Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Karen Fisher.
The journal Impact Factor and citation counts are misconstrued and misused as measures of scientific quality. Articles must be read in order to judge their quality. We have introduced a system, which may be easily replicated, to identify the best articles published in a journal.
We sought to identify poems about Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and describe their major themes, with a view to using some of those poems in clinical situations-for persons receiving ECT and their families-as well as for teaching purposes. Several poems were identified, eight almost exclusively about ECT and a number of other works containing references to the treatment. The poets, some of whom have won distinguished prizes, came from the United States, U.K., Australia, and Estonia. The poems included very positive accounts of ECT and more denigrating pieces. Some of the themes covered by the poems were the desperate plight of persons prior to ECT, the potentially striking beneficial effects of the treatment, fears about the use of electricity, ECT procedure, and memory impairment, and the stigma associated with the treatment.
This article highlights the prevalence of obesity in the UK and the associated health costs. It discusses the attempts the government is making to halt the growth of the 'obesogenic' society and summarises practical tips and interventions of use when advising individuals on obesity issues.
As part of its Food and Health Action Plan, the Department of Health is working with the food industry, and with other stakeholders, to establish a coherent national plan to help people in England improve their diets. Maintaining a healthy diet is important for all age groups, but healthy older people have particular needs. Karen Fisher describes the specific nutritional issues affecting healthy older people and suggests advice that nurses can offer people during opportunistic consultations in primary care.