Anxiety reduction via brief intervention in dentally anxious patients : a randomized controlled trial

Aim: To compare the degree of anxiety reduction in dentally anxious patients attending a Dental Access Centre where the dentist did or did not receive the patients’ assessment of dental anxiety. Methods: Patients attending two Dental Access Centres in England, completed the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Those that scored high completed a state anxiety questionnaire (STAI-S) and were randomized into three groups (n=182) to test the hypothesis that patients sharing assessment information about their dental anxiety to members of the dental team has beneficial effects on their state anxiety. Group 1 were controls (n=60), Group 2 gave their MDAS to the receptionist who passed it onto the dentist unknown to the patient (n=62) and Group 3 handed their MDAS to the dentist (n=60). After their appointment they repeated the STAI-S. Results and conclusion: Patients in Group 3 were less anxious (by more than STAI-S 3 scale units) on leaving the surgery than those from the other groups especially if they entered into a discussion with the dentist about their concerns (by more than 5 scale units). Brief assessment of dental anxiety shared by the patient with the dentist collaboratively has the potential to reduce anxiety on completion of the appointment. Dental anxiety is common, has a multifactorial aetiology, and is far from being homogenous, as individuals seem to differ in the origins, age of onset and manifestations of their dental fears (Locker et al., 2001b); (Milgrom et al., 1988). Previous negative experiences are a major factor in the development of dental anxiety (Kleinknect et al., 1973); (Bernstein et al., 1979); (de Jongh et al., 1995); (Locker et al., 1999); (Ost and Hugdahl, 1985). For some individuals, their fear of dentistry may be associated with concurrent anxiety disorders, or more general psychopathology (Locker, 2003); (Locker et al., 2001a).PreprintPeer reviewe

Why are people afraid of the dentist?:Observations and explanations

Objective: The aim of this review was to explore the peer reviewed literature to answer the question: ‘Why are people afraid of the dentist?’ Method: Relevant literature was identified by searching the following on-line databases: PubMed, PsycInfo, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Publications were extracted if they explored the causes and consequences of dental fear, dental anxiety or dental phobia. Results: The research evidence suggests that the causes of dental fear, dental anxiety or dental phobia are related to exogenous factors such as direct learning from traumatic experiences, vicarious learning through significant others and the media, and endogenous factors such as inheritance and personality traits. Each individual aetiological factor is supported by the evidence provided. Conclusions: The evidence suggests that the aetiology of dental fear, anxiety or phobia is complex and multifactorial. The findings show that there are clear practical implications indicated by the existing research in this area: a better understanding of dental fear, anxiety and phobia may prevent treatment avoidance.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Drag coefficients for spheres for free molecular flow in nitrogen at satellites' velocities

Momentum transfer by nitrogen molecular beam to surfaces measured as function of angle of incidenc

Psychological management for head and neck cancer patients : United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. It provides recommendations on the assessment and interventions for the psychological management in this patient group. Recommendations • Audit of information supplied to patients and carers should be conducted on an annual basis to update and review content and media presentation. (G) • Patients and carers should be invited to discuss treatment options and relate possible outcomes to functional retention or loss to provide a patient-centred approach. (G) • Clinical staff should inspect their systems of assessment to make them sensitive enough to identify patients with psychological difficulties. (G) • Flexibility, rather than rigid formulation is required to assess patients frequently, and to allow for change in circumstances to be noted. (G) • Multidisciplinary teams should determine the supportive care services available and commission extra assistance to provide patients and carers with timely information, education or brief supportive advice. (G) • Multidisciplinary teams need to inspect specialist services for mental health interventions at structured and complex levels for the small proportion of patients with more serious, but rarer, psychological difficulties. (G) • Clinical staff at all levels should receive communication skills training to raise and maintain consultation expertise with difficult patient and/or carer interactions. (G)Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Motivations of social entrepreneurs

Social enterprise is on the rise within the UK; however, research in this area is lacking because social entrepreneurship has only recently come to researchers’ attention. The current consensus requires a social enterprise to have strong social values, to be owned by the community and to have a constraint on its profit distribution. The individuals who set up and run these companies are not just mainstream entrepreneurs, they are considered to be social entrepreneurs, and this paper explores why. The research discussed in this paper was carried out on push and pull motivations of social entrepreneurs within the UK, building on previous work within Israel, Nigeria, South Africa and Ireland. Seven social entrepreneurs from the north of England were interviewed and 10 key motivations were categorised into two push factors and eight pull factors. The two push factors identified were background and social values. The pull factors were identified as the business model, the cause, opportunity recognition, self-motivation, network, personal rewards, lifestyle and non-financial motives. These results suggest that pull motivations are stronger within social entrepreneurs than push motivations. Self-motivation and personal rewards were identified as new motivational factors within social entrepreneurship when compared to existing research, although they had previously been discovered within mainstream entrepreneurs. This research adds to our understanding of social entrepreneurs’ motivations and the increasing trend towards social enterprise. Interviewees were sourced from the north of England and so may not represent the UK as a whole, and this, therefore, could be an opportunity for future research

Legacies of British Imperialism in the Contemporary UK Asylum–Welfare Nexus

This article traces the imperial roots of the contemporary asylum–welfare nexus. It explores how English colonial governance exported Poor Law legislation firstly to colonial America (USA) and secondly to British North America (Canada). It argues that these three countries are an Anglophone shared moral space of law and governance, revealing the common unresolved contradictions underpinning contemporary debates about who ‘deserves’ entry, under what conditions, and why. Historical perspectives unsettle assumptions about the primacy of national geopolitical borders and the exceptionalism of contemporary migration. This article uses historical sociology to trace why and how national sovereignty took primacy over municipalities in controlling the mobility of people and the concomitant moral underpinnings. It then draws on new empirical research in three pioneering ‘sanctuary cities’ to explore how cities contest the entwining of welfare and migration governance. However, the article explores how these initiatives often reproduce justifications based on ‘deservingness’ and ‘contribution’. Through tracing the common threads that led to these forms of governance, we can understand they are not self-evident. A historical perspective allows us to ask different questions and open realms of alternative possibilities

An experimental investigation of an axisymmetric jet in a coflowing airstream

The flow development of an axisymmetric jet exhausting into a moving airstream has been studied. The jet has a Reynolds number of 22,600, and the ratio of the jet velocity to the wind tunnel velocity is 5.1 to 1. The flow field of the axisymmetric jet was examined at locations varying from approximately zero to eight diameters downstream of the orifice. Of primary concern at each downstream location was the mapping of the one point statistical properties of the flow, including mean velocity, turbulent intensity, and intermittency. Autocorrelations and power spectral density curves were determined for both the fluctuating velocity field and the concentration signal at various distances from the jet's center line for different downstream locations. A laser Doppler velocimeter, using a phase locked loop processor, was used to make the desired velocity field measurements which were compared with hot wire anemometer and pressure probe data

Development of a superconductor magnetic suspension and balance prototype facility for studying the feasibility of applying this technique to large scale aerodynamic testing

The basic research and development work towards proving the feasibility of operating an all-superconductor magnetic suspension and balance device for aerodynamic testing is presented. The feasibility of applying a quasi-six-degree-of freedom free support technique to dynamic stability research was studied along with the design concepts and parameters for applying magnetic suspension techniques to large-scale aerodynamic facilities. A prototype aerodynamic test facility was implemented. Relevant aspects of the development of the prototype facility are described in three sections: (1) design characteristics; (2) operational characteristics; and (3) scaling to larger facilities

Design study of magnetic eddy-current vibration suppression dampers for application to cryogenic turbomachinery

Cryogenic turbomachinery used to pump high pressure fuel (liquid H2) and oxidizer (liquid O2) to the main engines of the Space Shuttle have experienced rotor instabilities. Subsynchronous whirl, an extremely destructive instability, has caused bearing failures and severe rubs in the seals. These failures have resulted in premature engine shutdowns or, in many instances, have limited the power level to which the turbopumps could be operated. The feasibility of using an eddy current type of damping mechanism for the Space Shuttle Main Engine is outlined