This paper describes clients' accounts of the benefits they derived from a short course of cancer counselling provided within a humanist framework. Three hundred and two clients who had attended at least one session of a short course of cancer counselling received an evaluation form, which incorporated both fixed-choice and open-ended questions. One hundred and forty two (47%) clients returned evaluation forms; those who had attended more sessions were significantly more likely to do so. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows and qualitative data using a thematic approach. Almost all clients indicated that they felt they had benefited from counselling. Analysis of the open-ended questions identified nine main benefits of counselling and four key avenues or processes through which clients derived these benefits. Overall, counselling was seen as helping them to work through powerful thoughts and feelings and so to come to terms with cancer and to regain a sense of control in their lives. The benefits of a short course of counselling which clients identified reflect the aims of humanistic counselling which are not well captured by psychiatric assessments or most standard research instruments. In evaluating cancer counselling services, assessments which include these client-defined outcomes may provide a more sensitive way of gauging the value of counselling to a non-clinic population.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pseudomonas vesicularis bacteraemia.

A case of repeated episodes of Pseudomonas vesicularis bacteraemia, in a 54-year-old woman with a past history including systemic lupus erythematosus and chronic active autoimmune hepatitis is reported. She was treated with tobramycin and ceftazidime but bacteraemia persisted until surgical resection of the infected tissue was performed.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Total cerebral blood flow in the monkey measured by hydrogen clearance.

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Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of a simulated subarachnoid hemorrhage on cerebral blood flow in the monkey.

The hydrogen clearance method was used to measure local and total cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the rhesus monkey before and for five hours after a simulated subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). CBF remained stable after SAH unless SAH was associated with a fall in cerebral perfusion pressure. In addition, cerebrovascular resistance did not increase after SAH. These results suggest that vasoactive agents in fresh whole blood, and the arterial spasm they produce when added to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), play only a limited role in the pathogenesis of ischemic encephalopathy that follows an SAH.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Endoscopic placement of enteral feeding tubes.

The techniques for placement of feeding tubes using fiberscopes are described and an evaluation of the results obtained in the last 12 months is made. The techniques are discussed and compared with other methods of enteral feeding known at present. It is concluded that placement of feeding tubes by endoscopy can be achieved easily, that it is possible to choose the site of enteric liberation of nutrients under conditions which previously represented contraindications, and that this procedure is free of complications even during long periods of time.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The efficacy of bilingual health advocacy in ethnic minority patients with cancer.

AIM: This research aims to establish the efficacy of introducing trained bilingual health advocates to non-English speaking cancer patients. METHOD: Male and female Bengali advocates received appropriate training. They were then given a group of patients to manage, while a control group received no such intervention. Outcomes were determined at the baseline and after three months. The study finally concludes in April 2000. RESULTS: The progress so far shows that the advocates had only recruited half of the expected number of Bengali cancer patients. Focus groups showed, however, that healthcare professionals felt that their training was inadequate to overcome the language and cultural barriers, and many were distressed that they were not meeting the needs of minority ethnic patients. CONCLUSION: The authors anticipate that this study will concur with research in other health sectors where bilingual health advocacy has been beneficial, and that future care will be better informed as a result.

Humans↗