Attributional Style and Disability Outcome

Disability is both a very personal and social issue. In 1999, The World Health Organization (WHO) published their latest revisions to the ICIDH-2. This document includes the latest conceptual developments in understanding the structure and process of disabling conditions. The document highlights that disability outcome occurs within a dynamic system characterized by the impairment itself, environmental and personal factors (World Health Organization, 1999)

Cost Containment Through Disability Prevention: Preliminary Results of a Health Promotion Workshop for People with Physical Disabilities

The Disability Prevention Project at the University of Montana and the University of Kansas has developed and evaluated an eight week workshop and self-help manual that targets the prevention and management of secondary conditions among adults with spinal cord injuries. The preliminary results of this intervention are very encouraging

Communicative competence as a basis for the creative interaction of the professional (vocational-technical) education institution's subjects: the special course for the audience members of the advanced training classes of professional education administra

Матеріали спецкурсу присвячено проблемі комунікативної компетентності керівників, новопризначених керівників та педагогічних працівників обласних навчально-(науково)-методичних центрів (кабінетів), закладів професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти для удосконалення власного досвіду та педагогічної майстерності. Зміст спецкурсу спрямовано на розвиток комунікативної взаємодії суб’єктів освітнього процесу, професійно-особистісного розвитку педагогічних кадрів. Спецкурс підготовлений для слухачів курсів підвищення кваліфікації керівних та педагогічних кадрів професійної (професійно-технічної) освіти у Центральному інституті післядипломної освіти ДВНЗ «Університет менеджменту освіти».The materials of special course are devoted to the problem of communicative competence of managers, newly appointed managers and pedagogical workers of regional educational (scientific) -methodic centers (offices), institutions of professional (vocational-technical) education for improving their own experience and pedagogical skills. The content of the special course aims to develop the communicative interaction between the subjects of the educational process, professional and personal development of teaching staff. The special course has been developed for management and pedagogical staff of vocational (vocational-technical) education refresher training at the Central Institute of Postgraduate Education "University of Education Management"

Extended interactive voice response telephony (IVR) for relapse prevention after smoking cessation using varenicline and IVR: a pilot study

Background. There is a significant resumption of smoking following smoking cessation using varenicline. Both smoking cessation medications and counseling have been shown to increase smoking quit rates at one year. Thus, the combination of varenicline and interactive voice response (IVR) telephony followed by extended IVR may further improve smoking cessation rates at one and two years. Methods 101 participants were recruited from the community via newspaper advertisement. They attended a group counseling session and were given smoking information booklets from the Canadian Cancer Society. After 12 weeks of varenicline and 9 IVR calls, all participants who had quit smoking were randomized into 2 groups matched by levels of motivation and addiction as per baseline questionnaire score. The intervention group continued to receive bi-weekly IVR support for weeks 13 – 52. The control group no longer received IVR. The primary end-point was self-reported abstinence and exhaled carbon monoxide levels of less than 10 ppm for weeks 12, 52 and 2 years. Data were analyzed by Fisher’s exact test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results Of the 101 participants, 44 (43%) had stopped smoking after 12 weeks of varenicline and 9 IVR calls. Of these, 23 (52%) were randomized to receive IVR calls from weeks 13 to 52. At 52 weeks, 26 (59%) participants remained smoke-free. Of the 23 with IVR, 12 (52.2%) stopped smoking compared to 14 of 21 (66.7%) without IVR. At 2 years, 40 of the 44 (90.9%) randomized participants were contacted and 24 of the 44 (54.5%) came in for testing. Fourteen (13% of the original cohort, 30% who were abstinent at 12 weeks and 53% who were abstinent at 52 weeks) remained smoke-free. Five of the 23 (21.7%) randomized to IVR and 9 of the 21 (42.9%) randomized to no IVR remained smoke-free at 2 years. Conclusions In this pilot study of an apparently healthy population, extended IVR did not affect abstinence rates. There was no relapse prevention benefit in offering 9 months of continued IVR to subjects who had stopped smoking after receiving 3 months of varenicline and IVR treatment. Trial registration ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT00832806Medicine, Faculty ofPathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department ofNon UBCReviewedFacult

A comparison of the health status and psychological distress of partners of patients with a left ventricular assist device versus an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A preliminary study

Objective To examine if the caregiving for patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is related to a poorer health status and more distress compared to patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Background Partners distress may influence patient outcomes and is therefore an important aspect in the care of LVAD and ICD patients. Methods Multi-center prospective observational study with 6 months follow-up of 33 LVAD partners (27% men; mean age = 54 ± 10 years) and 414 ICD partners (22% men; mean age = 60 ± 12 years). ResultsL VAD partners reported better physical (F = 10.71, p = .001) but poorer mental health status (F = 14.82, p < .001) and higher depression scores compared to ICD partners (F = 3.68, p = .05) at 6 months follow-up, also in adjusted analyses. There was no significant difference between groups on anxiety. Conclusion Caregivers of LVAD patients show higher distress levels compared to caregivers of ICD patients. LVAD partners may have a need for support beyond what is offered currently in clinical practice.Keywords: Left ventricular assist device, LVAD, Implantable cardioverter defibrillator, ICD, Health status, Anxiety and depressio

The Approach to the Psychosocial Evaluation of Cardiac Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support Candidates.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We update evidence underlying the recommendations of a 2018 multi-society consensus report regarding the psychosocial evaluation of individuals for cardiothoracic transplantation and mechanical circulatory support (MCS). In the present review, we focus on heart transplantation and MCS. RECENT FINDINGS: Expert opinion and new evidence support the inclusion of ten core content areas in the psychosocial evaluation. Prospective data indicate that psychosocial factors can predict post-transplantation/post-implantation outcomes. Such factors include treatment adherence history, mental health and substance use history, cognitive impairment, knowledge about treatment options, and social factors such as socioeconomic status. For other factors (e.g., coping, social support), new evidence is weaker because it derives largely from cross-sectional studies. Concerning evaluation process issues, expert opinion remains consistent with consensus recommendations, but there is a dearth of empirical evidence. The psychosocial evaluation can identify factors relevant for candidacy for heart transplantation and MCS implantation. It enables the provision of interventions to improve patients' viability as candidates, and facilitates care planning.status: publishe

A comparison of the health status and psychological distress of partners of patients with a left ventricular assist device versus an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A preliminary study

Objective: To examine if the caregiving for patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is related to a poorer health status and more distress compared to patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Background: Partners distress may influence patient outcomes and is therefore an important aspect in the care of LVAD and ICD patients. Methods: Multi-center prospective observational study with 6 months follow-up of 33 LVAD partners (27% men; mean age=54±10 years) and 414 ICD partners (22% men; mean age=60±12 years). Results: LVAD partners reported better physical (. F=10.71, p=.001) but poorer mental health status (. F=14.82, p<.001) and higher depression scores compared to ICD partners (. F=3.68, p=.05) at 6 months follow-up, also in adjusted analyses. There was no significant difference between groups on anxiety. Conclusion: Caregivers of LVAD patients show higher distress levels compared to caregivers of ICD patients. LVAD partners may have a need for support beyond what is offered currently in clinical practice