Current incidence and management of children with traumatic head injuries: the Stockholm experience.

PURPOSE: A traumatic head injury is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children, however few population-based studies in this area have been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and management of traumatic head injuries in children at a level-one trauma centre in Stockholm, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: All children (n = 3168) who visited the emergency department with a history of head injury during 1 year were included. METHOD: The required information was collected retrospectively and the children's medical records were reviewed. RESULTS: The overall incidences of head injury were 865 per 100 000 children with the highest incidence (2379/10(5) children) occurring among children younger than 18 months of age. Twelve per cent (n = 396) were admitted to a hospital ward and CT scans were performed in 13% (n = 412) of all children. During this year, 0.3% required a neurosurgical intervention and only 1% of all children had documentation of a planned follow-up appointment. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that clinical documentation as a part of the early management in children with a head injury is inconsistent and suffers from lack of valid criteria. Implementation of clinical guidelines during emergency care would help improve subsequent hospital care, as well as the planning of health care services for these children.

Comparative study of cervical laminar tents prior to extra-amniotic injection of ethacridine lactate (Rivanol) and a condom-nelathon catheter method for second-trimester pregnancy interruption in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the regimen for termination of second-trimester pregnancies using laminaria tents 12-24 h prior to extra-amniotic ethacridine lactate (Rivanol) instillation, is more effective in shortening the insertion-expulsion interval than the presently used method of abortion induction by a condom/Nelathon catheter. DESIGN: A prospective randomised comparative study was performed at Uong Bi General Hospital in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, on 91 women undergoing pregnancy termination in the second trimester. INTERVENTIONS: The subjects were randomly allocated to 2 treatment groups, receiving either the Nelathon catheter-condom method (n = 50) or by insertion of a laminaria tent into the cervical canal for preinduction, 13-29 h before extra-amniotic instillation of ethacridine lactate (n = 34). Seven subjects were not pretreated with the laminaria tent. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The insertion-expulsion intervals and the incidence of side effects were assessed. RESULTS: The mean insertion-expulsion interval in the 2 groups was not significantly different (mean 27.5 +/- 16.1 and 26.4 +/- 16.4 h, respectively), calculating the insertion-expulsion interval from the start of active treatment, i.e. from the instillation of Rivanol or insertion of the Nelathon catheter and condom, until expulsion of the fetus. CONCLUSIONS: The laminaria-Rivanol method for pregnancy interruption is not more advantageous than the existing Nelathon catheter-condom method. Simple, successful and cost-effective methods in achieving second-trimester abortion in the Vietnamese context have therefore to be identified and tested.

Predialysis education helps patients choose dialysis modality and increases disease-specific knowledge.

UNLABELLED: The aims of this study were first, to evaluate the effects of a patient-education programme for a group of 28 uraemic patients (the Experimental (EG) group) with regard to their knowledge and perceived amount of information and to relate these effects to their sense of coherence and secondly, to study the patients' perception of their dialysis treatment. The results were compared with a comparison group (the Companion (CG) group, n = 28) which had received routine information only. The education programme seemed to have covered what the EG wanted to know. Significantly more patients in the EG group stated that they had acquired sufficient knowledge to enable them to participate in choosing dialysis modality compared with the CG group. The EG patients were significantly more informed in the post-educational evaluation compared with the pre-educational evaluation. In the EG, there was a significant relationship between the scores for knowledge and perceived amount of information. Men and younger patients perceived that they had received a greater amount of information than women and older patients. After having started dialysis treatment, there were no differences in the scores for knowledge and information between the EG and the CG. This indicates that other sources of knowledge and information were available to the CG patients. There was no significant correlation between the score of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale and the knowledge and information scores. Kidney transplantation, progression of renal failure, other patients' experiences of dialysis, dependence - independence, present and future wellbeing, how to cope with physical and psycho-social demands and continuity in their contacts with doctors and other health professionals were predominant concerns for the two groups of patients. CONCLUSION: the predialysis group education programme enabled patients to choose dialysis modality to achieve an understanding of their illness and its treatment. It also provided the possibility of informal support by fellow patients and health professionals. The study emphasizes the special needs of elderly patients and we recommend that education programmes are tailored to their requirements.

Patient education for adults with chronic eczema.

Seven patients with severe eczema participated in an individual education project. The aim of the education program was to maintain and improve health by providing knowledge in self-care treatment. Patients were provided with new knowledge of their disease and received sufficient information to enable them to apply self-care of their eczema.

Predialysis patient education: effects on functioning and well-being in uraemic patients.

This study evaluated the effects of a predialysis patient education programme on functioning and well-being in 28 uraemic patients. The programme consisted of four group sessions with the following themes: renal disease and dietary restriction, active renal replacement therapy, physical exercise, and the impact of chronic renal failure on economy, family and social life. Three to 9 months after having started dialysis the patients were evaluated regarding symptoms, perceived health (Health Index), functional (SIP) and emotional (STAI) status. Twenty-eight patients already on dialysis treatment informed according to conventional routines constituted the comparison group. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding age, sex, educational or social background, duration of kidney disease, choice of dialysis treatment, cause of renal disease and laboratory tests except for s-urea. The patients who participated in the education programme scored significantly better mood, less mobility problems (HI), less functional disabilities (SIP) and lower levels of anxiety (STAI) compared to the comparison group. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding symptoms and overall health. The differences between the groups prevailed during the first 6 months on dialysis treatment, after which the differences disappeared. In the comparison group age correlated significantly to anxiety and overall SIP, which was not the case in the experimental group. In conclusion, the experimental group that participated in a predialysis patient education programme, showed better functional and emotional well-being than the non-educated comparison group. The positive effects of participating in an education programme prevailed during the first 6 months of dialysis treatment. Moreover, the younger patients seemed especially to benefit from participation in a predialysis patient education programme. It is suggested that patient education should be ongoing for patients with end-stage renal failure initiated during the predialysis stage and continued after maintenance dialysis has been established.

The use and efficacy of coping strategies and coping styles in a Swedish sample.

This paper presents Swedish reference values for the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS-60), a questionnaire measuring the use and efficacy of coping strategies. The strategies are grouped in eight coping styles. The sample used was randomly selected from a Swedish urban population. The sample consisted of 268 individuals (135 men and 133 women), divided into three age-groups, 26-40, 41-55 and 56-70 years. There were no significant differences between the three age-groups or between men and women when comparing the total scores for use and efficacy on the JCS-60. No significant differences were found between the genders within each age-group. The most commonly used coping styles were the confrontational, the optimistic and the self-reliant. The least used style was the fatalistic. Men, as compared with women, used the confrontational and self-reliant coping styles more while women used the supportive coping style more than men. The youngest age-group used the emotive coping style more, compared with the other age groups. Cronbach's alpha for the total scores indicates acceptable reliability. The results of this study may be useful as Swedish reference values for comparison with the research results of studies on patients.

Well-being and functional ability in uraemic patients before and after having started dialysis treatment.

In this study perceived well-being and functioning in 28 uraemic patients (14 women and 14 men, mean age 54 years) were measured in the predialysis stage during conservative renal therapy and 3-9 months after having started maintenance dialysis treatment. The patients had participated in a patient education programme in the predialysis stage. Disease-specific symptoms, perceived health (Health Index), functional (SIP) and emotional (STAI) status were analysed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the patients' correction of uraemia, frequency of symptoms or anxiety prior to and after having started dialysis. After having started dialysis treatment, fatigue, lack of energy and functional disability in work increased while disability in recreation and pastime decreased. Standard bicarbonate correlated significantly to the symptoms of leg cramps and itching. Serum albumin correlated significantly to eating dysfunction in the SIP. There was a large variation within the group with regard to their self-rated disturbances. Some patients reported a relatively intact quality of life, some reported a moderate influence, and some a severe decrease in quality of life irrespective of whether they were in the predialysis state or on maintenance haemodialysis or CAPD. In conclusion, dialysis treatment resulted in increased fatigue and lack of energy, while disease-specific symptoms, functional disability and anxiety did not increase during the first months on dialysis. The symptoms of itching and leg cramps correlated significantly with level of metabolic acidosis, and eating disability correlated with serum albumin levels, indicating that biochemical variables should be combined with patient assessment of health and well-being in order to optimize treatment and care. Moreover, the wide range of scores in all the research variables indicates that assessment of quality of life can be helpful in allocating support to those patients in need of it.

Quality of life in predialytic uremic patients.

This study describes and analyses how 38 predialytic uremic patients perceived their sense of well-being, functional ability, level of anxiety and sense of coherence. The patients in this study reported decreased sense of well-being, considerable functional disabilities, and a high level of anxiety when compared to a healthy reference group. These observations were independent of laboratory data with the exception of hemoglobin concentration which showed a significant negative correlation to the SIP scale work. There was a significant negative correlation between the scores of sense of coherence and anxiety. Patients with a weak sense of coherence and a high level of anxiety perceived their well-being as being worse than those with higher scores in the sense of coherence test and lower scores in the level of anxiety test. Sense of well-being in turn influenced functional ability in daily life. Social and marital status also affected the results. These results indicate that the investigated group of predialytic patients have a decrease in quality of life. The results obtained provide a useful instrument showing in which areas care should be concentrated and in what way patients' own resources need to be strengthened while preparing for dialysis treatment.

Patients with chronic renal failure and their ability to cope.

The subject studied in this paper, describing uremic patients' use of coping strategies and their sense of coherence, was 48 consecutively selected patients with chronic renal failure at a Swedish hospital. The questionnaires used were the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS-40) and the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC). The results showed that the patients used a variety of coping strategies, such as maintaining control, finding out more about the situation and hoping. In the use of coping styles, the confrontational style was the most favoured one, compared with the palliative and the emotive styles. There was a significant distinction between the predialysis patients and those on dialysis treatment concerning the use of strategies and coping styles. Patients on dialysis treatment showed significantly higher scores in overall strategies and in confrontational and palliative coping styles. The results revealed significant correlations between the JCS and the SOC scores, age and duration of kidney disease. Knowledge of the patients' commonly used coping strategies and sense of coherence is important when nursing care is being planned for the patient.