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Richard J McManus

Publications and source records attributed to Richard J McManus.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Prevalence of the use of cancer related self-tests by members of the public: a community survey.

BACKGROUND: Self-tests are those where an individual can obtain a result without recourse to a health professional, by getting a result immediately or by sending a sample to a laboratory that returns the result directly. Self-tests can be diagnostic, for disease monitoring, or both. There are currently tests for more than 20 different conditions available to the UK public, and self-testing is marketed as a way of alerting people to serious health problems so they can seek medical help. Almost nothing is known about the extent to which people self-test for cancer or why they do this. Self-tests for cancer could alter perceptions of risk and health behaviour, cause psychological morbidity and have a significant impact on the demand for healthcare. This study aims to gain an understanding of the frequency of self-testing for cancer and characteristics of users. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey. Adults registered in participating general practices in the West Midlands Region, will be asked to complete a questionnaire that will collect socio-demographic information and basic data regarding previous and potential future use of self-test kits. The only exclusions will be people who the GP feels it would be inappropriate to send a questionnaire, for example because they are unable to give informed consent. Freepost envelopes will be included and non-responders will receive one reminder. Standardised prevalence rates will be estimated. DISCUSSION: Cancer related self-tests, currently available from pharmacies or over the Internet, include faecal occult blood tests (related to bowel cancer), prostate specific antigen tests (related to prostate cancer), breast cancer kits (self examination guide) and haematuria tests (related to urinary tract cancers). The effect of an increase in self-testing for cancer is unknown but may be considerable: it may affect the delivery of population based screening programmes; empower patients or cause unnecessary anxiety; reduce costs on existing healthcare services or increase demand to investigate patients with positive test results. It is important that more is known about the characteristics of those who are using self-tests if we are to determine the potential impact on health services and the public.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Applicability to primary care of national clinical guidelines on blood pressure lowering for people with stroke: cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics of patients with cerebrovascular disease in primary care with those of the participants in the PROGRESS trial, on which national guidelines for blood pressure lowering are based. DESIGN: Population based cross sectional survey of patients with confirmed stroke or transient ischaemic attack. SETTING: Seven general practices in south Birmingham, England. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with a validated history of stroke (n = 413) or transient ischaemic attack (n = 107). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: age, sex, time since last cerebrovascular event, blood pressure, and whether receiving antihypertensive treatment. RESULTS: Patients were 12 years older than the participants in PROGRESS and twice as likely to be women. The median time that had elapsed since their cerebrovascular event was two and a half years, compared with eight months in PROGRESS. The systolic blood pressure of 315 (61%) patients was over 140 mm Hg, and for 399 (77%) it was over 130 mm Hg. One hundred and forty seven (28%) patients were receiving a thiazide diuretic, and 136 (26%) were receiving an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: Important differences exist between the PROGRESS trial participants and a typical primary care stroke population, which undermine the applicability of the trial's findings. Research in appropriate populations is urgently needed before the international guidelines are implemented in primary care.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Thromboembolism.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed2003

Does changing from mercury to electronic blood pressure measurement influence recorded blood pressure? An observational study.

Mercury sphygmomanometers have been commonly used in primary care to measure blood pressure but are associated with bias. Electronic blood pressure machines are being introduced in many practices and have anecdotally been associated with higher recorded blood pressure. This study examined recorded blood pressure in four practices before and after electronic blood pressure machine introduction. No consistent change in mean blood pressure was apparent following their introduction, but there was a large and significant fall in terminal digit preference suggesting improved precision of recording.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed2002

Thromboembolism.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anticoagulants↗