ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify the stability of vocational interests among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) first assessed during inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN: Initial assessments were completed during inpatient rehabilitation an average of 50 days after SCI onset (n = 521). Follow-up measures, collected by mail, were obtained an average of 16.6 months postinjury (n = 190) and 29.1 months postinjury (n = 296). Participants (n = 135) completed all 3 assessments. Participants completed the 1994 Strong Interest Inventory (Campbell, 1971; Harmon, Hansen, Borgen, & Hammer, 1994), Form T317, a 317-item measure of vocational interests. RESULTS: Comparison of scale means across 3 times of measurement indicated significant changes in 2 of 6 general occupational themes (GOT), 8 basic interest scales (BIS), and 2 special scales (leadership style, risk taking/adventure). With 1 exception, a linear trend indicating an increase in reported interests accounted for observed relationships. An age by time interaction occurred with 1 GOT and 3 BIS. The average stability coefficient was 0.61 for the GOT, 0.59 for the BIS, and 0.70 for the special scales. The average coefficients were somewhat lower for the oldest participants. CONCLUSION: Interests do not appear to be static when first measured during inpatient rehabilitation after SCI. Rather, they evolve with average increases on select themes more compatible with the limitations of SCI. Stability coefficients suggest that interests are likely to change more than indicated in earlier studies.
Subject(s)
Employment/psychology , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Spinal Cord Injuries/psychology , Spinal Cord Injuries/rehabilitation , Adult , Age Factors , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Inpatients/psychology , Inpatients/statistics & numerical data , Male , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Leprosy causes not just physical disabilities but mental and psycho social problems which are further more enhanced in women due to their submissive and secondary role in an Indian culture. This is reflected in their reluctance and delay in seeking hospitalization and generates great anxiety while admitted as inpatients. Appropriate nursing care can relieve much anxiety and help in faster healing. This paper presents the findings from such research carried out at a leprosy referral hospitalin north India. Adult female leprosy patients newly admitted for the first time in a leprosy referral hospital were interviewed in depth using Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and observed before and after implementing a customized nursing care plan. On admission, out of 40 women admitted more than 80% showed moderate or severe anxiety. After well planned nursing interventions only 2 continued to have severe anxiety, and a majority in all age groups showed significant reductions in anxiety levels, and responded well to leprosy care at the hospital. Well planned nursing care reduces or minimizes anxiety levels of female leprosy patients admitted first time in the hospital, and should become a standard practice in all hospital admissions.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/nursing , Inpatients/psychology , Leprosy/nursing , Leprosy/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Anxiety/therapy , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , India , Inpatients/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) is a potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction consisting of fever, hepatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, lymphadenopathy and hemolytic anemia. The incidence of DHS is estimated to be 2% in leprosy patients. Because the incidence of this drug eruption may be different in different ethnicities and diseases, we thought to investigate the incidence of DHS in non-leprosy patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study to examine the incidence, clinical manifestations and prognosis of DHS in non-leprosy patients who were given dapsone at the National Taiwan University Hospital between June 2001 and December 2005. RESULTS: The incidence of DHS among non-leprosy patients was 1.66%. These patients ran a relatively benign course as compared with leprosy patients. CONCLUSION: The incidence of DHS among non-leprosy patients was compatible to that observed among leprosy patients. DHS in non-leprosy patients runs a favorable course with low morbidity in our study.
Subject(s)
Dapsone/adverse effects , Drug Hypersensitivity/etiology , Hospitals, Teaching , Leprostatic Agents/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anemia, Hemolytic/chemically induced , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Dapsone/administration & dosage , Dermatitis, Exfoliative/chemically induced , Drug Hypersensitivity/complications , Drug Hypersensitivity/drug therapy , Drug Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Female , Fever/chemically induced , Humans , Incidence , Inpatients/statistics & numerical data , Leprostatic Agents/administration & dosage , Lymphatic Diseases/chemically induced , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Skin Diseases/drug therapy , Syndrome , Taiwan/epidemiologyABSTRACT
This investigation presents the results of hepatitis B virus screening among leprosy patients conducted in central Brazil as a preliminary information for a HBV vaccination programme. The main objectives were to assess the seroprevalence of HBV serum markers among lepromatous patients and to analyse institutionalization as risk factor for HBV infection in this population. Two groups of lepromatous patients were studied, 83 outpatients and 171 institutionalized ones. Screening for HBV serum markers included the detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc by radioimmune assay (RIA). The prevalence of carrier state (HBsAg) was 4.8% and 8.8% among outpatients and institutionalized, respectively, (p > 0.05). Seroprevalence of exposure (all markers) was statistically significant different between outpatients (16.9%) and institutionalized ones (50.3%). Institutionalized patients had an almost four fold risk of HBV infection when compared to the outpatients, and the highest risks were among patients with more than 21 years of residence in the colony, after adjusting for age and sex
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Hepatitis B/epidemiology , Leprosy/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Biomarkers/blood , Brazil/epidemiology , Child , Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis B Antigens/blood , Hepatitis B/immunology , Inpatients/statistics & numerical data , Leprosy, Borderline/epidemiology , Leprosy, Borderline/immunology , Leprosy/immunology , Middle Aged , Outpatients/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
This investigation presents the results of hepatitis B virus screening among leprosy patients conducted in central Brazil as a preliminary information for a HBV vaccination programme. The main objectives were to assess the seroprevalence of HBV serum markers among lepromatous patients and to analyse institutionalization as risk factor for HBV infection in this population. Two groups of lepromatous patients were studied, 83 outpatients and 171 institutionalized ones. Screening for HBV serum markers included the detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc by radioimmune assay (RIA). The prevalence of carrier state (HBsAg) was 4.8% and 8.8% among outpatients and institutionalized, respectively, (p > 0.05). Seroprevalence of exposure (all markers) was statistically significant different between outpatients (16.9%) and institutionalized ones (50.3%). Institutionalized patients had an almost four fold risk of HBV infection when compared to the outpatients, and the highest risks were among patients with more than 21 years of residence in the colony, after adjusting for age and sex.