Patient Satisfaction with a Pilot Chronic Pain Management Programme in Cape Town, South Africa

Background: The goals of a chronic pain management clinic includeincreasing patient knowledge about pain, developing pain management skillsand increasing patients’ confidence in their pain management abilities.A Chronic Pain Management Programme (CPMP) based on evidence basedguidelines was developed at a chronic pain management clinic to facilitatepatient discharge to a primary healthcare level. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore patient satisfaction with, acceptability of and the perceived success which could be due to the CPMP developed at the Chronic Pain Management Clinic of Groote Schuur Hospital,Cape Town.Methods: Patients (n=14) were referred to the pilot study from the Chronic Pain Management Clinic. A s a pilot, four courses were run over a period ofone year. In order to reach the research aim, an eleven-question, structuredopen-ended interview was conducted with all participants. Results: Fourteen patients enrolled in the CPMP. Responses were favourable with participants emphasising the roleof increased knowledge about pain, the role of exercise and of stress management techniques. Participants also recog-nised a positive change in behaviours and attitudes following participation in the CPMP.Conclusions: Findings suggest that participants found the format of the course acceptable as regards course content,structure and delivery. Participant responses suggest that the course was acceptable and perceived as useful. However,future courses would benefit from refresher courses or structured support groups

HT2008-56147 PARAMETRIC CONTROL OF A TWO-PHASE THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT As spacecraft increase in complexity, greater power is required to drive their onboard systems. The resulting generation of waste heat demands efficient thermal control, especially for electrical components emitting heat at high flux densities. Weislogel proposed a passive two-phase heat transport system for space application, driven by constant volume boilers, called the pulse thermal loop (PTL). This paper describes four methods of operating a PTL using real-time pressure data as the control parameter. Preliminary results are presented from an experimental loop using R-134a as the working fluid. Control is exercised through algorithm-based schemes implemented in LabVIEW. Results suggest that stable operation of the loop is best achieved by actuating flow control valves in response to a preset pressure difference between the boilers. Control schemes based on absolute pressure, set pulse frequency, and a combination of absolute and differential pressures are also described. Performance data are presented, and some of the challenges faced during PTL operation are discussed, including start-up and asymmetrical pressurization of the boilers

The influence of sedentary and active work environments on wellness

Die begrip welstand het oor die afgelope dekades verander na gelang die lewenstyl van die samelewing met tegnologiese vooruitgang tred gehou het. Die hedendaagse siening is dat welstand in die eerste plek die verantwoordelikheid van die individu self is en bepaal word deur die beoefening van gedrag wat gesondheid bevorder. Daar is verskeie faktore wat bydra tot gesondheid in die sin van ’n individu se gevoel van algehele welstand op die lang termyn. Een van die belangrikstes daarvan is fisieke aktiwiteit, en daar is aansienlike navorsing gedoen om die voordele van ’n fisiek aktiewe lewenstyl te ondersoek. Hierdie navorsingsoorsig gaan van die veronderstelling uit dat die mees akkurate metode om dié voordele te peil, is om ’n aktiewe met ’n sedentêre lewenstyl te vergelyk. Die doel van die oorsig is om die begrip ‘algehele welstand’ te verduidelik en om die voordele van ’n werkomgewing wat fisieke aktiwiteit toelaat en die nadele van ’n omgewing waarin daar hoofsaaklik gesit word uit te lig wanneer dit op die bereiking van algehele welstand aankom.The concept of wellness has changed over the decades with the ever-changing lifestyle of society as it adapts to technological advances. The contemporary view is that wellness is the primary responsibility of the individual and is accomplished by practising health-promoting behaviour. There are various factors that contribute to wellness in the sense of an individual’s long-term sense of overall well-being. One of the most essential factors is physical activity, and there is a large body of research that explores the benefits of a physically active lifestyle. This article is based on the assumption that the most accurate way to measure these benefits are to compare an active with a sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this review is to clarify the concept of wellness and highlight the benefits of a physically active working environment as opposed to the disadvantages of a sedentary environment in attaining overall wellbeing.http://www.satnt.ac.zahj2013ay201

Determining a physical wellness indicator

Met die toenemende klem op leefstylverwante gesondheid het die fokus vanaf die behandeling en genesing van siekte verskuif na voorkoming en gesondheidsbevordering. Alhoewel individuele welstandskomponente uitvoerig bestudeer is, het gebreke ontstaan vanweë teenstrydighede en ’n gebrek aan bewyse dat hierdie faktore kollektief op die verbetering van algehele welstand uitloop. Die huidige studie het hom op die terrein van algehele fisieke welstand toegespits en die komponente daarvan, asook die invloed van ’n aktiewe werksomgewing op die komponente nagevors. Vir die studie is ’n kwantitatiewe eksperimentele deursnee-ontwerp aanvaar. Verskille tussen die twee groepe deelnemers is met behulp van die onafhanklike steekproef t-toets gedoen. Voorgraadse universiteitstudente (n = 165) en 234 rekrute wat besig was met ’n fisieke oefenprogram tesame met wetstoepassingswerknemers is aan verskeie welstandassesserings onderwerp in ’n poging om die algehele welstand in sedentêre en aktiewe werksomgewings met mekaar te vergelyk. Die individuele resultate is vergelyk en tellings vir risiko-areas bepaal wat uiteindelik saamgestel is om ’n algehelewelstandaanwyser te formuleer. Daar is bevind dat die studente beter vertoon het op sommige welstandsterreine; die rekrute het egter beter algehele fisieke welstand gehad. Dit dui daarop dat fisieke aktiwiteit wel beduidend bydra tot die bereiking van algehele fisieke welstand en dus die risiko vir die ontwikkeling van chroniese leefstylverwante toestande verminder. Die oorkoepelende bevindings gee te kenne dat die handhawing van ’n gesonde leefstyl, deur middel van fisieke aktiwiteit en gedrag wat gesondheid bevorder, tot ’n beter stand van gesondheid sal lei. Hierdie navorsingsterrein het moontlikhede vir toekomstige navorsing blootgelê, veral met betrekking tot die algehelewelstandaanwyser.With the increasing prevalence of emphasis on lifestyle-related wellness, the focus has been diverted from treatment and cure of disease to prevention and health promotion. Therefore, the area of wellness has received much attention and has been promoted with much enthusiasm, especially in the corporate industry. The present study delved into the area of overall physical wellness and explored its components and the influence of an active work environment on these components. This study adopted a cross-sectional, quantitative experimental design Undergraduate university students (n = 165) and 234 training recruits and law enforcement employees underwent several wellness assessments in a bid to compare overall physical wellness in sedentary and active work environments. The individual results were compared and scored into risk areas that were ultimately compounded to formulate an overall physical wellness indicator. It was found that the students were superior in some areas of wellness; the recruits, however, possessed a more pronounced state of overall physical wellness. This indicates that physical activity does contribute significantly to attaining a state of overall physical wellness and so reduces the risk of developing lifestylerelated chronic conditions. The overall findings suggest that maintaining a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and health-promoting behaviour will result in a greater state of wellness. In this area of research a host of possibilities for future research are unfolding especially the overall wellness indicator.http://www.satnt.ac.zaam2014ay201

Schools as sites for social change : applying the TEARS principle

In order to truly be innovative in education, it is sometimes necessary to break away from conventional practices while, at the same time, keeping the students’ best interests in mind. We support the notion that innovation in teaching and learning plays a vital role in the success of an institution and as such have launched innovative initiatives amongst various institutions. These initiatives present various benefits, such as empowering children and supporting well-being through innovative educational wellness indicators and health promoting intervention. Based on the results obtained in this study, and the needs and knowledge based on the teachers and learners, an intervention plan was developed to support positive change within the schools and the community. This intervention plan includes the development of learning content that can be included in the curriculum without adding any additional burden to the teachers as well as the training of teachers to better implement this curriculum. The intervention further aims to assist with social change by guiding the schools in improving their learner feeding scheme and physical activity programme. The TEARS principle is an innovative 5-step enterprise that has been developed and implemented in order to pioneer the necessary changes in education.http://ijleol.cgpublisher.comhb201

Patient satisfaction with a pilot chronic pain management programme in Cape Town, South Africa

Background: The goals of a chronic pain management clinic includeincreasing patient knowledge about pain, developing pain management skillsand increasing patients’ confidence in their pain management abilities.A  Chronic Pain Management Programme (CPMP) based on evidence basedguidelines was developed at a chronic pain management clinic to facilitatepatient discharge to a primary healthcare level. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore patient satisfaction with, acceptability of and the perceived success which could be due to the CPMP developed at the Chronic Pain Management Clinic of Groote Schuur Hospital,Cape Town.Methods: Patients (n=14) were referred to the pilot study from the Chronic Pain Management Clinic. A s a pilot, four courses were run over a period ofone year. In order to reach the research aim, an eleven-question, structuredopen-ended interview was conducted with all participants. Results: Fourteen patients enrolled in the CPMP. Responses were favourable with participants emphasising the roleof increased knowledge about pain, the role of exercise and of stress management techniques. Participants also recog-nised a positive change in behaviours and attitudes following participation in the CPMP.Conclusions: Findings suggest that participants found the format of the course acceptable as regards course content,structure and delivery. Participant responses suggest that the course was acceptable and perceived as useful. However,future courses would benefit from refresher courses or structured support groups

The effect of emotional state on the learning of visual skills

Goeie visuele vaardighede is noodsaaklike komponente in die bereiking van opvoedkundige, ekonomiese en sosiale sukses, en onafhanklikheid. ’n Behoefte is geïdentifiseer om te bepaal of die visuele vaardighede van studente verbeter kan word deur visuele sportoefeninge, en of die potensiële voordele van hierdie soort oefeninge beïnvloed kan word deur emosionele toestande soos angs en nuuskierigheid. Albei laasgenoemde toestande kan ’n impak hê op die aanleer van visuele vaardighede. Aangesien daar tot dusver min navorsing gedoen is oor die verwantskap tussen die aanleer van visuele vaardighede en die aanwesigheid van dié twee emosionele toestande, is dit nodig om te bepaal in watter mate angs en weetgierigheid wel die aanleer van visuele vaardighede kan beïnvloed. ’n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is vir die doel van die studie gebruik. ’n Kwasi-eksperimentele ontwerp is uitgevoer ten einde data te versamel oor visuele vaardighede en die uitwerking van visuele sportoefeninge daarop. Die steekproef het bestaan uit tweedejaarse fisiologiestudente (n = 204) en het studente ingesluit van albei geslagte, uiteenlopende etnisiteite, almal in die ouderdomsgroep 18–27 jaar. Angs en weetgierigheid is gemeet aan die hand van die State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), terwyl die visuele vaardighede van die deelnemers gemeet is deur ’n battery toetse vir visuele vaardigheid. Die uitslae van die toetse kan moontlik aantoon dat oefeninge sommige visuele vaardighede kan verbeter. Dis egter belangrik om daarop te let dat angsvlakke in berekening gebring moet word wanneer die opleiding onderneem word. Volgens die bevindings van hierdie studie blyk dit dat angs in ’n mate ’n negatiewe uitwerking op die aanleer van fokus, sporingsvermoë en vergensie het. Volgens die huidige studie blyk dit egter dat weetgierigheid nie enige invloed gehad het op enige van die visuele vaardighede wat in die studie nagevors is nie.The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity, on the other hand, did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study. Good visual skills are essential components in achieving educational, economic and social success, and independence. A need has been identified to determine whether the visual skills of students can be improved through sports vision exercises, and whether the potential benefits derived from these sports vision exercises could be influenced by emotional states such as anxiety and curiosity. Since little research has been conducted on the relationship between the learning of visual skills and the presence of these two emotional states, one needs to determine the extent to which anxiety and curiosity affect the learning of visual skills. For the purposes of this study, a quantitative research methodology was used. A quasi-experimental approach was employed to collect data on visual skills and the effects of sports vision exercises on these visual skills. The sample consisted of second-year physiology students (n = 204) and included students of genders, various ethnicities, and ages ranging from 18 to 27 years of age. Anxiety and curiosity were measured by using the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), whilst the visual skills of the participants were measured by using a battery of visual skills tests. The results proved that sports vision exercises can improve some visual skills. It should, however, be noted that anxiety levels must be controlled when administering this training. The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, negatively influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity on the other hand did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study.http://www.satnt.ac.zaam201