The analysis of a blood pressure diary for a patient report

Contains fulltext : 27871.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)In order to make a more valid assessment of blood pressure (BP), self-monitoring of BP by the patient is generally advised. Self-monitoring usually results in a lower BP level. We are currently investigating whether the BP lowering effect of self-monitoring may be enhanced by not only monitoring BP but also monitoring physical and emotional status at the moment of and activity prior to the BP measurement in a diary. In this article we focus on the individual feedback that the participating patients received. Various methods that can be used for this purpose are described. For our individual reports we first assessed linear trends in the variables. When a trend was present, residuals were calculated. Then a principal-components analysis on BP measurements, BP estimates, symptoms, moods, and activities was performed. Results are presented for two hypertensive patients

Clinical Social Work and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Clinical research on the purely obsessional patient is considerably less developed than that for compulsive ritualizers or obsessive compulsives with mixed features. A single case investigation of exposure therapy in the treatment of obsessive ruminations is presented. Treatment involved exposing the patient to a variety of stimuli related to obsessional thoughts including reading, writing, and listening to such content. The patient's immediate response to treatment was favorable, with improvements being maintained at two-year follow-up.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67448/2/10.1177_01454455890134005.pd