Mobility of people with retinitis pigmentosa as a function of vision and psychological variables

We investigated the mobility performance of subjects with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) as a function of clinical measures of residual vision and psychological variables. We found a highly significant correlation between clinical measures of residual vision and mobility. Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity and residual visual field together explained 64% of the variance in mobility performance in an indoor shopping mall. We suggest a simple new clinical method of scoring the visual field for predicting mobility performance, the RP Concentric Field Rating. The RP Concentric Field Rating alone explained 60% of the variance in mobility performance. In spite of expectations derived from reading the recent literature, we did not find a significant correlation between psychological variables and mobility performance in a group of subjects with RP.

Physical activity participation and barriers for people with multiple myeloma

Purpose

This study aims to examine, for people treated for multiple myeloma, (1) differences between prediagnosis and postdiagnosis levels of physical activity, (2) perceived barriers and likelihood of attending a physical activity program, and (3) factors that influence whether or not respondents are meeting physical activity guidelines.
Methods

This was a quantitative cross-sectional study; data were gathered from a larger Australian population-wide survey. Respondents completed the survey in hard copy, online, or over the telephone. Demographic and clinical variables included age, gender, locality, time since diagnosis, and marital status. The Godin Leisure-Time Questionnaire measured physical activity; barriers and likelihood of participating in a physical activity program were assessed using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses.
Results

Of the 229 respondents, 53.1 % were male, 42 % aged 60–69 years, and 75.7 % were married or in a de facto relationship. Participation in physical activity declined significantly from prediagnosis levels. Fatigue, injuries, and pain were the strongest perceived barriers to participation; 41 % reported they were likely to attend an exercise program if offered. Respondents who were sufficiently active before diagnosis were 4.79 times more likely to be sufficiently active posttreatment.
Conclusions

People with multiple myeloma reported very low levels of physical activity across all levels of intensity; however, they were interested in attending a physical activity program. To increase physical activity among people with multiple myeloma, interventions should target perceived barriers with a particular focus on those who were not physically active prior to diagnosis.

Home hemodialysis : a successful option for obese and bariatric people with end-stage kidney disease

The increasing prevalence of obesity in developed countries is reflected in the chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and transplant populations. The added risk factor of obesity increases the risk of vascular events, inflammation, insulin resistance, blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and mortality risk. Nephrology center policies may exclude obese people from transplantation programs resulting in many years of dialysis. The case of a 215-kg Australian male who has successfully dialyzed at home for more than 8 years will be used to illustrate the important considerations and clinical support that these people require for successful home dialysis treatment. The aim of this paper is to report on a program that has successfully trained 23 obese (body mass index >30) people who commenced on home hemodialysis between 2001 and 2009. Body weight ranged between 94.0 and 215 kg (mean 126, SD 26.19) and body mass index ranged between 34.9 and 71 (mean 43.38, SD 9.99) at the start of home training. During the 8.5 years of follow-up, average time on home dialysis was 43.7 months. Home hemodialysis is a feasible treatment for obese people to facilitate longer and more frequent dialysis, resulting in improved hemodynamic stability and improved quality of life. For obese people with end-stage kidney disease, home hemodialysis has shown to be cost-effective and can result in greater treatment efficacy than in-center hospital dialysis.

A longitudinal examination of burden and psychological distress in carers of people with an eating disorder

Purpose
Eating disorders are chronic conditions that require ongoing, high level care. Despite the chronic nature of eating disorders, to date, previous research examining eating disorder carer burden and psychological distress has been cross-sectional only. Therefore, the current study aimed to conduct a preliminary longitudinal examination of the predictors of carer burden and psychological distress for carers of those with an eating disorder.
Methods
A self-report, quantitative questionnaire approach was utilised. Forty-two carers completed three self-report questionnaires over a period of 9 months (initial, 4½ and 9 months) assessing carer burden, psychological distress, carer needs, expressed emotion, coping strategies and social support.
Results
Maladaptive coping, expressed emotion and carer needs were significant longitudinal predictors of carer burden. Carer psychological distress could not be predicted longitudinally.
Conclusions
In order to reduce carer burden, interventions should test whether reducing maladaptive coping strategies, expressed emotion and addressing carer needs lead to lower carer burden and distress.

Cluster randomized controlled trial of a peer support program for people with diabetes: study protocol for the Australasian peers for progress study

Background
Well managed diabetes requires active self-management in order to ensure optimal glycaemic control and appropriate use of available clinical services and other supports. Peer supporters can assist people with their daily diabetes self-management activities, provide emotional and social support, assist and encourage clinical care and be available when needed.
Methods
A national database of Australians diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is being used to invite people in pre-determined locations to participate in community-based peer support groups. Peer supporters are self-identified from these communities. All consenting participants receive diabetes self-management education and education manual prior to randomization by community to a peer support intervention or usual care. This multi-faceted intervention comprises four interconnected components for delivering support to the participants. (1) Trained supporters lead 12 monthly group meetings. Participants are assisted to set goals to improve diabetes self-management, discuss with and encourage each other to strengthen linkages with local clinical services (including allied health services) as well as provide social and emotional support. (2) Support through regular supporter-participant or participant-participant contact, between monthly sessions, is also promoted in order to maintain motivation and encourage self-improvement and confidence in diabetes self-management. (3) Participants receive a workbook containing diabetes information, resources and community support services, key diabetes management behaviors and monthly goal setting activity sheets. (4) Finally, a password protected website contains further resources for the participants. Supporters are mentored and assisted throughout the intervention by other supporters and the research team through attendance at a weekly teleconference. Data, including a self-administered lifestyle survey, anthropometric and biomedical measures are collected on all participants at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome is change in cardiovascular disease risk using the UKPDS risk equation. Secondary outcomes include biomedical, quality of life, psychosocial functioning, and other lifestyle measures. An economic evaluation will determine whether the program is cost effective.
Discussion
This manuscript presents the protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial of group-based peer support for people with type 2 diabetes in a community setting. Results from this trial will contribute evidence about the effectiveness of peer support in achieving effective self-management of diabetes.

Review : a history of intelligence and "intellectual disability"

In many respects, A History of Intelligence and Intellectual 'Disability' is a confronting work. At a literal level, it comprises eighteen chapters verging on a total of quarter of a million words, apart from twenty-two pages of primary and secondary sources. Many of its chapters are drawn from Chris Goodey's articles since the early 'nineties in such journals as Ancient Philosophy, Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie, History of the Human Sciences, and Political Theory. However, he immediately warns us that such articles exist as a "more primitive form" (vii) of the current volume.

Internet administration of three commonly used questionnaires in panic research : equivalence to paper administration in Australian and Swedish samples of people with panic disorder

This study assessed the degree of equivalence between paper and Internet administration of three measures of panic and agoraphobia-related cognition and behavior: Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ), Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), and Mobility Inventory (MI). Participants were 110 people with panic disorder who had registered for an Internet-based treatment program in Sweden (n = 54) or Australia (n = 56). Participants were randomly assigned to complete the questionnaires via the differing administration formats in a counterbalanced order. Results showed broadly equivalent psychometric properties across administrations, with strong significant intraclass correlations between them, and comparable Cronbach's alpha coefficients. A significant mean difference between administration formats was found for the BSQ only. In contrast to previous research, Internet administration did not generate higher scores than paper administration. No effect was found for order of administration. The findings suggest that each questionnaire can be validly administered via the Internet and used with confidence.

Religious/spiritual well-being, coping styles and personality dimensions in people with substance use disorders

Religiosity and spirituality have been found to be negatively associated with a range of addictions. It has been suggested that religious/spiritual well-being might play an important role in the development, course and the recovery from addictive disorders. A sample of addiction in-patients (n=389) was assessed using the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (MI-RSWB) and compared with a matched group of non-addicted community controls (n=389). RSWB was found to be substantially lower in people with substance use disorders compared to the normal sample. Discriminate functional analysis showed that Experiences of Sense and Meaning, General Religiosity and Forgiveness were the dimensions of RSWB which strongly distinguished the groups. Within the group of people with substance use disorders, RSWB was strongly positively associated with the personality dimensions of Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Openness as well as Sense of Coherence and positive Coping styles. The study suggests that therapeutic intervention programs focusing on building a positive and meaningful personal framework, akin to that of a religious/spiritual orientation, may contribute to positive outcomes in addiction treatment.

Self-management needs during life transitions among younger people with type 2 diabetes : an Australian and Danish cohort comparison

The primary aim of this pilot study is to provide cross-cultural and detailed insights into how psychological and social factors impact on younger people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and self-management skille (20-40 years). The specific objectives are to: identify self-management strategies used by younger people with T2DM during life transitions in the period from 20-40 years of age; investigate participants' perception of self-management to identify the specific needs of younger people with T2DM. This research will provide health professionals with insights to the specific needs for young adults with T2DM and will add ground breaking innovative information by investigating cultural comparison between Australia and Denmark.

Quantifying the profile and progression of impairments, activity, participation, and quality of life in people with Parkinson disease : protocol for a prospective cohort study

Background Despite the finding that Parkinson disease (PD) occurs in more than one in every 1000 people older than 60 years, there have been few attempts to quantify how deficits in impairments, activity, participation, and quality of life progress in this debilitating condition. It is unclear which tools are most appropriate for measuring change over time in PD.
Methods and design This protocol describes a prospective analysis of changes in impairments, activity, participation, and quality of life over a 12 month period together with an economic analysis of costs associated with PD. One-hundred participants will be included, provided they have idiopathic PD rated I-IV on the modified Hoehn & Yahr (1967) scale and fulfil the inclusion criteria. The study aims to determine which clinical and economic measures best quantify the natural history and progression of PD in a sample of people receiving services from the Victorian Comprehensive Parkinson's Program, Australia. When the data become available, the results will be expressed as baseline scores and changes over 3 months and 12 months for impairment, activity, participation, and quality of life together with a cost analysis.
Discussion This study has the potential to identify baseline characteristics of PD for different Hoehn & Yahr stages, to determine the influence of disease duration on performance, and to calculate the costs associated with idiopathic PD. Valid clinical and economic measures for quantifying the natural history and progression of PD will also be identified.