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Biomedical subjects

J Penrod

Publications and source records attributed to J Penrod.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

The systemic lupus erythematosus Tri-nation Study: absence of a link between health resource use and health outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Health consumption and health status in SLE in three countries with different health funding structures were compared. METHODS: Seven hundred and fifteen SLE patients (Canada 231, USA 269, UK 215) were surveyed semi-annually over 4 yr for health resource utilization and health status. Cross-country comparisons of (i) cumulative health expenditure (calculated by applying 2002 Canadian prices to resources in all countries) and (ii) disease damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, SLICC/ACR DI) at study conclusion were performed after adjustment. Missing expenditure and damage data were managed through multiple imputation using best predictive regressions with all available data from all patients as potential covariates. RESULTS: Four hundred and eighty-five patients provided data at study entry and conclusion and at least four resource questionnaires (Canada 162, USA 157, UK 166); 41 died (Canada 13, USA 18, UK 10); 189 withdrew, were lost to follow-up or provided data at entry and conclusion but fewer than four resource questionnaires (Canada 56, USA 94, UK 39). At conclusion, after imputation, in Canada, the USA and the UK respectively, mean cumulative costs per patient over 4 yr [95% confidence interval (CI)] were $15,845 (13,509, 18,182), $20,244 (17,764, 22,724) and $17,647 (15,557, 19,737) and mean changes in SLICC/ACR DI were 0.49 (0.39, 0.60), 0.63 (0.52, 0.74) and 0.48 (0.39, 0.57). After adjustment for baseline differences, on average (95% CI), Canadian and British patients utilized 20% (8%, 32%) and 13% (1%, 24%) less resources than patients in the USA respectively, but experienced similar health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite patients in the USA incurring higher health expenditures, they did not experience superior health outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Refinement of the concept of uncertainty.

AIMS: To analyse the conceptual maturity of uncertainty; to develop an expanded theoretical definition of uncertainty; to advance the concept using methods of concept refinement; and to analyse congruency with the conceptualization of uncertainty presented in the theory of hope, enduring, and suffering. BACKGROUND: Uncertainty is of concern in nursing as people experience complex life events surrounding health. In an earlier nursing study that linked the concepts of hope, enduring, and suffering into a single theoretical scheme, a state best described as 'uncertainty' arose. This study was undertaken to explore how this conceptualization fit with the scientific literature on uncertainty and to refine the concept. DESIGN/METHODS: Initially, a concept analysis using advanced methods described by Morse, Hupcey, Mitcham and colleagues was completed. The concept was determined to be partially mature. A theoretical definition was derived and techniques of concept refinement using the literature as data were applied. FINDINGS: The refined concept was found to be congruent with the concept of uncertainty that had emerged in the model of hope, enduring and suffering. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigation is needed to explore the extent of probabilistic reasoning and the effects of confidence and control on feelings of uncertainty and certainty.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

An exploration and advancement of the concept of trust.

BACKGROUND: Trust is a concept used both in everyday language and in the scientific realm. An exploration of the conceptualizations of trust within the disciplines of nursing, medicine, psychology and sociology, revealed that trust is an ambiguous scientific concept. AIMS: In order to increase the pragmatic utility of the concept of trust for scientific application, further clarification and development of the concept was undertaken. METHODS: First, a concept analysis was conducted with the aim of clarifying the state of the science of discipline-specific conceptualizations of trust. The criterion-based method of concept analysis as described by Morse and colleagues was used (Morse et al. 1996a, 1996b, Morse 2000). This analytic process enabled the assessment of the scientific maturity of the concept of trust. The interdisciplinary concept of trust was found to be immature. Based on this level of maturity it was determined that in order to advance the concept of trust toward greater maturity, techniques of concept development using the literature as data were applied. In this process, questions were "asked of the data" (in this case, the selected disciplinary literatures) to identify the conceptual components of trust. RESULTS: The inquiry into the concept of trust led to the development of an expanded interdisciplinary conceptual definition by merging the most coherent commonalties from each discipline. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed interdisciplinary conceptualization advances the concept toward maturity, that is, a more refined, pragmatic and higher-order concept. The refined concept of trust transcends the contextual boundaries of each discipline in a truly interdisciplinary scientific fashion.

Choice Behavior↗
PubMed2001

A comparison of life satisfaction and mood in nursing home residents and community-dwelling elders.

This study compared life satisfaction and mood in a sample of 138 cognitively intact and ambulatory elders, including 70 who lived in nursing homes and 68 who lived independently in the community. Community-dwelling elders reported greater life satisfaction, and scored higher on the Vigor-Activity subscale of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) than those who lived in a nursing home. Nursing home residents scored higher on the Depression-Dejection, Tension-Anxiety, and Confusion-Bewilderment subscales of the POMS. No between group differences were shown on the Anger-Hostility and Fatigue-Inertia subscales of the POMS. The diminished life satisfaction and high depression found in the nursing home residents hold immediate implications for professionals who work in this area.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Patterns of telephone use among nursing home residents.

There is convincing evidence that nursing home residents who have more visitors fare better than those who have fewer visitors. However, as many as one third of all individuals living in nursing homes have virtually no visitors. The purpose of this study was to address this concern by examining telephone use in older adults living in nursing homes, and evaluating the potential of telephone communications as a means of social support for this at-risk group. Using a recording device activated each time the receiver was picked up, the research team "listened in" on the telephone conversations of three nursing home residents (aged 76, 79, and 92) for a period of 1 week. The transcripts revealed 56 minutes of actual conversation during the week (10, 21, and 25 minutes, respectively), most often with family or longtime friends living out of town. Each resident laughed aloud more than once per minute. The telephone conversations provided the residents with vivid glimpses of life outside the walls of their facility and appeared to help them stay connected with their family and friends. The findings support further study of the telephone as a way to sustain authentic social support in long-term care populations.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis correlates with functional disability but not direct medical costs.

OBJECTIVE: Few longitudinal data exist on the relationship between radiographic damage and self-reported functional disability and direct medical costs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We assessed these relationships. METHODS: One hundred thirty patients with RA (at time of the first available radiograph, mean age 56.6 yrs, 16.9% male, mean disease duration 16.8 yrs) were followed for up to 13.4 years. Semiannually, they reported on functional disability (0 = no difficulty, 3 = unable to do), global severity (0 = very well, 100 = very poor), pain (0 = no pain, 3 = severe pain), and health services utilization through completion of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Concurrent hand radiographs were scored for erosions and joint space narrowing using the Genant method and a single score summing both erosions and joint space narrowing for both hands was calculated (0 = no damage, 200 = maximum damage). The univariate association of functional disability, global severity, pain, or direct medical costs with concurrent radiographic damage was assessed through Spearman correlations and hierarchical regression models. The hierarchical models permit exploitation of the between-patient and within-patient variation present in our longitudinal data. RESULTS: At the time of the first available radiograph, mean (SD) levels of functional disability, global severity, and pain were 1.3 (0.7), 39.4 (21.0), and 1.1 (0.7), respectively. At entry into the study, the average radiograph score was 49.7 and upon leaving the study it was 66.9. Patients were followed an average of 6.7 years, with radiograph scores increasing at an average rate of 2.5 units/yr. The Spearman correlation [95% confidence interval (CI)] between average per-patient radiograph score and average per-patient HAQ disability index, average per-patient global severity, average per-patient pain score, and average per-patient direct medical costs was, respectively, 0.42 (0.26, 0.55), 0.23 (0.06, 0.39), 0.20 (0.03, 0.36), and 0.06 (-0.11, 0.23). The mean slope (95% CI) for disability on radiograph score was 0.0186 (0.0132, 0.0226), for severity on radiographs 0.1889 (0.1295, 0.2498), and for pain on radiographs 0.0057 (0.0027, 0.0084). As an example, over 10 years, a 25 unit (i.e., 50%) increase in radiograph scores would, on average, be associated with a 0.46 unit (i.e., 35%) increase in disability, a 4.72 unit (12%) increase in global severity score, and a 0.14 unit (13%) increase in pain, all expressed on the HAQ scales. There was little association between radiograph score and direct medical costs. CONCLUSION: A clinically meaningful association exists between radiographic damage and self-reported functional disability, suggesting that interventions that slow radiographic progression may improve the patient's health status. Such a relationship was not observed between radiographic damage and direct medical costs.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

The use of alternative medical therapies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Trination Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: As part of an ongoing study of health resource utilization and diminished productivity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the use of alternative medical therapies was assessed. METHODS: A cohort of 707 patients with SLE from 3 countries completed questionnaires on demographics, social support, health status (using the Short Form 36 health survey), satisfaction with health care, health resource utilization (conventional resources and alternative therapies), and time losses in labor market and non-labor market activities. Annual direct and indirect costs (1997 Canadian dollars) were calculated and compared for users and nonusers of alternative medical therapies. RESULTS: Among the 707 patients, 352 (49.8%) were found to use alternative therapies and at similar rates across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Users were younger and better educated than nonusers, exhibited poorer levels of self-rated health status and satisfaction with medical care, and had minimal to no objective evidence of worse disease (according to the revised Systemic Lupus Activity Measure instrument). The mean of log direct medical costs for conventional resources was higher for users of select alternative therapies compared with nonusers. In a logistic regression, neither the number of alternative therapies used nor the individual therapy increased the probability of incurring indirect costs. CONCLUSION: The use of alternative medical therapies is common in patients with SLE. Users of many alternative medical therapies accrue greater conventional medical costs compared with nonusers. The use of alternative medical therapy may be a marker for care-seeking behavior associated with higher consumption of conventional medical resources in the absence of demonstrable additional morbidity and should be considered in future cost analyses of patients with SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The Psychogeriatric Assessment and Treatment in City Housing (PATCH) program for elders with mental illness in public housing: getting through the crack in the door.

Psychogeriatric Assessment and Treatment in City Housing (PATCH) is an outreach program targeting elderly public housing residents who need mental health care. The PATCH model relies on educating housing personnel to serve as case finders, providing in-home psychiatric evaluation and treatment, and addressing medical and social comorbidities through case management by psychiatric nurses. An examination of PATCH interventions suggests that the program's success is due to its emphasis on: (1) educating patients, housing personnel, and caregivers about patients' illnesses and need for treatment and support; and (2) coordinating care among housing staff members, patients' caregivers and their primary medical providers.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Mothers and their disabled children: refining the concept of normalization.

Normalization refers to behaviors and intentions of the disabled to integrate into society by living life as do those without a disability. Although normal is assumed to be a desired state, the concept has not been explored from the perspective of disabled children and mothers and other family members. The objective of this study is to determine "what is normal" from the perspective of the person with the disability. Participant observation was conducted in a 6-day summer camp for 17 children with chronic, severe, life-threatening physical disabilities. The children normally received home care and were ventilator dependent. Data consisted of observations, field notes, photographs, and videos. To obtain data about the children's home life, audiotaped telephone interviews with their primary caregiver (16 mothers and 1 father) were conducted before and after the camp. This group had two distinct social reference groups: the "disabled world" of the disabled-as-normal and the "outside" world of the everyday-as-normal. Mothers identified with both reference groups according to the child's needs, abilities and capabilities, and the risk involved. Children with disabilities who normalize compare their abilities and capabilities to identify both within a disabled world ("like me") and the outside world, according to their needs. Normalization includes processes of identification with both the cultural dominant perceived as normal (with whom these children could identify cognitively) and handicapped children (with whom these children could identify both physically and cognitively).

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

Qualitative outcome analysis: evaluating nursing interventions for complex clinical phenomena.

PURPOSE: To describe a method that allows evaluating nursing interventions derived from a qualitative research project, and that shows appropriate interventions. ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK: Qualitative research has expanded over the last decade and has contributed significantly to understanding patients' experiences of health, illness, and injury. Yet the value of qualitative research in determining clinical interventions and subsequently evaluating the effects of these interventions on patients' outcomes has been limited. This method is used to confirm the efficacy of nursing interventions when experience changes over time, to extend the repertoire of intervention strategies, and to further clinicians' understanding of possible outcomes. DESIGN: From a completed study, Qualitative Outcome Analysis (QOA) enhances the identification of meaningful intervention strategies and plans for utilization. The researcher identifies the type of qualitative data that will enable the interpretation and evaluation of interventions, devises a means of data recording and analysis, and finally, disseminates the findings. CONCLUSIONS: QOA is a systematic means to confirm the applicability of clinical strategies developed from a single qualitative project, to extend the repertoire of clinical interventions, and to evaluate clinical outcomes.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed2000

Evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of approaches to nasogastric tube insertion during trauma care.

BACKGROUND: Numerous invasive, uncomfortable, and discomforting procedures are implemented almost routinely during trauma care. Previous research has shown that trauma care practitioners use comforting strategies during this care. Yet little is known of the effect of these comforting strategies on the effectiveness and efficiency of treatment. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of the caregiver's approach on the efficient and effective completion of a discomforting procedure (nasogastric tube insertion) on conscious patients during trauma care. METHODS: Ethology was used to analyze 32 attempts at nasogastric tube insertion from 193 videotaped trauma cases from 3 level I trauma centers in North America. Both qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques were used. RESULTS: The practitioner's approach was associated with the outcome of the treatment. Overall, practitioners who balanced the technical aspects of the procedure with use of comforting strategies to minimize the patient's discomfort (the blended approach) were most efficient and most effective in completing this procedure. Practitioners who were most attentive to procedural technique (with little respect to patients' discomfort) or who were overly attentive to comforting strategies (termed the technical and affective approaches, respectively) took longer and/or were less successful at completing the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Four patterned, standardized approaches to care were found: technical, affective, blended, and mixed. This study has implications for further research into the effect of the practitioner's approach on the patient's behavioral state in trauma care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Underestimating the value of women: assessing the indirect costs of women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Tri-Nation Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: Indirect costs result from diminished productivity and are incorporated in cost-benefit analysis to guide health resource allocation. Valuing the productivity impairment of those not involved in labor market activities is controversial but important for diseases affecting predominantly women if allocation decisions are to be economically efficient and equitable. We compared indirect costs incurred by women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a prototypical women's disease, calculated under varying assumptions for the value of diminished labor market and non-labor market activity. METHODS: Six hundred forty-eight female patients with SLE reported on employment status and time lost by themselves and their caregivers from labor market and non-labor market activities over a 6 month period. RESULTS: Average annual indirect costs ranged from $1,424 to $22,604 (1997 Canadian dollars) dependent on the value assigned to labor market and non-labor market activity. CONCLUSION: Indirect cost estimates that fail to consider longterm labor market absenteeism and diminished non-labor market productivity and do not use gender neutral wages to value labor market activity may lead to decisions that jeopardize resources for women's diseases.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed2000

Establishing and maintaining trust during acute care hospitalizations.

The concept of trust is significant in nursing; however, it remains inadequately defined and operationalized. The purpose of this study was to advance the development of the concept of trust by exploring patients' perspectives of processes of establishing and maintaining trust in health care providers during acute care hospitalizations. Grounded theory methods, including theoretical sampling and the constant comparative processes, were used. The sample included 50 adult inpatients with a wide variety of medical-surgical diagnoses who discussed their experiences while hospitalized. The core variable linking the process of developing and maintaining trust was meeting expectations. Through a series of interactions with health care providers and other hospital personnel, patients used monitoring behaviors to evaluate congruency between their expectations of care and the actual behaviors of providers. From this evaluation, three trajectories were identified based on whether expectations were met, exceeded, or unmet. Trust was shown to be dynamic and thus permits opportunities for interventions to redirect the trajectory.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Comforting strategies used during nasogastric tube insertion.

Nasogastric tube insertion is a procedure that commonly involves discomfort, yet requires the cooperation of the conscious patient. This study employed qualitative ethology to investigate how comforting strategies were used during the insertion of nasogastric tubes in trauma care. Practitioners used eight direct and indirect comforting strategies in uniquely patterned styles (technical, affective and blended). In addition, a form of 'team comforting' was implemented as multiple trauma team members made a concerted effort to complete the procedure. Further study is needed to explicate how the nurse's style affects the behavioural state displayed by the patient.

Emergency Nursing↗
PubMed1999

Estimation of direct and indirect costs because of common infections in toddlers attending day care centers.

OBJECTIVE: To describe both the direct and the indirect costs of illness in a closely followed cohort of toddlers attending day care centers (DCCs) in Québec, Canada. METHODS: Fifty-two DCCs participated in the study. Parents were invited to fill in a calendar on which they would indicate the occurrence of colds, diarrhea, and vomiting, in addition to any actions taken with respect to this occurrence. The participating parents were called biweekly to report the information. The costs reported in this article are based on a period of 6 months of follow-up. The direct costs included medication and visits to a physician whereas indirect costs included alternative care provided by a family member, a babysitter, or an employed parent who missed work. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-three toddlers were followed from 35 to 182 days during the study period. During a 6-month period, the adjusted average costs per child for medication and consultation were $47.47 (standard deviation [SD] = 52.76) and $49.10 (SD = 51.34), respectively, whereas they amount to $11.51 (SD = 51.19) for care by a babysitter, $35.68 (SD = 94.74) for care by a family member, and $117.12 (SD = 210.29) for a parent missing work (when using opportunity cost). The overall adjusted average total costs per child incurred to the parents and society was $260.70 (SD = 301.25). CONCLUSIONS: The originality of this study was to comprehensively include all costs associated with the care of an ill child attending DCCs. Future research should aim at finding economical ways to decrease illness frequency in toddlers attending day care centers and subsequently the costs they incur.

Child Day Care Centers↗