Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer Percival.
In this article the authors discuss strategies to help patients stop smoking--the greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. They outline the various products and local support services available for patients.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Almost 10 million people in Britain exhibit symptoms of allergy (Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Pathologists, 1994). A significant number have severe allergic reactions to foods and substances including: peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and brazil nuts); sesame; milk; eggs; shellfish; fish; fresh fruit; insect venom; latex; and prescribed drugs. The prevalence of peanut allergy in young children has tripled in the UK during the past decade (Grundy et al, 2002).
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
One in four pregnant women smokes throughout pregnancy and these women tend to be young, single, of lower educational achievement and in manual occupations. About 25 per cent of pregnant smokers stop for part of their pregnancy, mostly within the first trimester, but 75 per cent return to smoking after the birth of their child (Owen and Penn, 1999).
In the 20th century, over half the English population smoked, but this figure has now dropped to a quarter (Office for National Statistics, 2003). A combination of scientific evidence, health education campaigns and larger warnings on cigarette packets has contributed to achieving this change. Public opinion has also shifted dramatically, and most people now accept that being a smoker is damaging to health. In 1992, the World Health Organization International Agency for Research and Cancer classified second-hand smoke as being 'carcinogenic' to humans (WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2002). Following this report, New York became one of the first cities in the world to introduce a comprehensive ban on smoking in public places to protect employees. In the UK, however, many employees, including nurses, are still routinely exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace.
Advising patients to stop smoking is an important intervention that will have an effect on their immediate and future health. Nurses need to be familiar with the numerous products that are available to assist smokers to give up cigarettes. Jennifer Percival describes how nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion can help smokers achieve success.
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