS scores on admission, but not by variables such as age, gender, depression, social support, or health attitudes and beliefs.

CONCLUSIONPatients with lower levels of participation were more likely to be functionally dependent, cognitively impaired and have more fatigue. We suggest that in addition to cognition, fatigue should be routinely screened in patients with stroke undergoing rehabilitation.

Cognition ; physiology ; Disability Evaluation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Length of Stay ; trends ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; methods ; Patient Compliance ; statistics & numerical data ; Prospective Studies ; Recovery of Function ; physiology ; Rehabilitation Centers ; statistics & numerical data ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

INTRODUCTIONIn laryngectomised patients, tracheoesophageal speech is the gold standard for voice rehabilitation. This study evaluated complications related to the tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) and the success rate in voice prosthesis after total laryngectomy at our institution over a 10-year period.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective review of 22 TEPs was performed between January 1998 and December 2008. The timing of TEP, type of voice prosthesis, surgical and prosthesis-related complications, and TEP closure were noted.

RESULTSEighteen percent of the patients underwent primary and 82% secondary TEP. Our patients were predominantly males (95.4%) of Chinese descent with a mean age of 62.1 years. The types of voice prostheses used were ProvoxTM (n = 15), Voicemasters (n = 6), and Blom-Singer (n = 1). Prosthesis- related complications occurred in 77.3%. Notable complications were leakage (82.5%), prosthesis displacement (41.2%), intractable aspiration (29.4%), and aspiration of prosthesis (23.5%). The most common surgical-related complication was tracheostomal stenosis. An array of interventions comprising resizing or changing prosthesis type, nasogastric catheter insertion, stomaplasty, purse string suturing, and bronchoscopic removal of bronchial aspirated prosthesis were implemented to address encountered complications. In a mean follow-up of 34.8 months, 68.2% of patients achieved functional tracheoesophageal speech (75% of primary TEP and 67% of secondary TEP). There were 7 TEP closures indicated by persistent leakage, recurrent dislodgement, phonatory failure and, in 1 patient, persistent pain.

CONCLUSIONSTEP has become an integral part in the rehabilitation of a laryngectomee. However, management of the frequent complications related to TEP requires specific efforts and specialistic commitments in order to treat them.

Academic Medical Centers ; statistics & numerical data ; Adult ; Aged ; Constriction, Pathologic ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Equipment Failure Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laryngectomy ; rehabilitation ; Larynx, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Malaysia ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Punctures ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Speech, Alaryngeal ; Trachea ; surgery