ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Background:Although biomedical research is being conducted on long-term nonprogressors with HIV disease, there is relatively little research on the psychosocial factors influencing this phenomenon.Objective:To describe the perceptions of long-term nonprogressors of their HIV disease and its course.Method:A naturalistic study design was used to elicit information from 25 men and women who were long-term nonprogressors (HIV positive for 7 or more years, CD4 count > 500, and free of opportunistic infections and/or AIDS-defining illnesses). Audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim, and content analysis and constant comparison were used to elicit themes.Results:Themes include viewing HIV as a manageable illness, taking care of my physical health, human connectedness, taking care of my emotional/mental health, and spirituality. Specific ways of adapting to HIV are identified within each theme.Conclusions:The results of this study can be used by nurses who work with HIV positive individuals in an effort to help them adopt strategies that may assist them in maintaining their health. However, longitudinal studies that follow this group over time and that include biomedical markers of disease progression would provide knowledge that would assist in the refinement of these interventions.

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Background:Family caregivers of stroke survivors experience more depression, emotional problems, social inactivity, and general ill-health than noncaregiving individuals. While a number of instruments measure these variables in family caregivers, they are often too global, indicating the need for a situation-specific instrument measuring life changes resulting from providing care.Objectives:To develop and psychometrically test the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (BCOS) measuring changes in family caregiving outcomes in the stroke population.Method:48 items were developed, with 27 being judged as content valid by a panel of five experts. Psychometric testing with two convenience samples of family caregivers of stroke survivors (ns= 92, 104) was conducted using item analysis, Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression.Results:Item analysis in sample no. 1 resulted in a 12-item scale with alpha = .90. The scale was further shortened to a 10-item scale in sample no. 2 with alpha = .77. Unidimensionality was supported by factor analysis in both samples. Using hierarchical multiple regression, 63% of the variance of the 12-item BCOS in sample no. 1, and 45% of the variance of the 10-item BCOS in sample no. 2 was accounted for by the constructs in the conceptual model. Criterion-related validity was supported in both samples by significant correlations with the LIFE-3 and a criterion variable with the same response format as the BCOS. Significant BCOS correlations with the SF-36 Health Survey subscales in sample no. 2 provided further evidence of criterion-related validity.Conclusion:The 10-item BCOS is a brief, easy to administer instrument that has evidence of reliability and validity in family caregivers of stroke survivors. The 10-item BCOS could serve as a valuable measure in research, as well as an assessment tool to identify family caregivers in need of intervention.

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Background:Although the behavioral changes with progressive dementia are seen to increasingly depend on the environmental context until late stage disease, measurement has not reflected this interaction in real time to allow examination of antecedents to disruptive behavior.Objectives:To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Environment-Behavior Interaction Code (EBIC) for use in dementia care research with either sequential or non-sequential analyses of behavioral data.Method:Development of the computer-based (sequential event format) EBIC provided an observational coding system to classify all behavior and environmental context in real time, so that the probability of social environmental antecedents to resident disruptive behavior could be estimated. A checklist (interval format) EBIC, based on the same behavioral taxonomy, was developed for clinical outcome research. A total of 158 elderly residents of dementia care units were purposively selected from three large long-term care facilities for the psychometric study components.Results:Psychometric results indicated significant (p< 0.01) known-groups validity for the disruptive behavior construct, which was defined as a composite of aversive, harmful, and high intensity neutral behavior. Interrater agreement for the event format of the EBIC was estimated by average kappa (0.65) and percentage agreement (78%). For the interval format, the mean interrater kappa was 0.80 with 96% agreement. Stability of the event format using a 2-week retest interval ranged fromr= .50 (positive behavior) tor= 0.73 (negative behavior, defined as aversive + harmful). On replication with a new sample, stability was higher for positive (r= 0.92) and negative (r= 0.95) components, and for composite scores of nondisruptive (positive + low intensity neutral;r= 0.65) and disruptive (r= 0.85) behavior.Conclusion:This research provided support for the reliability and validity of both event and interval EBIC formats. Measurement using the EBIC taxonomy has applicability to dementia care research questions that call for either sequential analysis of social interactions or nonsequential analysis of behavioral outcomes in intervention studies.

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Background:Canes are among the most underutilized assistive devices for older persons. A significant obstacle to understanding cane use behaviors of older adults is the lack of instruments measuring factors that may influence seniors' decisions to accept or reject these devices.Objectives:Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study involved the development and evaluation of an instrument to measure cognitive determinants of cane use among community-living older adults.Method:The two-phase design involved: a) instrument formation including item generation from four focus group interviews with seniors (n= 30), expert panel evaluation (n= 10), and pilot testing (n= 10); and b) instrument validation in a cross sectional survey (n= 106).Results:Psychometric analyses of survey data provided empirical evidence of the construct validity and reliability of the instrument. Principal components analysis verified the hypothesized four-factor solution, explaining 63.2% of variance. Independent t-tests yielded statistically significant differences (p< 0.001) in mean scores between the two contrasting groups of cane users (n= 51) and nonusers (n= 55) with respect to each of the four factors identified. Alpha coefficients of 0.81 to 0.96 indicated high internal consistency of the instrument.Conclusions:The instrument can be used by clinicians and researchers to assess seniors' salient beliefs about the consequences of cane use, guide tailored intervention strategies to promote acceptance and effective use, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Background:Although interviews are commonly used to gather research data, the integrity of interview data can be threatened by discrepancies between interviewers and respondents on such characteristics as race, gender, or age.Objectives:To determine if participants' reports of the prevalence and severity of 30 symptoms varied as a function of interviewer gender. Symptoms that were assessed included general physical symptoms (diarrhea, headaches), psychological symptoms (feel blue and depressed, worry about nervous breakdown), and menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness).Method:Structured telephone interviews were completed by 137 women who were a mean of 56.5 years old (SD= 11.1, range 36-83) and a mean of 38.8 months (SD= 23.6) postdiagnosis of breast cancer. Interviewers included two women and two men.Results:Symptom prevalence and severity did not vary as a function of interviewer gender.Conclusions:Findings suggest that both male and female interviewers can be used successfully to assess participants' reports of physical, psychological, or menopausal symptoms.

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0029-6562    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1999

数据来源: OVID