Educational Program in Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer Self-Help Groups.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer patients is estimated to be approximately 40%. In self-help groups there is a need for information about CAM. This pilot study aimed to develop and evaluate a CAM educational program for cancer self-help groups.

Communication preferences in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: descriptive results and patient characteristics as predictors.

Background: Communication with patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is often considered difficult. The primary objective of this explorative study was to describe the communication preferences of FMS patients in comparison with other chronic diseases, and the secondary objective was to identify patient-related predictors of those communication preferences.

Methods: A total of 256 FMS patients were asked to fill out the KOPRA [(Kommunikationspraeferenzen), communication preferences of patients with chronic illness] questionnaire at the beginning of their rehabilitation, answering questions about their communication preferences.

Participation and social functioning in patients with fibromyalgia: development and testing of a new questionnaire.

Background: While there are numerous instruments for capturing the symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients, there is a lack of questionnaires capable of measuring in detail FMS patients' participation and social functioning. It was our aim to develop and methodologically test a new patient questionnaire specific to FMS measuring these concepts (the "Fibromyalgia Participation Questionnaire" FPQ).

Methods: We first conducted a qualitative prestudy (focus groups, N = 38) to identify which impairments FMS patients experience in daily life because of their illness.

[Quality labels and accreditation in German long-term care--a review].

Unlabelled: There are many quality certificates for ambulant and stationary nursing facilities obtainable in Germany. Yet there has been no systematic, topical survey in Germany since the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WldO) published "Qualitätssiegel und Zertifikate für Pflegeeinrichtungen--Ein Marktüberblick" (Gerste et al. 2004).