Involving interpreters in research studies.

It is important to include non English speakers in health services research to ensure not only the generalisability of findings but also to address health inequalities and promote social justice. One approach is to use interpreters but there is little guidance for working with an interpreter in interviews. Involving an interpreter presents challenges in the planning and conduct of research interviews which can be minimised by an awareness of various theoretical and practical implications and of potential pitfalls.

An evaluation of the impact of the Gold Standards Framework on collaboration in end-of-life care in nursing homes. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation.

Background: In the United Kingdom approaching 20% of people aged 85 years and over live in care homes and most will die there. Improving end-of-life care is a government health priority and homes may work with primary care staff and specialist palliative practitioners to provide comprehensive end-of-life care. Consequently effective collaboration between care home and health service practitioners is vital to ensure high quality end-of-life care.

Parents' communication with siblings of children affected by an inherited genetic condition.

The objective of this study was to explore parents' communication about risk with siblings of children affected by an inherited genetic condition, and to ascertain what level of support, if any, is required from health professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with affected and unaffected children and their parents. Families were affected by one of six genetic conditions representing different patterns of inheritance and variations in age of onset, life expectancy and impact on families.

The role of support groups in facilitating families in coping with a genetic condition and in discussion of genetic risk information.

Background:   Giving children and young people information about genetic conditions and associated risk has been shown to be important to their identity, coping and decision making. Parents, however, find talking to their children difficult, and support from health professionals is often not available to them.

Objective:   To explore the role of support groups in family coping, and in assisting parents' communication about risk with children in families affected by an inherited genetic condition.

Family communication about genetic risk information: particular issues for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Open family communication about genetic conditions and associated risk is important to children's identity, coping and decision making. Parents however find talking to their children difficult and because of associated care needs and emotional reactions it can be particularly stressful in families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This article reports on the findings of a group of families affected by DMD who formed part of a larger study where adult and child members of 33 families affected by one of six genetic conditions were interviewed.