"I'm not just a heart, I'm a whole person here": a qualitative study to improve sexual outcomes in women with myocardial infarction

Background: Little is known about recovery of female sexual function following an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Interventions to improve sexual outcomes in women are limited. Methods and Results: Semistructured, qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 17 partnered women (aged 43 to 75 years) purposively selected from the Translational Research Investigating Underlying Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients’ Health Status Registry to deepen knowledge of recovery of female sexual function following an acute myocardial infarction (MI) and to improve sexual outcomes in women. Sixteen women had a monogamous relationship with a male spouse; 1 had a long‐term female partner. Most women resumed sexual activity within 4 weeks of their MI. Sexual problems and concerns were prevalent, including patient and/or partner fear of “causing another heart attack.” Few women received counseling about sexual concerns or the safety of returning to sex. Most women who discussed sex with a physician initiated the discussion themselves. Inquiry about strategies to improve sexual outcomes elicited key themes: need for privacy, patient‐centeredness, and information about the timing and safe resumption of sexual activity. In addition, respondents felt that counseling should be initiated by the treating cardiologist, who “knows whether your heart is safe,” and then reinforced by the care team throughout the rehabilitation period. Conclusions: Partnered women commonly resume sexual activity soon after an MI with fear but without directed counseling from their physicians. Proactive attention to women's concerns related to sexual function and the safety of sexual activity following an MI could improve post‐MI outcomes for women and their partners.Emily M. Abramsohn, Carole Decker, Brian Garavalia, Linda Garavalia, Kensey Gosch, Harlan M. Krumholz, John A. Spertus and Stacy Tessler Linda

Self-regulation: differences by year and area in college students

Neste estudo procura-se analisar a existência de diferenças nas estratégias auto-regulatórias de alunos universitários em áreas de formação distintas. Participaram 518 alunos de três níveis (inicial, intermédio e final) das áreas de ciências e humanidades. Aplicou-se a escala “CHE – Comportamentos e hábitos de estudo e aprendizagem”, que avalia cinco dimensões: estratégias cognitivas de transformação e manipulação da informação, organização e planeamento de rotinas, gestão e monitorização, aquisição e selecção da informação, e reforço motivacional. Verificou-se uma maior utilização das estratégias cognitivas e metacognitivas de gestão e monitorização apesar dos resultados não indicarem diferenças substantivas entre os alunos diferenciados por nível e área. Os resultados podem indicar estabilidade nos comportamentos ou limitações no tipo de instrumento e amostra utilizada. O estudo de mudanças nestas estratégias deverá ser conduzido com recurso a delineamentos longitudinais. O impacto da estabilidade deverá ser ponderado na elaboração de projectos de intervenção.In this study we seek to analyze the existence of differences in self-regulating strategies of university students in distinct graduation areas. 518 students of three levels (initial, intermediate and final) of science and humanities fields participated. We used the scale “Behavior and study skill”, which evaluates five dimensions: cognitive strategies of transformation and manipulation of information, organization and planning of routines, management and monitoring, information acquisition and selection, and motivational reinforcement. A higher use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies of management and monitoring was noted although the results do not indicate major differences between students in different levels and graduation areas. The results can indicate stability in the behaviors or limitations in the type of instrument and in the sample used. The study of changes in these strategies must be carried out having in mind longitudinal outlines. The impact of the stability should be taken into account while elaborating intervention projects.(undefined

South Asians living in the UK and adherence to coronary heart disease medication: a mixed- method study.

Background The prevalence of coronary heart disease amongst South Asian population in the UK is higher compared to the general population. Objective This study sought to investigate beliefs and experiences of South Asian patients regarding coronary heart disease and medication taking behaviour. Setting A London Heart Attack Centre. Methods This mixed method study is part of an original pilot randomised study on 71 patients involving a pharmacy-led intervention to improve medication adherence in coronary heart disease patients. South Asian patients from the randomised study took part in qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews. Both South Asian and non-South Asian patients completed the questionnaire about adherence and beliefs regarding medicines using Morisky Scale and the Belief About Medicines Questionnaire-Specific at 2 weeks, 3 and 6 months. Outcome Patients' beliefs about coronary heart disease and medication adherence. Results Seventeen South Asian patients and 54 non-South Asian patients took part. Qualitative data from 14 South Asian patients showed that while some attributed coronary heart disease to genetic, family history for their illness, others attributed it to their dietary patterns and 'god's will' and that little could be done to prevent further episodes of coronary heart disease. On the Belief About Medicines Questionnaire-Specific in South Asian patients, beliefs about necessity of medicines outweighed concerns. South Asian patients (n = 17) showed a similar pattern of adherence compared to non-Asian patients (n = 54). Adherence decreased with time in both populations, adherence measured by Morisky Scale. Conclusion South Asian patients in this study often attributed coronary heart disease to additional causes besides the known risk factors. Future studies on their understanding of the importance of cultural context in their attitudes to prevention and lived experience of the disease is warranted

Factors influencing nurses' compliance with Standard Precautions in order to avoid occupational exposure to microorganisms: A focus group study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nurses may acquire an infection during the provision of nursing care because of occupational exposure to microorganisms. Relevant literature reports that, compliance with Standard Precautions (a set of guidelines that can protect health care professionals from being exposed to microorganisms) is low among nurses. Additionally, high rates of exposure to microorganisms among nurses via several modes (needlesticks, hand contamination with blood, exposure to air-transmitted microorganisms) occur. The aim of the study was to study the factors that influence nurses' compliance with Standard Precaution in order to avoid occupational exposure to pathogens, by employing a qualitative research design.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>A focus group approach was used to explore the issue under study. Four focus groups (N = 30) were organised to elicit nurses' perception of the factors that influence their compliance with Standard Precautions. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as the theoretical framework and the data were analysed according to predetermined criteria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Following content analysis, factors that influence nurses' compliance emerged. Most factors could be applied to one of the main domains of the HBM: benefits, barriers, severity, susceptibility, cues to action, and self-efficacy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Changing current behavior requires knowledge of the factors that may influence nurses' compliance with Standard Precautions. This knowledge will facilitate in the implementation of programs and preventive actions that contribute in avoiding of occupational exposure.</p

Exploring barriers to optimal anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation: interviews with clinicians

Carole Decker,1 Linda Garavalia,2 Brian Garavalia,1 Teresa Simon,3 Matthew Loeb,4 John Spertus6, William Daniel51Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke&amp;#39;s Hospital in Kansas City Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing, 2University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Kansas City, MO, 3Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, 4Plaza Primary Care and Geriatrics, 5Saint Luke&amp;#39;s Cardiovascular Consultants, Kansas City, MO, 6Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke&amp;#39;s Hospital in Kansas City Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, USABackground: Warfarin, the most commonly used antithrombotic agent for stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF), requires regular monitoring, frequent dosage adjustments, and dietary restrictions. Clinicians&amp;#39; perceptions of barriers to optimal AF management are an important factor in treatment. Anticoagulation management for AF is overseen by both cardiology and internal medicine (IM) practices. Thus, gaining the perspective of specialists and generalists is essential in understanding barriers to treatment. We used qualitative research methods to define key issues in the prescription of warfarin therapy for AF by cardiology specialists and IM physicians.Methods and results: Clinicians were interviewed to identify barriers to warfarin treatment in a large Midwestern city. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation occurred. Content analysis yielded several themes. The most salient theme that emerged from clinician interviews was use of characteristics other than the patient&amp;#39;s CHADS2 score to enact a treatment plan, such as the patient&amp;#39;s social situation and past medication-taking behavior. Other themes included patient knowledge, real-world problems, breakdown in communication, and clinician reluctance.Conclusion: Warfarin treatment is associated with many challenges. The barriers identified by clinicians highlight the unmet need associated with stroke prophylaxis in AF and the opportunity to improve anticoagulation treatment in AF. Social and lifestyle factors were important considerations in determining treatment.Keywords: anticoagulants, atrial fibrillation, risk factor

Positive Illusions in the Academic Context

In the present research, we examined academic self-enhancement in students (N = 264) followed longitudinally through 4 years of college. We used social comparison (i.e., better-than-average ratings) and self-insight (i.e., criterion-based) approaches to assess the degree to which students self-enhanced in their self-perceptions of academic ability, with SAT scores, high school grade point average (GPA), and college GPA used as criterion measures. We also examined ethnic variability in academic self-enhancement. We found that academic self-enhancement (a) increased or decreased over the 4 years of college, depending on its operationalization, (b) tended to be adaptive according to social comparison indices, and (c) demonstrated a trajectory that differed by ethnicity, but ethnicity did not moderate the effect of academic self-enhancement on outcomes. We discuss the implications of the findings for debates about the adaptive value of self-enhancement, the magnitude of cultural differences, and how best to conceptualize and operationalize the construct