Immediate effects of a brief mindfulness-based body scan on patients with chronic pain.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has benefits for those with chronic pain. MBSR typically entails an intensive 8-week intervention. The effects of very brief mindfulness interventions are unknown.

What stops children with a chronic illness accessing health care: a mixed methods study in children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

Background: Paediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is relatively common and disabling with a mean time out of school of more than one academic year. NICE guidelines recommend referral to specialist services immediately if severely affected, within 3 months if moderately affected and within 6 months if mildly affected. However, the median time-to-assessment by a specialist service in the UK is 18 months.

Patient led conferences--who attends, are their expectations met and do they vary in three different countries?

Objective: To determine the demographics of attendees at three national conferences for trigeminal neuralgia sufferers, to quantify their expectations and determine if they were fulfilled.

Design: A self complete questionnaire was distributed at the start and end of patient led conferences delivered by health care practitioners (HCP).

Participants: 249 sufferers, most of whom were members of their support group.