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Biomedical subjects

Nabil Sulaiman

Publications and source records attributed to Nabil Sulaiman.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Experiences of Australian parents caring for children with asthma: it gets easier.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences of Australian parents caring for children with asthma. METHODS: A combination of random sampling, purposeful sampling and quota sampling was used to select care-givers from general practices in Melbourne's north and north-western suburbs. Data collection involved a single semi-structured in-depth interview with 21 parents caring for a child with asthma. Thematic analysis was aided by QSR NVivo. RESULTS: Children experienced predominantly mild-to-moderate, episodic asthma. Six themes emerged from the interviews: emotions and behaviours, coping strategies, disruption to activities, health and treatment beliefs, problems with asthma management, and relationships with doctors. Parents' experiences and health beliefs impacted on their management of asthma. These may act as barriers to optimal asthma care in some families. The overriding theme to emerge was 'it gets easier'. It got easier with time because the children could communicate more effectively, and were better able to take care of themselves, and their asthma became less severe or less of a problem. DISCUSSION: This research has highlighted the need for health professionals to emphasize the chronic nature of asthma, but negotiate strategies with care-givers to optimize the use of asthma medications, with consideration being given to care-givers' fears, frustrations and health beliefs.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2003

Falls prevention within the Australian general practice data model: methodology, information model, and terminology issues.

The iterative development of the Falls Risk Assessment and Management System (FRAMS) drew upon research evidence and early consumer and clinician input through focus groups, interviews, direct observations, and an online questionnaire. Clinical vignettes were used to validate the clinical model and program logic, input, and output. The information model was developed within the Australian General Practice Data Model (GPDM) framework. The online FRAMS implementation used available Internet (TCP/IP), messaging (HL7, XML), knowledge representation (Arden Syntax), and classification (ICD10-AM, ICPC2) standards. Although it could accommodate most of the falls prevention information elements, the GPDM required extension for prevention and prescribing risk management. Existing classifications could not classify all falls prevention concepts. The lack of explicit rules for terminology and data definitions allowed multiple concept representations across the terminology-architecture interface. Patients were more enthusiastic than clinicians. A usable standards-based online-distributed decision support system for falls prevention can be implemented within the GPDM, but a comprehensive terminology is required. The conceptual interface between terminology and architecture requires standardization, preferably within a reference information model. Developments in electronic decision support must be guided by evidence-based clinical and information models and knowledge ontologies. The safety and quality of knowledge-based decision support systems must be monitored. Further examination of falls and other clinical domains within the GPDM is needed.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2003

Coping as a mediator of psychosocial impediments to optimal management and control of asthma.

Adherence to asthma medication regimens by asthma patients is often poor and contributes to the continued and substantial burden of asthma in the community. There is evidence of increased rates of behavioural problems, anxiety and depression in people with moderate-to-severe asthma and these factors may interfere with adherence and contribute to poor asthma control. An alternative explanation is that the relationship between feelings of anxiety and depression, and adherence to the treatment regimen may be more accurately predicted from the coping styles used, rather than the experience of asthma itself. The objective of this paper was to review evidence for associations between coping strategies used by asthma patients, asthma management and health outcomes. The Medline and PsychInfo databases were searched for articles containing the terms "asthma" and "coping". Patients with asthma tended to use different strategies for coping with stress and illness compared to healthy participants and individuals with other chronic illnesses. Emotion-focussed coping strategies such as denial were commonly used by patients with poor medication adherence, those who attended emergency departments for asthma, were admitted to hospital for asthma, or suffered near-fatal asthma attacks. Interventions to improve coping strategies have been effective in reducing symptoms and psychological distress. The availability of coping resources to patients and/or their caregivers and the coping strategies that are used are likely to mediate the influence of psychosocial factors on the management of asthma. Further studies exploring the ways in which individuals cope with asthma will improve our understanding of the mechanisms linking psychological and social status to asthma morbidity and mortality.

Adaptation, Psychological↗