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Biomedical subjects

Anna Strömberg

Publications and source records attributed to Anna Strömberg.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Building bridges: the American Heart Association-European Society of Cardiology's International Nursing Collaboration.

This paper described the formal collaboration between the American Heart Association's Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and the European Society of Cardiology's Working Group on Cardiovascular Nursing. This collaboration comprises following dimensions: (1). further expansion on collaboration on annual conferences; (2). development of mentoring initiatives; (3). initiation of research collaboration; (4). development of joint guidelines; and (5). appointment of liaison persons of AHA to ESC and vice versa.

American Heart Association↗
PubMed2003

Congestive heart failure, spouses' support and the couple's sleep situation: a critical incident technique analysis.

Sleep related breathing disorders are common as well as a poor prognostic sign associated with higher mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). These patients often have a shorter total duration of sleep, disturbed sleep structure and increased daytime sleepiness, which can negatively affect all dimensions of the life situation. The spouse has an important role in supporting the patient in relation to sleep disorders, but this role may be adversely affected by the sleep situation of the couple. The aim of this study was to describe decisive situations that influence spouses' support to patients with CHF in relation to the couple's sleep situation. A qualitative descriptive design using critical incident technique was employed. Incidents were collected by means of interviews with 25 spouses of patients with CHF, strategically selected from two hospital-based specialist clinics in southern Sweden. Two main areas emerged in the analysis: support stimulating situations and support inhibiting situations. Support stimulating situations described how spouses' support was positively affected by their own adaptation in psychosocial or practical situations, and receiving help from others. Support inhibiting situations described how the spouses' support was negatively affected by sleep disturbances as a result of the patient's symptoms, anxiety in relation to the disease, limitations as a result of the sleeping habits, dissatisfaction with care related to the sleep situation, and being left to cope alone with the problems. An increased understanding of the stimulating and inhibiting situations influencing spouses' support for patients with CHF can guide health care personnel in deciding if an intervention is needed to improve the sleep situation for patient and spouse.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Interactive education on CD-ROM-a new tool in the education of heart failure patients.

The study aimed to develop and evaluate whether a computer-based program for patients with heart failure was user-friendly, could be operated by elderly patients and gave sufficient information about heart failure. The program was developed by a multidisciplinary group and designed with large, clear illustrations and buttons. A total of 42 patients aged 51-92 years tested the program and completed afterwards a questionnaire. Three heart failure nurses evaluated how the patients used the program and their attitudes towards the computer. All patients could use the program, despite the fact that only six had used a computer before. The patients were satisfied with the computer-based information and appreciated that the program was interactive, flexible and contained a self-test. They thought it was a better way of receiving information than reading a booklet or watching a video about heart failure. The nurses reported that the patients were positive towards the computer and seemed to understand the information and that the patient education was less time-consuming, when the patients could seek knowledge on their own.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Educating nurses and patients to manage heart failure.

Patient education is an important component in the management of patients with heart failure and nurses are increasingly involved in this area. This paper reviews the literature on education to patients with heart failure and the education and training for heart failure nurses. Patients with heart failure need education in order to adapt to their chronic syndrome and perform self-care. The education process often starts during the hospital admission, but must continue in the outpatient setting. Nurses need to be skilled in assessing the requirements and level of the education given to the individual. Computer-based education has been found to be a preferred and effective compliment to the education provided by health care professionals. The effect of new materials and methods needs to be evaluated in order to improve the overall effectiveness of the education provided. The patient with heart failure should have an active role in this development and evaluation. The heart failure nurse needs to be experienced in cardiac care, have an ability to work independently in order to be delegated responsibilities such as drug titration and patient assessment. This requires optimal experience, training and education for advanced practice. In order to develop and evaluate the education of patients with heart failure and the overall effectiveness of heart failure nurses in this regard, national and international collaborations are needed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2002

Experiences of longing in Norwegian and Swedish 4- and 5-year-old children.

Longing can be defined as a blend of the primary emotions of happiness and sadness. These primary emotions are experienced very early by children, and the meanings of the words happiness and sadness are also known by children early in their verbal development. To find out at what age children are able to understand and use the more developed concept of longing, the authors interviewed 74 preschoolers (4- and 5-year-olds) in Norway and Sweden about their experiences of longing. Chi-square analyses showed age and sex differences in knowledge of the concept, and some differences between categories of longing were also significant. Results showed that young children's ability to understand and use the concept of longing appears to be limited and that girls seem to mature earlier in this respect than boys do.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors related to delay times in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: The study's objective was to describe symptoms, symptom management, and patient delay times in patients seeking treatment for suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to find explanatory factors influencing the decision time. METHOD: This is a descriptive survey study including 403 Swedish patients with a median age of 64 years with suspected AMI. RESULTS: Altogether, 84% of the patients suspected that the symptoms emanated from the heart. Despite this fact, 59% delayed going to the hospital more than 1 hour after the onset of symptoms. In the multiple regression analysis, a "dull pain," the patients' belief that it was nothing serious, and contact with the general practitioner were associated with prolonged delay. The decision to contact the emergency service shortened the delay time. CONCLUSIONS: The patient's subjective feeling of the severity of symptoms is an important predictor for delay times. There is still a need for public awareness of the appropriate responses to AMI symptoms, that is, to call for an ambulance instead of contacting the general practitioner.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ambulance use in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the choice of transportation mode to hospital in patients experiencing acute myocardial infarction. METHOD: A descriptive survey study at the Coronary Care Unit of one Swedish University Hospital. The study was carried out between July 2000 and March 2001. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 114 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction. Thirty-two percent stated that they did not know the importance of a short delay when experiencing an acute myocardial infarction. Only 60% called the emergency service number, 112. Patients calling for an ambulance differed from those who did not in several aspects. Medical characteristics associated with ambulance use in a univariate analysis were ST-elevation myocardial infarction and prior history of myocardial infarction. There were no differences regarding gender or age. When looking at the patients' symptom-experience, patients with vertigo or nausea and severe pain chose an ambulance for transport to the hospital. The only significant reasons for not choosing an ambulance were cramping pain and the patient perceiving the symptoms not to be serious. In a multivariate analysis, ST-elevation (OR = 0.30, P = .04), unbearable symptoms (OR = 0.20, P = .03), and nausea (OR = .33, P = .04) appeared as independent predictors of ambulance use and cramping pain (OR = 5.17, P = .01) for not using an ambulance. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with acute myocardial infarction view the ambulance as an option for transportation to hospital only if they feel really sick. For that reason, it needs to be made well known to the public that ambulances are not only a mode of transport, but also provide diagnostics and treatment.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sleep difficulties, daytime sleepiness, and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Normal sleep changes with age in duration, fragmentation, and depth. The prevalence of insomnia is high in the elderly general population. In patients with chronic heart failure (HF) objective sleep assessments have shown disturbances such as a shorter total duration of sleep, frequent arousals, and sleep stage changes. OBJECTIVE: To describe self-assessed sleep difficulties, daytime sleepiness, and their relation to health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men and women with HF, as well as to make a comparison to data from a norm population. METHODS: Cross-sectional design including 223 patients with HF, New York Heart Association classification II-IV, assessed using the Uppsala Sleep Inventory-Chronic Heart Failure, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire. RESULTS: The most commonly reported sleep difficulties were initiating and maintaining sleep. The ratio of habitual sleep to the amount of estimated need for sleep was significantly shorter for women (P < .05), and the number of awakenings per night was significantly increased for men (P < .001). A total of 21% suffered from daytime sleepiness. Patients suffering from difficulties maintaining sleep, initiating sleep, and early morning awakenings reported significantly lower HRQOL in almost all dimensions of the SF-36 (P < .05-P < .001) compared to patients without sleeping difficulties, as well as to the normal population. The disease-specific Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire showed significantly reduced (P < .05-P < .001) HRQOL as measured by the total and subscale scores for patients suffering from sleeping difficulties compared to patients without sleeping difficulties. CONCLUSION: Patients with HF have a reduced HRQOL especially if difficulties maintaining sleep, initiating sleep, and early morning awakenings are involved.

Activities of Daily Living↗