Chronic Disease Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of metaphor by independent seniors taking medication for chronic health conditions. Narratives from a larger study using grounded theory were analyzed using constant comparative analysis... more

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of metaphor by independent seniors taking medication for chronic health conditions. Narratives from a larger study using grounded theory were analyzed using constant comparative analysis and induction. A secondary analysis of the narratives of 21 participants was undertaken. Transcripts were read line-by-line and all relevant language was highlighted and reviewed with the aim of identifying relationships and themes. The narratives revealed a diverse range of metaphoric language. Four categories were identified: being shackled, hope, external authority, and communication fears. Three additional themes were interwoven into the narratives: aging and death, medication personified, and the body as object. The authors conclude that metaphor reveals the tension and unresolved dilemmas faced by seniors with regard to medication use.

Chronic pain conditions are complicated and challenging to live with. Capacity to adjust to such conditions may depend on the ability to self-regulate, that is, the ability to alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Self-regulation... more

Chronic pain conditions are complicated and challenging to live with. Capacity to adjust to such conditions may depend on the ability to self-regulate, that is, the ability to alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Self-regulation appears to rely on executive cognitive functions, and the current review, therefore, sought to draw attention to the impact of self-regulatory capacity and executive functions on chronic pain. Chronic pain conditions present with complex interactions of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological components for which self-regulatory ability is crucial. The ability to self-regulate varies, and self-regulatory strength appears to be a limited resource that can be fatigued. The many challenges of chronic pain conditions could, therefore, tax self-regulatory strength, leading to self-regulatory deficits. The current review proposes a relationship among pain, self-regulatory capacity, self-regulatory demands, executive functions, and self-regulatory fatigue, suggesting that executive functions and self-regulatory deficits are indeed part of the etiology and maintenance of chronic pain conditions.

This paper expands the current concept of volition in the Model of Human Occupation. The present version views personal causation, values, and interests as traits that determine choices to engage in occupations. Through a detailed... more

This paper expands the current concept of volition in the Model of Human Occupation. The present version views personal causation, values, and interests as traits that determine choices to engage in occupations. Through a detailed investigation of the life histories of two persons with psychiatric disorders, this paper illustrates how volition is embedded in a personal narrative. Two features of narratively organized volition are highlighted: (a) how narrative places decisions and actions within a plot, thus giving them meaning in the context of a whole life, and (b) how the personal narrative motivates the person by serving as a context for choosing and action. Thus, the paper illustrates how persons seek to narrate their lives and live their life narratives.

Pancreatic cancer is a rapidly fatal disease, and there is an urgent need for early detection markers and novel therapeutic targets. The current study has used a proteomic approach of two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and mass... more

Pancreatic cancer is a rapidly fatal disease, and there is an urgent need for early detection markers and novel therapeutic targets. The current study has used a proteomic approach of two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify differentially expressed ...

Chronic wounds, such as venous ulcers, are characterized by physiological impairments manifested by delays in healing, resulting in severe morbidity. Surgical debridement is routinely performed on chronic wounds because it stimulates... more

Chronic wounds, such as venous ulcers, are characterized by physiological impairments manifested by delays in healing, resulting in severe morbidity. Surgical debridement is routinely performed on chronic wounds because it stimulates healing. However, procedures are repeated many times on the same patient because, in contrast to tumor excision, there are no objective biological/molecular markers to guide the extent of debridement. To develop bioassays that can potentially guide surgical debridement, we assessed the pathogenesis of the patients' wound tissue before and after wound debridement. We obtained biopsies from three patients at two locations, the nonhealing edge (prior to debridement) and the adjacent, nonulcerated skin of the venous ulcers (post debridement), and evaluated their histology, biological response to wounding (migration) and gene expression profile. We found that biopsies from the nonhealing edges exhibit distinct pathogenic morphology (hyperproliferative/hy...

The intimate anatomical relationship between the orbit and the paranasal sinuses places the orbit and its contents at risk of harm from primary pathologic processes of the sinuses. In the absence of ophthalmic signs or symptoms,... more

The intimate anatomical relationship between the orbit and the paranasal sinuses places the orbit and its contents at risk of harm from primary pathologic processes of the sinuses. In the absence of ophthalmic signs or symptoms, ophthalmologists are not routinely involved in the management of patients with sinus disease. Occasionally, some patients may develop ophthalmic complaints after surgical intervention. The orbit, optic nerve, extraocular muscles, and lacrimal drainage system are susceptible to injury during endoscopic sinus surgery. The risk of injury is related to the skill of the sinus surgeon, history of previous surgery, extent and severity of disease, and anatomic variation. Furthermore, recent advances in endoscopic sinus surgery, in particular the use of powered cutting instruments, has resulted in a novel mechanism of injury to the ocular structures.

Judgments about an individual's pain can be profoundly important to sufferers. Relatively few studies have examined variables that may affect observers' judgments of the pain of others. The present article reports two studies... more

Judgments about an individual's pain can be profoundly important to sufferers. Relatively few studies have examined variables that may affect observers' judgments of the pain of others. The present article reports two studies investigating the relationship between different kinds of exposure to pain problems and observers' ratings of the pain intensity of patients. In the first study, 82 observers were classified into groups with positive and negative family histories of chronic pain. They viewed a videotape showing the facial expressions of shoulder pain patients undergoing physiotherapy assessments and rated the pain experienced by the subjects. In the second study, the data from observers having no experience with pain problems were compared with data collected from therapists having considerable experience with pain problems. Observers with a positive family history of chronic pain attributed greater pain to the patients than those with a negative family history of c...

Ascites can be defined as the abnormal accumulation of fluid inside the peritoneal cavity. Earlier ascites was classified as transudative and exudative based on the total protein concentration of the ascitic fluid. The traditional concept... more

Ascites can be defined as the abnormal accumulation of fluid inside the peritoneal cavity. Earlier ascites was classified as transudative and exudative based on the total protein concentration of the ascitic fluid. The traditional concept of high pro-tein ascites(> 2.5 g/dl) as exudate ...

Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies have yielded definitive evidence that physical activity is able to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases and to improve physical fitness and quality of life.... more

Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies have yielded definitive evidence that physical activity is able to reduce the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases and to improve physical fitness and quality of life. Moreover, physical activ- ity seems to be capable of significantly reducing the risk of developing other chronic diseases, such as obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, some neoplasms and depression. For

Of 613 children evaluated in a village in Haryana 94 (15.3%) were observed to have chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Fifty eight (61.7%) children had hearing impairment. CSOM contributed to 71.6% of the hearing impaired (58/81). On... more

Of 613 children evaluated in a village in Haryana 94 (15.3%) were observed to have chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Fifty eight (61.7%) children had hearing impairment. CSOM contributed to 71.6% of the hearing impaired (58/81). On analysis of association of CSOM with literacy and socio-economic status of mothers, and age, sex, and upper respiratory tract infections (URI) in children positive correlation was observed only with URIs (P Literacy and socio-economic status of the mothers did not correlate significantly with knowledge about treatment seeking, and ear cleaning practices, probably due to the narrow range of incomes and literacy levels. An intervention program consisting of play, demonstrations, health charts and slogans, and aural cleaning and antibiotic drops was introduced.