[Internet search for counseling offers for older adults suffering from visual impairment]. / Internet-Recherche nach Beratungsangeboten für ältere Menschen mit Sehbehinderung.

BACKGROUND: Visual impairment is a relevant problem of aging. In many cases promising therapeutic options exist but patients are often left with visual deficits, which require a high degree of individualized counseling. This article analyzed which counseling offers can be found by patients and relatives using simple and routine searching via the internet. METHOD: Analyses were performed using colloquial search terms in the search engine Google in order to find counseling options for elderly people with visual impairments available via the internet. RESULTS: With this strategy 189 offers for counseling were found, which showed very heterogeneous regional differences in distribution. The counseling options found in the internet commonly address topics such as therapeutic interventions or topics on visual aids corresponding to the professions offering rehabilitation most present in the internet, such as ophthalmologists and opticians. Regarding contents addressing psychosocial and help in daily tasks, self-help and support groups offer the most differentiated and broadest spectrum. Support offers for daily living tasks and psychosocial counseling from social providers were more difficult to find with these search terms despite a high presence in the internet. DISCUSSION: There are a large number of providers of counseling and consulting for older persons with visual impairment. In order to be found more easily by patients and to be recommended more often by ophthalmologists and general practitioners, the presence of providers in the internet must be improved, especially providers of daily living and psychosocial support offers.

[Provision of services and demand for care support centers. Results of the evaluation of all care support centers in Baden-Württemberg]. / Angebot und Nachfrage von Pflegestützpunkten. Ergebnisse der Evaluation aller baden-württembergischen Pflegestützpunkte.

BACKGROUND: The counseling infrastructure for elderly and vulnerable people is characterized by overuse, underuse and misuse. According to the German care reform, care support centers should solve this problem by putting all relevant counseling services under one roof. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the type of services and demand of German care support centers 5 years after the German care reform came into force. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on an analysis of the documentation of all 48 care support centers in Baden-Württemberg after the German care reform came into force and of counseling services for elderly and vulnerable people. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results of the evaluation of all care support centers in Baden-Württemberg showed that they offer a wide range of services ranging from counseling services for simple assistance to promoting self-help, up to comprehensive case management. The wide variety of counseling services offered also showed that these care support centers can meet the many different needs and requirements of the clientele. Findings from this study enabled a positive conclusion about the demand to be drawn. It became clear that the services offered are used by many people of all ages who are already in need of care or who are trying to prevent this need from occurring. A consensus about the conceptual development of care provision models employed by care support centers has not yet been achieved in Germany. Findings from this study could be useful in highlighting the need to further develop the care support centers.

HIV rapid test counseling among parturient.

INTRODUCTION: The pre and post-HIV test counseling is recommended by the Ministry of Health, and is a tool for reflection and joint decision-making. OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of women receiving counseling for submission to the HIV rapid test and to assess factors associated to not receiving counseling for this test. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in five "Baby-Friendly Hospitals" from the High Risk Pregnancy System in Rio de Janeiro City, Southeast Brazil. The study population were 955 rooming-in parturients, undergoing the HIV rapid test, between September 11thand December 11th, 2006. Semi-standardized questionnaires were applied to the mothers, and data were also obtained from laboratory and health archives. Binomial regression was performed in order to analyze the variables associated with non-counseling. RESULTS: Were submitted to the HIV rapid test 28.5% of the parturients, and only 26.9% of them were counseled. Factors associated with non-counseling were: maternal education below 8 years of school (PR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.15-1.62), 0 to 3 prenatal visits (RP = 0.73; IC 95%: 0.59-0.90) and hospitals with less than 50% of the parturients submitted to the HIV rapid test (PR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.40-1.96). CONCLUSION: Socially underprivileged women were not a target of counseling, and only the low number of prenatal visits proved to be a protective factor against non-counseling. Counseling was seldom practiced for HIV rapid testing, indicating that this test has been performed without the consent of women, in an imperative way.

Aconselhamento sobre o teste rapido anti-HIV em parturientes / HIV rapid test counseling among parturient

Introdução: O aconselhamento pré e pós-teste anti-HIV é preconizado pelo Ministério da Saúde, e constitui-se em ferramenta para a reflexão e tomada de decisão conjunta. Objetivos: Verificar a proporção de parturientes que receberam aconselhamento por ocasião da submissão ao teste rápido anti-HIV e analisar os fatores associados ao não recebimento de aconselhamento por estas parturientes. Método: Estudo transversal conduzido nos cinco “Hospitais Amigos da Criança” do Sistema de Gestação de Alto Risco do município do Rio de Janeiro. A população do estudo foram 955 mães submetidas ao teste rápido anti-HIV internadas em alojamento conjunto entre 11 de setembro e 11 de dezembro de 2006. Foram aplicados questionários às mães e coletados dados do laboratório e do prontuário materno. Para análise das variáveis associadas ao não recebimento de aconselhamento utilizou-se a regressão multivariada binomial. Resultados: Foram submetidas ao teste rápido anti-HIV 28,5% das parturientes. Destas, apenas 26,9% foram aconselhadas. Os fatores associados ao não aconselhamento foram: escolaridade materna inferior a 8 anos de estudo (RP = 1,36; IC 95%: 1,15-1,62), realização de 0 a 3 consultas de pré-natal (RP = 0,73; IC 95%: 0,59-0,90) e parto em hospitais com menos de 50% das parturientes submetidas ao teste-rápido anti-HIV (RP = 1,65; IC 95%: 1,40-1,96). Conclusões: As mulheres em situação socialmente desfavorável não foram alvo de aconselhamento, e apenas o baixo número de consultas pré-natais mostrou-se um fator de proteção contra o não aconselhamento. O aconselhamento foi pouco praticado por ocasião da r...

Introduction: The pre and post-HIV test counseling is recommended by the Ministry of Health, and is a tool for reflection and joint decision-making. Objectives: To determine the proportion of women receiving counseling for submission to the HIV rapid test and to assess factors associated to not receiving counseling for this test. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in five “Baby-Friendly Hospitals” from the High Risk Pregnancy System in Rio de Janeiro City, Southeast Brazil. The study population were 955 rooming-in parturients, undergoing the HIV rapid test, between September 11thand December 11th, 2006. Semi-standardized questionnaires were applied to the mothers, and data were also obtained from laboratory and health archives. Binomial regression was performed in order to analyze the variables associated with non-counseling. Results: Were submitted to the HIV rapid test 28.5% of the parturients, and only 26.9% of them were counseled. Factors associated with non-counseling were: maternal education below 8 years of school (PR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.15-1.62), 0 to 3 prenatal visits (RP = 0.73; IC 95%: 0.59-0.90) and hospitals with less than 50% of the parturients submitted to the HIV rapid test (PR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.40-1.96). Conclusion: Socially underprivileged women were not a target of counseling, and only the low number of prenatal visits proved to be a protective factor against non-counseling. Counseling was seldom practiced for HIV rapid testing, indicating that this test has been performed without the consent of women, in an imperative way. .

[Parents with cancer and their minor children--a nationwide survey of outpatient psychosocial cancer counselling service regarding needs and its utilisation]. / Krebskranke Eltern und ihre minderjährigen Kinder--eine bundesweite Befragung ambulanter psychosozialer Krebsberatungsstellen zu Bedarf und Inanspruchnahme.

OBJECTIVES: Children of cancer patients have an increased risk for developing emotional problems. While psychosocial cancer counselling services are available all over the country, it is unclear if parents seek for help and if specific approaches for families are offered. METHODS: A survey was made of outpatient cancer counselling services in Germany (n=228). The response rate was 56%. Descriptive and content analyses of the data have been used. RESULTS: Providers estimate that 55% of their patients are between 18 and 55 years with 18% of them having minor children. However, only 53% do regularly ask their patients if they have minor children. Family- or child-settings are not provided regularly. Over 60% of providers would welcome special courses on this subject. CONCLUSION: Although psychosocial care of minor children is mentioned in outpatient psychosocial cancer counselling guidelines, children are not included regularly. A stronger emphasis on this topic in further education has to be made.

[Counselling centres for patients with cancer--analysis of service provision in Saxony]. / Psychosoziale Krebsberatungsstellen--eine Analyse der Versorgungsrealität in Sachsen.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to understand the quantity and quality of psychosocial services offered at counselling centres for outpatients with cancer in Saxony, a federal state of Germany. METHODS: Structured interviews with employees on site at the counselling centres in Saxony (N=30) and an analysis of their yearly reports were undertaken. RESULTS: The majority of the counselling centres (N=25) was situated at local health departments. All institutions document their activities regularly and offer continuous training for their employees. Services include primarily information on and admission to social services whereas psychological and psychotherapeutic services are rare. Considering the guideline criteria for staffing with a ratio of one counsellor per 75,000 inhabitants, a total of 23 counsellors were lacking in the federal state of Saxony at the time of investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The method of situating counselling centres at local health departments ensures good access for almost all cancer patients and relatives seeking counselling. However, due to restricted financial resources the services offered are not sufficient according to the guidelines and solutions for this situation are needed.