Is 15 per cent very common? Informing people about the risks of medication side effects

Objectives - To assess the general public's interpretation of the verbal descriptors for side effect frequency recommended for use in medicine information leaflets by a European Union (EU) guideline, and to examine the extent to which differences in interpretation affect people's perception of risk and their judgments of intention to comply with the prescribed treatment. Method - Two studies used a controlled empirical methodology in which people were presented with a hypothetical, but realistic, scenario about visiting their general practitioner and being prescribed medication. They were given an explanation that focused on the side effects of the medicine, together with information about the probability of occurrence using either numerical percentages or the corresponding EU verbal descriptors. Interpretation of the descriptors was assessed. In study 2, participants were also required to make various judgments, including risk to health and intention to comply. Key findings - In both studies, use of the EU recommended descriptors led to significant overestimations of the likelihood of particular side effects occurring. Study 2 further showed that the "overestimation" resulted in significantly increased ratings of perceived severity of side effects and risk to health, as well as significantly reduced ratings of intention to comply, compared with those for people who received the probability information in numerical form. Conclusion - While it is recognised that the current findings require replication in a clinical setting, the European and national authorities should suspend the use of the EU recommended terms until further research is available to allow the use of an evidence-based approach.

The experiences and priorities of young people who care for their siblings in Tanzania and Uganda

This report presents key findings from a small-scale pilot research project that explored the experiences and priorities of young people caring for their siblings in sibling-headed households affected by AIDS in Tanzania and Uganda. Qualitative and participatory research was conducted with 33 young people living in sibling-headed households and 39 NGO staff and community members in rural and urban areas of Tanzania and Uganda. The report analyses the ways that young people manage transitions to caring for their younger siblings following their parents’ death and the impacts of caring on their family relations, education, emotional wellbeing and health, social lives and their transitions to adulthood. The study highlights gendered- and age-related differences in the nature and extent of young people’s care work and discusses young people’s needs and priorities for action, based on the views of young people, NGO staff and community members. Meeting the basic needs of young people living in sibling-headed households, listening to young people’s views, fostering peer support and relationships of trust with supportive adults, raising awareness and advocacy emerge as key priorities to safeguard the rights of children and young people living in sibling-headed households and challenge the stigma and marginalisation they sometimes face.

Support and information needs of older and disabled older people in the UK

The aim of this study was to determine the support and information needs of older and disabled older people in the UK. Following an initial literature survey, an examination of data on enquiries made by older people to information providers, and a series of focus groups, a questionnaire was developed for a nationwide survey. Over 1630 questionnaires were completed by disabled older clients of Day Care Centres and less frail older members of social clubs. Findings showed that there is a serious shortfall in the number of older people getting the practical support that they need, and the information that enables access to this support, compared to the number that actually need help. Substantial percentages of the survey respondents experienced difficulty with everyday tasks and with accessing the information they needed. Implications for formal sources of support and information are discussed.

Introducing assistive technologies (AT) into the existing homes of older people

The design of accessible environments, for use by all, is a legal requirement for all public buildings, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA, 1995) since October 1999 and the removal of all physical barriers becomes enforceable in 2004. Accessibility has transferred from being a social and moral issue to a legal requirement. The Research Group for Inclusive Environments at the University of Reading undertakes research to better understand methods to make the built environment more accessible. This paper presents the findings from the research project, Project Crystal, investigating the design of environments for better communication for deaf and hard of hearing people. At the last COBRA conference the preliminary findings from the pilot questionnaire were presented. During the year the questionnaire has been distributed more widely and a test environment has been used to investigate the effects the variables of lighting and colour have on people's ability to communicate. This paper will present some of the findings from the project, which is almost complete, and generalise on the effect wall surface design has on accessibility of an environment for people with a hearing impairment.

Designing the indoor environment for people

Intelligent buildings should provide a multi-sensory experience so that visual, aural, tactile, olfactory and gustatory senses are stimulated appropriately. A lack of environmental stimuli produces a boring and unsatisfying environment. It is now known that the environment affects people at deeper levels than, say, health and safety, and consequently it can modify moods and work performance. A holistic approach is proposed which recognizes that the physical environment together with social, organizational and personal factors can enhance the productivity of occupants. This approach provides a footprint for the design of healthier and more sustainable workplaces.