Rebecca Stores - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Rebecca Stores

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep and Down syndrome

MacKeith Press, Oct 25, 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Walking interviews: a novel technique to explore the role of the home environment for carers of people with dementia

Research paper thumbnail of Traditional Gender Roles and Effects of Dementia Caregiving within a South Asian Ethnic Group in England

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2019

Background: Despite the integral role that women play in the care of older adults in South Asian ... more Background: Despite the integral role that women play in the care of older adults in South Asian families, limited empirical data are available on the impact of migration from South Asia to England. The purpose of this research was to examine caring for a family member with dementia from a gender role perspective. Methods: Data were gathered in two phases: (1) focus groups and (2) semi-structured interviews. Focus groups were held with the general public, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with family carers. Data were audio-recorded and analysed using thematic analysis. The NVivo qualitative software was utilised to simplify the thematic analysis. Results: While traditionally family care for frail older adults has been mainly provided by women in South Asian families, the samples in this study revealed how women’s attitudes towards caregiving are changing in British societies. Conclusion: There is a dearth of research about socioeconomic transformations in South Asian wo...

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Physical Home Environment for Family Carers of People with Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Housing For the Elderly, 2017

Background: Most people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study investi... more Background: Most people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study investigated family carers' identification of barriers and facilitators when caring for a person with dementia at home. Design and methods: Thirteen co-resident family carers were engaged in semistructured in-depth walking interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Home environments can pose a number of challenges and opportunities. Aspects of the architectural and interior environment (e.g. size, condition, layout and accessibility, familiarity) are perceived as important (Theme 1) as well as a plethora of environmental strategies that encourage independence and comfort at home (Theme 2). Carers' scepticism, timing, costs, property characteristics and mistrust of services are some barriers to implementing environmental strategies (Theme 3). Conclusions: Carers often improvise solutions through trial and error. Environmental strategies can create an enabling and comfortable home environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness and understanding of dementia in South Asians: A synthesis of qualitative evidence

Dementia, 2018

Background Despite a growing elderly South Asian population, little is known about the experience... more Background Despite a growing elderly South Asian population, little is known about the experience of diagnosis and care for those living with dementia. There have been a number of individual qualitative studies exploring the experiences of South Asian people living with dementia and their carers across different contexts. There has also been a growing interest in synthesizing qualitative research to systematically integrate qualitative evidence from multiple studies to tell us more about a topic at a more abstract level than single studies alone. The aim of this qualitative synthesis was to clearly identify the gaps in the literature and produce new insights regarding the knowledge and understanding of the attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of the South Asian community about dementia. Methods Following a systematic search of the literature, included qualitative studies were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. Data were extracted and pooled using the Jo...

Research paper thumbnail of Randomised Controlled Trial of Fish Oil Supplement to Treat Cancer Cachexia

BAOJ Palliative Medicine, 2015

Patients with advanced cancer often suffer from cachexia, a debilitating and complex extreme weig... more Patients with advanced cancer often suffer from cachexia, a debilitating and complex extreme weight loss syndrome which is also associated with shorter survival times. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine whether an oral nutritional supplement containing the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was able to improve quality of life and survival times of patients with advanced solid tumour cancer in a mixed tumour cancer type population.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the meaning of home for family caregivers of people with dementia

Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2017

The home remains the preferred site for ageing and care provision, yet its role and meaning for c... more The home remains the preferred site for ageing and care provision, yet its role and meaning for caregivers remains under-studied. Thirteen co-resident family caregivers of people with dementia were interviewed about the personal meaning of their home environment. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that 'home is everything' for caregivers and included two major themes, each with two sub-themes: 1. The different meanings of home: 1.1 home as a secure haven, and 1.2 home looks like a hospital, feels like as a prison. 2. Perceived impact of home: to move or not to move? 2.1 need for relocation, and 2.2 staying in place but redefine the home environment. The findings provide insights into the meaning of home and ways it may change, and identify areas for further exploration and also practical support for coresident caregivers in their own homes.

Research paper thumbnail of Making your research project happen: challenges, facilitators and tips for planning

This article describes some of the important processes to consider when planning the implementati... more This article describes some of the important processes to consider when planning the implementation of a research project. Key organizations and external links are identified, including the roles of ethics committees and regulatory organizations. In addition, organizational elements which need to be given careful thought in the planning stages are discussed. Finally, steps to successful dissemination are outlined.(J Clin Prev Cardiol. 2013;2(3):162-7) Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Dr Rachna Kasliwal for her support and useful comments on the manuscript.

Research paper thumbnail of An introduction to Evidence-Based Practice for cardiologists: finding, utilising and planning to conduct research to inform practice

What is Evidence Based Practice and Why is it Important?Evidence based practice (EBP) was first d... more What is Evidence Based Practice and Why is it Important?Evidence based practice (EBP) was first described in 1996 in an editorial as ‘the conscientious and judicious use of current best evidence from clinical care research in the management of individual patients, integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research’. A more recent definition highlights the limitations of availability of research in some areas, and also the important role of the patient in decisions about their own care, describing EBP as ‘an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available, in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits the patient best’.

Research paper thumbnail of Conducting health services research

South Sudan …, 2011

The purpose of this beginner's guide is to start you off on the research journey by outlinin... more The purpose of this beginner's guide is to start you off on the research journey by outlining the sequence of steps along the research process and providing guidance, including signposting other useful resources that can help support each stage of the ...

Research paper thumbnail of How to get published

South Sudan Medical Journal, 2012

The purpose of this article is to guide you through the publication process from start to finish.... more The purpose of this article is to guide you through the publication process from start to finish. It will help you to think about where to publish, and provide guidance on writing and submitting your article, and the peer review process.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma using routine clinical and laboratory characteristics

BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 2021

IntroductionThe prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is poor, with a median survival... more IntroductionThe prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is poor, with a median survival of 8–12 months. The ability to predict prognosis in MPM would help clinicians to make informed decisions regarding treatment and identify appropriate research opportunities for patients. The aims of this study were to examine associations between clinical and pathological information gathered during routine care, and prognosis of patients with MPM, and to develop a 6-month mortality risk prediction model.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with MPM at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK between December 2009 and September 2013. Multivariate analysis was performed on routinely available histological, clinical and laboratory data to assess the association between different factors and 6-month survival, with significant associations used to create a model to predict the risk of death within 6 months of diagnosis with MPM.Results100 patients were included in the a...

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep problems in adults with Down's syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Sleep Issues in Children

Research paper thumbnail of Managing sleep problems in children: a guide for parents and carers

Research paper thumbnail of Dementia Knowledge and Attitudes of the General Public among the Bangladeshi Community in England: A Focus Group Study

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Perception and Attitude Toward Ageing and Dementia Among the Bangladeshi Community in England

Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Static lattice Green functions for FCC and BCC metals

Journal of Physics F: Metal Physics, 1983

If the static lattice Green function of a crystal is known then the distortions produced in the c... more If the static lattice Green function of a crystal is known then the distortions produced in the crystal by a point defect may be obtained simply from the Green function and the forces acting on the crystal due to the defect. The numerical evaluation of the Green function for a given model of the crystal force constants involves Brillouin zone summation of a function which is singular at the origin and this singularity can cause considerable numerical convergence problems. It is shown that a useful calculational procedure involves evaluating the Brillouin zone summation by using the Chadi and Cohen sets (1973) of special points in the Brillouin zone together with an efficient extrapolation procedure. Green functions are calculated for some FCC and BCC metals using the force constants obtained from Born-von Karman fits to experimental lattice vibration spectra.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of the Home Environment in Dementia Care and Support: Systematic review of Qualitative Research

Dementia, 2017

Background The domestic home is the preferred site for care provision for people with dementia an... more Background The domestic home is the preferred site for care provision for people with dementia and their families, therefore creating a dementia and caring friendly home environment is crucial. This systematic review synthesised qualitative studies to explore the role of the home environment and identify potential barriers and facilitators in home dementia care and support to inform future practice and research. Methods A systematic search in 12 databases identified international qualitative literature on perceptions and experiences of community-dwelling people with dementia, family and formal carers regarding the role of the home environment and ways to tackle daily challenges. Results Forty qualitative studies were included and analysed using thematic synthesis. The main three themes were: ‘home as a paradox’, ‘there is no magic formula’ and ‘adapting the physical space, objects and behaviour’. Findings indicate that home is an important setting and is likely to change significant...

Research paper thumbnail of Management of Sleep Disorders in Children with Learning Difficulties

Positive Initiatives for People with Learning Difficulties, 2000

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders caused by changes in earl... more Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders caused by changes in early brain development, resulting in behavioral and cognitive alterations in sensory and motor systems, speech, and language. NDDs affect approximately 1-2% of the general population. Up to 80% of children with NDDs are reported to have disrupted sleep; subsequent deleterious effects on daytime behaviors, cognition, growth, and overall development of the child are commonly reported. Examples of NDDs discussed in this review include autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Williams syndrome, and Smith-Magenis syndrome. The etiology of sleep disorders in children with NDDs is largely heterogeneous and disease specific. The diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in this population are complex, and little high-quality data exist to guide a consistent approach to therapy. Managing sleep disorders in children with NDDs is critical both for the child and for the family but is often frustrating due to the refractory nature of the problem. Sleep hygiene must be implemented as first-line therapy; if sleep hygiene alone fails, it should be combined with pharmacologic management. The available evidence for the use of common pharmacologic interventions, such as iron supplementation and melatonin, as well as less common interventions, such as melatonin receptor agonists, clonidine, gabapentin, hypnotics, trazodone, and atypical antipsychotics is reviewed. Further, parents and caregivers should be provided with appropriate education on the nature of the sleep disorders and the expectation for modest pharmacologic benefit, at best. Additional data from well-designed trials in children with NDDs are desperately needed to gain a better understanding of sleep pharmacotherapy including efficacy and safety implications. Until then, clinicians must rely on the limited available data, as well as clinical expertise, when managing sleep disorders in the population of children with NDDs.

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep and Down syndrome

MacKeith Press, Oct 25, 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Walking interviews: a novel technique to explore the role of the home environment for carers of people with dementia

Research paper thumbnail of Traditional Gender Roles and Effects of Dementia Caregiving within a South Asian Ethnic Group in England

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2019

Background: Despite the integral role that women play in the care of older adults in South Asian ... more Background: Despite the integral role that women play in the care of older adults in South Asian families, limited empirical data are available on the impact of migration from South Asia to England. The purpose of this research was to examine caring for a family member with dementia from a gender role perspective. Methods: Data were gathered in two phases: (1) focus groups and (2) semi-structured interviews. Focus groups were held with the general public, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with family carers. Data were audio-recorded and analysed using thematic analysis. The NVivo qualitative software was utilised to simplify the thematic analysis. Results: While traditionally family care for frail older adults has been mainly provided by women in South Asian families, the samples in this study revealed how women’s attitudes towards caregiving are changing in British societies. Conclusion: There is a dearth of research about socioeconomic transformations in South Asian wo...

Research paper thumbnail of The Impact of the Physical Home Environment for Family Carers of People with Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Housing For the Elderly, 2017

Background: Most people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study investi... more Background: Most people with dementia are cared for by their families at home. This study investigated family carers' identification of barriers and facilitators when caring for a person with dementia at home. Design and methods: Thirteen co-resident family carers were engaged in semistructured in-depth walking interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Home environments can pose a number of challenges and opportunities. Aspects of the architectural and interior environment (e.g. size, condition, layout and accessibility, familiarity) are perceived as important (Theme 1) as well as a plethora of environmental strategies that encourage independence and comfort at home (Theme 2). Carers' scepticism, timing, costs, property characteristics and mistrust of services are some barriers to implementing environmental strategies (Theme 3). Conclusions: Carers often improvise solutions through trial and error. Environmental strategies can create an enabling and comfortable home environment.

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness and understanding of dementia in South Asians: A synthesis of qualitative evidence

Dementia, 2018

Background Despite a growing elderly South Asian population, little is known about the experience... more Background Despite a growing elderly South Asian population, little is known about the experience of diagnosis and care for those living with dementia. There have been a number of individual qualitative studies exploring the experiences of South Asian people living with dementia and their carers across different contexts. There has also been a growing interest in synthesizing qualitative research to systematically integrate qualitative evidence from multiple studies to tell us more about a topic at a more abstract level than single studies alone. The aim of this qualitative synthesis was to clearly identify the gaps in the literature and produce new insights regarding the knowledge and understanding of the attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of the South Asian community about dementia. Methods Following a systematic search of the literature, included qualitative studies were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. Data were extracted and pooled using the Jo...

Research paper thumbnail of Randomised Controlled Trial of Fish Oil Supplement to Treat Cancer Cachexia

BAOJ Palliative Medicine, 2015

Patients with advanced cancer often suffer from cachexia, a debilitating and complex extreme weig... more Patients with advanced cancer often suffer from cachexia, a debilitating and complex extreme weight loss syndrome which is also associated with shorter survival times. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine whether an oral nutritional supplement containing the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was able to improve quality of life and survival times of patients with advanced solid tumour cancer in a mixed tumour cancer type population.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the meaning of home for family caregivers of people with dementia

Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2017

The home remains the preferred site for ageing and care provision, yet its role and meaning for c... more The home remains the preferred site for ageing and care provision, yet its role and meaning for caregivers remains under-studied. Thirteen co-resident family caregivers of people with dementia were interviewed about the personal meaning of their home environment. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that 'home is everything' for caregivers and included two major themes, each with two sub-themes: 1. The different meanings of home: 1.1 home as a secure haven, and 1.2 home looks like a hospital, feels like as a prison. 2. Perceived impact of home: to move or not to move? 2.1 need for relocation, and 2.2 staying in place but redefine the home environment. The findings provide insights into the meaning of home and ways it may change, and identify areas for further exploration and also practical support for coresident caregivers in their own homes.

Research paper thumbnail of Making your research project happen: challenges, facilitators and tips for planning

This article describes some of the important processes to consider when planning the implementati... more This article describes some of the important processes to consider when planning the implementation of a research project. Key organizations and external links are identified, including the roles of ethics committees and regulatory organizations. In addition, organizational elements which need to be given careful thought in the planning stages are discussed. Finally, steps to successful dissemination are outlined.(J Clin Prev Cardiol. 2013;2(3):162-7) Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Dr Rachna Kasliwal for her support and useful comments on the manuscript.

Research paper thumbnail of An introduction to Evidence-Based Practice for cardiologists: finding, utilising and planning to conduct research to inform practice

What is Evidence Based Practice and Why is it Important?Evidence based practice (EBP) was first d... more What is Evidence Based Practice and Why is it Important?Evidence based practice (EBP) was first described in 1996 in an editorial as ‘the conscientious and judicious use of current best evidence from clinical care research in the management of individual patients, integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research’. A more recent definition highlights the limitations of availability of research in some areas, and also the important role of the patient in decisions about their own care, describing EBP as ‘an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available, in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits the patient best’.

Research paper thumbnail of Conducting health services research

South Sudan …, 2011

The purpose of this beginner's guide is to start you off on the research journey by outlinin... more The purpose of this beginner's guide is to start you off on the research journey by outlining the sequence of steps along the research process and providing guidance, including signposting other useful resources that can help support each stage of the ...

Research paper thumbnail of How to get published

South Sudan Medical Journal, 2012

The purpose of this article is to guide you through the publication process from start to finish.... more The purpose of this article is to guide you through the publication process from start to finish. It will help you to think about where to publish, and provide guidance on writing and submitting your article, and the peer review process.

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma using routine clinical and laboratory characteristics

BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 2021

IntroductionThe prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is poor, with a median survival... more IntroductionThe prognosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is poor, with a median survival of 8–12 months. The ability to predict prognosis in MPM would help clinicians to make informed decisions regarding treatment and identify appropriate research opportunities for patients. The aims of this study were to examine associations between clinical and pathological information gathered during routine care, and prognosis of patients with MPM, and to develop a 6-month mortality risk prediction model.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with MPM at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK between December 2009 and September 2013. Multivariate analysis was performed on routinely available histological, clinical and laboratory data to assess the association between different factors and 6-month survival, with significant associations used to create a model to predict the risk of death within 6 months of diagnosis with MPM.Results100 patients were included in the a...

Research paper thumbnail of Sleep problems in adults with Down's syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Managing Sleep Issues in Children

Research paper thumbnail of Managing sleep problems in children: a guide for parents and carers

Research paper thumbnail of Dementia Knowledge and Attitudes of the General Public among the Bangladeshi Community in England: A Focus Group Study

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Perception and Attitude Toward Ageing and Dementia Among the Bangladeshi Community in England

Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Static lattice Green functions for FCC and BCC metals

Journal of Physics F: Metal Physics, 1983

If the static lattice Green function of a crystal is known then the distortions produced in the c... more If the static lattice Green function of a crystal is known then the distortions produced in the crystal by a point defect may be obtained simply from the Green function and the forces acting on the crystal due to the defect. The numerical evaluation of the Green function for a given model of the crystal force constants involves Brillouin zone summation of a function which is singular at the origin and this singularity can cause considerable numerical convergence problems. It is shown that a useful calculational procedure involves evaluating the Brillouin zone summation by using the Chadi and Cohen sets (1973) of special points in the Brillouin zone together with an efficient extrapolation procedure. Green functions are calculated for some FCC and BCC metals using the force constants obtained from Born-von Karman fits to experimental lattice vibration spectra.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of the Home Environment in Dementia Care and Support: Systematic review of Qualitative Research

Dementia, 2017

Background The domestic home is the preferred site for care provision for people with dementia an... more Background The domestic home is the preferred site for care provision for people with dementia and their families, therefore creating a dementia and caring friendly home environment is crucial. This systematic review synthesised qualitative studies to explore the role of the home environment and identify potential barriers and facilitators in home dementia care and support to inform future practice and research. Methods A systematic search in 12 databases identified international qualitative literature on perceptions and experiences of community-dwelling people with dementia, family and formal carers regarding the role of the home environment and ways to tackle daily challenges. Results Forty qualitative studies were included and analysed using thematic synthesis. The main three themes were: ‘home as a paradox’, ‘there is no magic formula’ and ‘adapting the physical space, objects and behaviour’. Findings indicate that home is an important setting and is likely to change significant...

Research paper thumbnail of Management of Sleep Disorders in Children with Learning Difficulties

Positive Initiatives for People with Learning Difficulties, 2000

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders caused by changes in earl... more Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders caused by changes in early brain development, resulting in behavioral and cognitive alterations in sensory and motor systems, speech, and language. NDDs affect approximately 1-2% of the general population. Up to 80% of children with NDDs are reported to have disrupted sleep; subsequent deleterious effects on daytime behaviors, cognition, growth, and overall development of the child are commonly reported. Examples of NDDs discussed in this review include autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Williams syndrome, and Smith-Magenis syndrome. The etiology of sleep disorders in children with NDDs is largely heterogeneous and disease specific. The diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in this population are complex, and little high-quality data exist to guide a consistent approach to therapy. Managing sleep disorders in children with NDDs is critical both for the child and for the family but is often frustrating due to the refractory nature of the problem. Sleep hygiene must be implemented as first-line therapy; if sleep hygiene alone fails, it should be combined with pharmacologic management. The available evidence for the use of common pharmacologic interventions, such as iron supplementation and melatonin, as well as less common interventions, such as melatonin receptor agonists, clonidine, gabapentin, hypnotics, trazodone, and atypical antipsychotics is reviewed. Further, parents and caregivers should be provided with appropriate education on the nature of the sleep disorders and the expectation for modest pharmacologic benefit, at best. Additional data from well-designed trials in children with NDDs are desperately needed to gain a better understanding of sleep pharmacotherapy including efficacy and safety implications. Until then, clinicians must rely on the limited available data, as well as clinical expertise, when managing sleep disorders in the population of children with NDDs.