Experiences and needs of bereaved carers during palliative and end-of-life care for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This study explored the experiences of palliative care that bereaved carers had while providing care to a dying loved one with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Method: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with nine carers whohad lost a loved one in the preceding 6 to 24 months.These interviews explored levels of satisfaction with disease management, symptom management, and end-of-life care. With permission, interviews were tape recorded, transcribed, and subjected to content analysis.

Findings: Three themes emerged from the data: the impact of the caring experience, the lack of support services, and end-of-life and bereavement support. Carers experienced carer burden, lack of access to support services, a need for palliative care, and bereavement support.

Conclusion: The findings provide a first insight into the experiences of carers of patients with advanced COPD. Bereaved carers of patients who had suffered advanced COPD reported that they had received inadequate support and had a range of unmet palliative care needs. Special attention should be paid to educating and supporting carers during their caring and bereavement periods to ensure that their quality of life is maintained or enhanced

Cognitive biases for trauma stimuli in people with schizophrenia

This study investigates whether cognitive biases related to trauma (physical and sexual trauma) are present in a sample of participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

ALCOHOL-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES IN PEOPLE WITH A MILD LEARNING-DISABILITY - THE EFFECTS OF A SENSIBLE DRINKING GROUP

Alcohol-related knowledge and attitudes in people with a mild learning disability, who were either living, or being prepared to live, in relatively independent conditions in the community, were assessed through a structured interview format. Compared with non-learning-disabled teenagers, adults and a hospitalized patient sample, alcohol-related knowledge in the people with a learning disability was found to be significantly poorer, alcohol was reported as having particularly negative effects and susceptibility to social pressure to drink alcohol was greater. A 'sensible drinking' group, taking a social skills and influences approach to alcohol education, was conducted with a subgroup of the individuals with a learning disability. The group format and methods, including in vivo sessions in a public house, are described. Follow-up evaluations suggested some significant positive changes in knowledge, attitudes and sensible drinking skills. It is concluded that this population, which is increasingly living, or being moved into, independent conditions in the community, is at least as vulnerable to social influences on alcohol use and abuse as are young people. As with young people, the usefulness of making available such alcohol-education programmes as described in this study, is discussed.

A conceptual model and key variables for guiding supportive interventions for family caregivers of people receiving palliative care

According to the World Health Organization, the patient and family should be viewed as the "unit of care" when palliative care is required. Therefore family caregivers should receive optimal supportive care from health professionals. However, the impact of supporting a dying relative is frequently described as having negative physical and psychosocial sequalae. Furthermore, family caregivers consistently report unmet needs and there has been a dearth of rigorous supportive interventions published. In addition, comprehensive conceptual frameworks to navigate the family caregiver experience and guide intervention development are lacking. This article draws on Lazarus and Folkman's seminal work on the transactional stress and coping framework to present a conceptual model specific to family caregivers of patients receiving palliative care. A comprehensive account of key variables to aid understanding of the family caregiver experience and intervention design is provided.

Would people with Parkinson's disease benefit from palliative care?

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disorder of the nervous system, causing substantial morbidity and has the capacity to shorten life. People with PD and their families can find the disease devastating. Nevertheless, this population of patients is not usually considered a group to be supported by palliative care specialists. But the nature of the illness and the challenges of managing its many physical and psychological effects raises questions about the potential benefits of a palliative care approach. The purpose of this project was to describe the experience of PD and consider the relevance of palliative care for this population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight people with PD, 21 family caregivers and six health professionals. Five themes were developed from the data analysis: (1) emotional impact of diagnosis; (2) staying connected; (3) enduring financial hardship; (4) managing physical challenges; and (5) finding help for advanced stages. These data revealed that people with PD and family caregivers are confronted with similar issues to people with typical palliative care diagnoses, such as advanced cancer, and that a palliative approach may be helpful in the care of people with PD and their families.

In Demand: Therapeutic Services for Children and Young People Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse

This paper describes the key findings of an NSPCC study estimating need, in the UK, for therapeutic services for children who have experienced sexual abuse. This is based upon current estimates of the prevalence and impact of sexual abuse towards children and young people against the availability of therapeutic services in the UK. Data were collected on service location, availability, scope and coverage across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Researchers: (1) mapped 508 services; (2) collected data from 195 services via a structured questionnaire; (3) followed up 21 service managers and 11 service commissioners with a semi-structured interview; and (4) carried out two focus groups with young people. Data were collected on service location, availability, scope and coverage The overall level of specialist provision is low, with less than one service available per 10 000 children and young people in the UK. Calculations of need indicate that 57 156 children across the UK in the last year may have been unable to access a service. Findings from services support the view that need outstrips availability; that referral routes are limited, leaving few options for young people who have been raped or seriously sexually assaulted to directly access support; that significant waiting lists mean services must focus on reactive, rather than preventive, work; and that services are less accessible for certain groups, especially sexually abused teenagers, children with disabilities and those from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee backgrounds. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Relevant professionals must be adequately trained to talk to children about sexual abuse and to identify those vulnerable in order to identify need. Expert specialist services are well placed to share learning on early help and identification with broader children's service providers. Active steps need to be taken by commissioners in consultation with young people, voluntary sector and adult sexual violence service providers to meet the shortfall at the level of local authorities.

‘5 ways to say your prayers’:The Art and Architecture of Curating People, Place and Creativity in a Post-Conflict Context. The Shed, Galway, Ireland 18th June – 23rd July 2013 Includes: 1. Co-Curation of Exhibition with Peter Mutschler, Director of PS² and 2. Morrow’s individual work as part of the exhibition, entitled ‘Departures & Arrivals: Academic Interactions with the Activities, Artists and Archive of PS² ’

This exhibition profiles the curatorial approach of PS² and the work of creative practitioners who have practiced alongside and with the organisation. PS² is a Belfast-based, voluntary arts organisation that initiates projects inside and outside its project space. It seeks to develop a socio-spatial practice that responds to the post-conflict context of Northern Ireland, with particular focus on active intervention and social interaction between local people, creative practitioners, multidisciplinary groups and theorists.
Morrow has collaborated with PS² since its inception in 2005, acting as curatorial advisor specifically on the projects that occur outside PS² . She regards her involvement as a parallel action to her pedagogical explorations within architectural education.

Morrow's personal contribution to the Exhibition aimed to:
-interrogate PS² spatial projects
-contextualise PS² curatorial practice
-open up the analytical framework and extend to similar local practices

The Shed, Galway, Ireland is a joint Galway City Arts and Harbour Company venture. The exhibition subsequently travelled to DarcSpace Gallery, Dublin (Sept 2013).

End-of-Life care and people with intellectual disabilities: A multi-media educational resource

Aim This study aimed to develop and evaluate a multi-media educational resource in palliative and end-of-life care for specialist palliative care and intellectual disability services which promoted collaborative working. Methods: A mixed methods design involving three phases was used. Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of professionals (n=30) and family carers (n=5) and from two focus groups with people with intellectual disabilities (n=17). Data were content analysed as outlined y Newell and Burnard (2006). This identified training needs and issues, in end-of-life care for this population which were confirmed through quantitative data from services in a regional scoping study analysed using descriptive statistics. A DVD and manual were developed and evaluated with twelve professionals. Data were collected using a solicited diary, the Readiness for Inter-professional Learning Scale, Likert Scales and an evaluation questionnaire. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics appropriate to data were used.Results: Findings suggest that this resource demonstrates the need for and benefits of partnership working and transferability of this learning to practice could address issues at end-of-life for people with intellectual disabilities. Conclusions: Findings of this study have importance for partnership working and service provision in end-of-life care for this population.

Interventions to improve the appropriate use of polypharmacy for older people

Background
Inappropriate polypharmacy is a particular concern in older people and is associated with negative health outcomes. Choosing the best interventions to improve appropriate polypharmacy is a priority, hence interest in appropriate polypharmacy, where many medicines may be used to achieve better clinical outcomes for patients, is growing.

Objectives
This review sought to determine which interventions, alone or in combination, are effective in improving the appropriate use of polypharmacy and reducing medication-related problems in older people.

Search methods
In November 2013, for this first update, a range of literature databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched, and handsearching of reference lists was performed. Search terms included 'polypharmacy', 'medication appropriateness' and 'inappropriate prescribing'.

Selection criteria
A range of study designs were eligible. Eligible studies described interventions affecting prescribing aimed at improving appropriate polypharmacy in people 65 years of age and older in which a validated measure of appropriateness was used (e.g. Beers criteria, Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI)).

Data collection and analysis
Two review authors independently reviewed abstracts of eligible studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies. Study-specific estimates were pooled, and a random-effects model was used to yield summary estimates of effect and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach was used to assess the overall quality of evidence for each pooled outcome.

Main results
Two studies were added to this review to bring the total number of included studies to 12. One intervention consisted of computerised decision support; 11 complex, multi-faceted pharmaceutical approaches to interventions were provided in a variety of settings. Interventions were delivered by healthcare professionals, such as prescribers and pharmacists. Appropriateness of prescribing was measured using validated tools, including the MAI score post intervention (eight studies), Beers criteria (four studies), STOPP criteria (two studies) and START criteria (one study). Interventions included in this review resulted in a reduction in inappropriate medication usage. Based on the GRADE approach, the overall quality of evidence for all pooled outcomes ranged from very low to low. A greater reduction in MAI scores between baseline and follow-up was seen in the intervention group when compared with the control group (four studies; mean difference -6.78, 95% CI -12.34 to -1.22). Postintervention pooled data showed a lower summated MAI score (five studies; mean difference -3.88, 95% CI -5.40 to -2.35) and fewer Beers drugs per participant (two studies; mean difference -0.1, 95% CI -0.28 to 0.09) in the intervention group compared with the control group. Evidence of the effects of interventions on hospital admissions (five studies) and of medication-related problems (six studies) was conflicting.

Authors' conclusions
It is unclear whether interventions to improve appropriate polypharmacy, such as pharmaceutical care, resulted in clinically significant improvement; however, they appear beneficial in terms of reducing inappropriate prescribing.

Interventions to optimise prescribing for older people in care homes

There is a substantial body of evidence that prescribing for care home residents is suboptimal and requires improvement. Consequently, there is a need to identify effective interventions to optimise prescribing and resident outcomes in this context.

Effectiveness of medicines review with web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms in reducing potentially inappropriate prescribing in older people in primary care:a cluster randomized trial (OPTI-SCRIPT study protocol)

Potentially inappropriate prescribing in older people is common in primary care and can result in increased morbidity, adverse drug events, hospitalizations and mortality. In Ireland, 36% of those aged 70 years or over received at least one potentially inappropriate medication, with an associated expenditure of over €45 million.The main objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness and acceptability of a complex, multifaceted intervention in reducing the level of potentially inappropriate prescribing in primary care.