Health-related quality of life of antiretroviral treatment defaulters in Botswana.

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Defaulting from ART has detrimental consequences, including the development of viral resistance, treatment failure and increased risks of disease progression. Little is known about the quality of life of ART defaulters and reasons for discontinuing their ART.

Health-related quality of life of patients on antiretroviral treatment in Botswana: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) affords longevity to patients infected with the human immune deficiency virus (HIV). Since little is known about the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of persons who have been on ART for at least five years, the present study investigated the HRQoL of these patients in Botswana.

Method: Medical records, structured interviews, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQoL-HIV-BREF) instrument were employed to obtain information from 456 respondents.

Differentiating between descriptive and interpretive phenomenological research approaches.

Aim: To provide insight into how descriptive and interpretive phenomenological research approaches can guide nurse researchers during the generation and application of knowledge.

Background: Phenomenology is a discipline that investigates people's experiences to reveal what lies 'hidden' in them. It has become a major philosophy and research method in the humanities, human sciences and arts.

Ebolavirus and Haemorrhagic Syndrome.

The Ebola virus is a highly virulent, single-stranded ribonucleic acid virus which affects both humans and apes and has fast become one of the world's most feared pathogens. The virus induces acute fever and death, with haemorrhagic syndrome occurring in up to 90% of patients. The known species within the genus Ebolavirus are Bundibugyo, Sudan, Zaïre, Reston and Taï Forest.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks: strategies for effective epidemic management, containment and control.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever, caused by the highly virulent RNA virus of the filoviridae family, has become one of the world's most feared pathogens. The virus induces acute fever and death, often associated with hemorrhagic symptoms in up to 90% of infected patients. The known sub-types of the virus are Zaire, Sudan, Taï Forest, Bundibugyo and Reston Ebola viruses.

Child vulnerability in the Iraqw and Datoga ethnic groups of a village in northern Tanzania.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the concept of child vulnerability as perceived by Iraqw and Datoga peoples in northern Tanzania.

Design: A mixed methods design was used, which included semistructured interviews (n = 32) and a questionnaire (n = 80) administered to members of the two ethnic groups.

Findings: Five main themes emerged: (a) lack of resources, (b) intentional mistreatment, (c) deprivations (d) losses suffered, and (e) dealing with deprivation.

Patients' adherence to anti-retroviral therapy in Botswana.

Purpose: To identify factors influencing patients' anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence at four clinics in Botswana.

Design: Quantitative descriptive. Structured interviews were conducted with a random sample of 400 patients out of the population of all patients attending the four randomly selected ART clinics in Botswana during April and May 2007.

Mystical experience in the context of health care.

Eighteen participants in a rural Appalachian community were interviewed to learn about their mystical experiences in the context of health care. Semistructured interviews addressed factors initiating mystical experience and essential qualities of mystical experience. Nursing process and the nurse's response were examined.