PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Hawthorne

Publications and source records attributed to K Hawthorne.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Effect of culturally appropriate health education on glycaemic control and knowledge of diabetes in British Pakistani women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem in people of South Asian origin. It is associated with severe complications if it is not adequately controlled. This paper is a secondary assessment of 105 British Pakistani women within a larger randomized controlled trial of 200 Pakistani patients with diabetes. The trial used one-to-one structured diabetes health education, delivered by a linkworker with pictorial flashcards as a visual aid. Earlier published results from this study have shown that the women in the study knew less about diabetes and had poorer glycaemic control than men, which is why this assessment was performed to see what happened to them when they received appropriate health education. All patients were assessed before and 6 months after intervention by questionnaire and haemoglobin A1c blood tests to measure their overall blood sugar control. Nearly everyone improved their knowledge scores after 6 months in the intervention group, with women showing a catch-up improvement such that they equalled men. Multiple regression analysis found that glycaemic control improved in women receiving health education. Although this method of health education improved knowledge and glycaemic control in women in this sample, illiterate women did not do as well as their literate peers, continuing to score less on knowledge parameters. They also did not show an improvement in glycaemic control. Further work is needed to discover methods that will reach this sizeable subsection of the community.

Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring↗
PubMed1999

Pakistani moslems with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: effect of sex, literacy skills, known diabetic complications and place of care on diabetic knowledge, reported self-monitoring management and glycaemic control.

AIMS: To study factors such as sex, educational status and place of care, which might influence knowledge and self-management of diabetes, and glycaemic control in a Pakistani moslem diabetic population attending primary care general practices (GP) and secondary care clinics at the Manchester Diabetes Centre (MDC). METHODS: Patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus took part in a one-to-one semi-structured interview and gave blood for haemoglobin A1c levels. RESULTS: Two hundred and one patients entered the study. Knowledge about diabetic diets was good (average scores 72%), and patients claimed to perform regular glucose measurements (66%), but they were not good at applying their knowledge to problems in daily life. Only 24% knew how to manage persistent hyperglycaemia. Women were worse than men at this (19 vs. 31% (chi2 = 3.8, P = 0.05)), were less likely to understand why glucose levels should be monitored, and had poorer glycaemic control overall (HbA1c 8.8 vs. 8.1%, P = 0.04). Fifty-four patients were completely illiterate. They had similar knowledge scores to readers but were less able to handle problem scenarios. Forty-five of these patients were women, and multiple regression analysis showed they were more likely to have the poorest glycaemic control. No major differences were found between general practitioner and hospital attenders, or between patients with and without known complications, except that hospital attenders were more likely to have complications and poorer control. CONCLUSIONS: Women who cannot read in this population are likely to have poorer glycaemic control and may be finding it more difficult to learn how to apply their knowledge to daily life. This subgroup may need more intensive, culturally appropriate, health education and support.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

One-to-one teaching with pictures--flashcard health education for British Asians with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is up to four times more common in British Asians, but they know little about its management and complications. AIM: To design and evaluate a structured pictorial teaching programme for Pakistani Moslem patients in Manchester with type 2 diabetes. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial of pictorial flashcard one-to-one education in 201 patients attending a hospital outpatient clinic or diabetic clinics in ten general practices in Manchester. Patients' knowledge, self-caring skills and attitudes to diabetes were measured on four topics before the structured teaching, and compared with results six months later. RESULTS: All parameters of knowledge were increased in the study group; for example, percentage scores for correctly identifying different food values increased from 57% to 71% (Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) adjusted difference +11.8%) and knowledge of one diabetic complication from 18% to 78%. Self-caring behaviour improved, with 92% of patients doing regular glucose tests at six months compared with 63% at the start. Attitudinal views were more resistant to change, with patients still finding it hard to choose suitable foods at social occasions. Haemoglobin A1c control improved by 0.34% over six months (ANOVA adjusted difference, 95% CI -0.8% to +0.1%). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that this health education programme can empower Asian diabetics to take control of their diets, learn to monitor and interpret glucose results, and understand the implications of poor glycaemic control for diabetic complications.

Asia↗
PubMed1994

Accessibility and use of health care services in the British Asian community.

British Asians make up 3% of the population. There is evidence that Asians have difficulty obtaining good quality health care, appropriate to their needs. This article examines some of this evidence, with examples of specific communities in Britain. In the past, specific health education programmes for Asians have targeted their 'special' needs such as rickets, tuberculosis and thalassaemia. In fact the population itself perceives its needs differently--improved communication, easier access to services, and more information on asthma, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and skin disorders. It is important to appreciate that the 'Asian' community is made up of disparate groups with widely differing needs and expectations, and that each community should be considered by health service planners as unique within the context of the health authority within which they lie. Reasons for the mismatch between need and service provision are discussed in the light of the recent reforms in the National Health Service and recommendations for change are given.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Do patients read health promotion posters in the waiting room? A study in one general practice.

BACKGROUND: General practitioners are aware of the need to provide easily accessible health promotion information for their patients. Although many practices use health promotion posters in their surgeries, there appears to have been no formal evaluation of their effectiveness. AIM: A study was undertaken to investigate whether patients read and remembered waiting room posters, and if so, what factors influenced this. METHOD: A short questionnaire was distributed to patients in one practice following their consultation. It asked what they remembered of the poster display in the waiting room. RESULTS: Of 319 patients attending a doctor during the study period 82% said they had noticed the posters, 95% of whom reported they had also read them. Patients over 50 years of age were significantly more likely to say they had read the posters than younger patients, but significantly fewer showed interest in further information. The sex of patients did not influence their reading of posters or their interest in further health promotion literature. The longer patients had to wait for the doctor, the more likely they were to remember the subject of the posters correctly. Some subjects appeared to attract more patients' attention than others, in particular the displays about smoking cessation and about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Overall 53% said they would be interested in more information. CONCLUSION: Patients say they read and remember the subject of waiting room posters. Posters in the waiting room can increase awareness of health promotion issues.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Intention and reality in infant feeding.

Eighty women in a Nottingham practice completed antenatal and postnatal questionnaires about breastfeeding: 94% agreed that breastmilk was better than infant formula, but only 76% intended to breastfeed. The study confirms previous reports that primiparous women have a higher breastfeeding failure rate (45% had stopped by eight weeks). Women who gave later first feeds, or who were offered supplementary feeds in the postnatal ward, were more likely to be bottlefeeding at eight weeks. Hospital stays of less than 24 hours were strongly associated with successful feeding. Mothers receive little breastfeeding support from family or friends in the immediate postnatal period.

Adolescent↗