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Biomedical subjects

V Speller

Publications and source records attributed to V Speller.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

The success of an integrated care programme for patients with ischaemic heart disease: the practice nurses' perspective of SHIP.

Follow-up care of patients with angina and myocardial infarction after hospital discharge is known to be suboptimal across the UK. The employment of cardiac liaison nurses ensured timely notification of hospital discharge and good communication of each patient's current and planned care. The direct ongoing support of the liaison nurse was valued by more practice nurses than educational support meetings and the initial counselling skills course. The most important factor which enabled practice nurses to expand their role to provide post-hospital follow-up care was the support of the doctors in the practice. After the conclusion of the Southampton Heart Integrated Care Project (SHIP) and the withdrawal of cardiac liaison nurses, the lack of hospital discharge notification was the most important reason for practice nurses discontinuing follow-up care.

Aftercare↗
PubMed1998

Factors which influence 'healthy' eating patterns: results from the 1993 Health Education Authority health and lifestyle survey in England.

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the factors that influence eating patterns in a nationally representative sample of the English population. DESIGN: Subjects were interviewed in 1993; questions covered basic demographic details, attitudes about nutrition, and they completed a short food frequency questionnaire that had previously been validated. Cluster analysis was used to summarize dietary intake into more or less healthy clusters. SETTING: A random sample of the English population. SUBJECTS: A cross-sectional survey of 5553 men and women (response rate 70%) aged between 16 and 74 years. RESULTS: As defined from the cluster analysis about half the sample were currently reporting a more healthy diet; respondents in the better educated middle-aged demographic cluster were more likely to report eating a more healthy diet than respondents in the younger lower-income family cluster. About three-quarters of all respondents believed that they either already ate a healthy diet or had changed to a healthy diet in the last 3 years. For those respondents who said they were eating a healthy diet about half of them were eating a more healthy diet. Respondents who had not changed their diet were more likely than those who had to believe that healthy foods were just another fashion (men 34% v. 13%; women 30% v. 12%), or expensive (men 50% v. 35%; women 53% v. 40%); they were less likely to care about what they ate (men 45% v. 13%; women 27% v. 7%). Nearly three-quarters of all respondents agreed that experts never agree about what foods are good for you. Younger, low-income families, and those who smoked, were the group least likely to be eating a more healthy diet. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that about half of the population has reported a change to a healthier diet over the last 3 years and that overall about half of the population report eating a healthy diet. Those who had not made any change and were currently reporting a less healthy diet were more likely to smoke and come from the 'worse off group in the survey; they were also more likely to hold negative attitudes about healthy eating. A more focused and integrated approach to promoting healthy lifestyle in general is required, while at the same time ensuring that there is continued support for the majority of the population who have made healthy dietary changes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Randomized clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of two dietary interventions for patients with hyperlipidaemia.

1. Intervention trials in free-living populations have shown relatively small reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including lipid levels, and have led some to question whether diet is an effective treatment for hyperlipidaemia. However, behaviour change is a complex process and it is possible that standard intervention methods fail to motivate people sufficiently to comply with dietary advice.2. This study applied motivational interviewing, a style of behaviour change counselling, to dietary education for people with hyperlipidaemia. One-hundred and twenty-one patients with hyperlipidaemia who had been referred to a hospital dietetic department for dietary advice were randomized to receive either standard or motivational dietary interventions for a period of 3 months. Outcomes assessed included dietary knowledge, stage of change, dietary intakes, lipid levels and body mass indices. 3. From baseline, both methods of dietary intervention resulted in self-reported changes in dietary habits and knowledge, statistically significant reductions in intake of total fat (from 32.8% to 28.4%), saturated fat (from 11.4% to 9.2%) and energy intakes [-239 kcal (-999.98 kJ)/day], and in body mass indices (-0.45 kg/m2). Serum cholesterol did not change significantly in either intervention group.4. Motivational and standard dietary interventions achieved statistically significant changes in reported dietary knowledge and behaviour, and led to a reduction in body weight, but not serum cholesterol. Whether this lack of effect is real or due to subjects overestimating true dietary change cannot be determined. Change in body weight was associated with a reported change in energy intake; this provides some support for there having been a real change in intake.

Body Mass Index↗