Health-Seeking Behavior of Afghan Women Immigrants: An Ethnographic Study.

Background: Nowadays, in light of gender inequity, new concern has been raised for health-seeking behavior of women in clinical setting. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions and health-seeking behaviors of Afghan immigrant women residing in Mashhad, Iran.

Method: An ethnographic design was used to examine the health-seeking behavior of Afghan women.

Perceptions of Adolescent Patients of the "Lived Experience" of Type 1 Diabetes.

The care and management of adolescents with type 1 diabetes presents numerous challenges that are inherent to the fears, attitudes, and perceptions of their illness. This qualitative study aimed to explore the "lived experience" of individuals with type 1 diabetes. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in their adolescent years to elicit their views, perceptions, and concerns regarding living with diabetes.

Adhesive-enhanced sternal closure to improve postoperative functional recovery: a pilot, randomized controlled trial.

Background: We previously established a proof-of-concept in a human cadaveric model where conventional wire cerclage was augmented with a novel biocompatible bone adhesive that increased mechanical strength and early bone stability. We report the results of a single-center, pilot, randomized clinical trial of the effects of adhesive-enhanced closure of the sternum on functional postoperative recovery.

Methods: In 55 patients undergoing primary sternotomy, 26 patients underwent conventional wire closure and were compared with 29 patients who underwent adhesive-enhanced closure, which consisted of Kryptonite biocompatible adhesive (Doctors Research Group Inc, Southbury, CT) applied to each sternal edge in addition to conventional 7-wire cerclage.

Cardiac medication prescribing and adherence after acute myocardial infarction in Chinese and South Asian Canadian patients.

Background: Failure to adhere to cardiac medications after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with increased mortality. Language barriers and preference for traditional medications may predispose certain ethnic groups at high risk for non-adherence. We compared prescribing and adherence to ACE-inhibitors (ACEI), beta-blockers (BB), and statins following AMI among elderly Chinese, South Asian, and Non-Asian patients.

Examining and establishing translational and conceptual equivalence of survey questionnaires for a multi-ethnic, multi-language study.

Aim: This paper is a report of techniques used to examine and establish translational and conceptual equivalence of survey questionnaires.

Background: A major concern arose about standardization of translated survey questionnaires, when preparing to evaluate differences in acute coronary syndrome presentation in European (White), Chinese and South Asian patients.

Methods: The survey questionnaires were first translated by an accredited translation company.

Tackling health literacy: adaptation of public hypertension educational materials for an Indo-Asian population in Canada.

Background: Indo-Asians in Canada are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. There is a need for cultural and language specific educational materials relating to this risk. During this project we developed and field tested the acceptability of a hypertension public education pamphlet tailored to fit the needs of an at risk local Indo-Asian population, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Outcomes after acute myocardial infarction in South Asian, Chinese, and white patients.

Background: Cardiac mortality rates vary substantially between countries and ethnic groups. It is unclear, however, whether South Asian, Chinese, and white populations have a variable prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). To clarify this association, we compared mortality, use of revascularization procedures, and risk of recurrent AMI and hospitalization for heart failure between these ethnic groups in a universal-access healthcare system.

Kryptonite bone cement prevents pathologic sternal displacement.

Background: Wire cerclage closure of sternotomy is the standard of care despite evidence of pathologic sternal displacement (> 2 mm) during physiologic distracting forces (coughing). Postoperative functional recovery, respiration, pain, sternal dehiscence, and infection are influenced by early bone stability. This translational research report provides proof-of-concept (part A) and first-in-man clinical data (part B) with use of a triglyceride-based porous adhesive to rapidly enhance the stability of conventional sternal closure.

Using social exchange theory to guide successful study recruitment and retention.

Participant attrition (withdrawal or loss after entering a study) is a major threat to the completion of valid studies. It can result in systematic error (selection bias), thus decreasing the statistical power of studies and limiting the generalisability of study findings. This paper demonstrates how key social exchange theory principles form the theoretical context for our practice, which, in turn enables us to form enduring relationships with study participants.

Home care utilization and outcomes among Asian and other Canadian patients with heart failure.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of hospitalization and death in the aging population around the world. Home care utilization is associated with improved survival for the patients with HF, and varies by ethno-culture. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in hospital readmission rate and mortality between Asian and other Canadian HF patients.

Functional and psychosocial outcomes 1 year after mild stroke.

Background: Mild stroke survivors are generally discharged from acute care within a few days of the stroke event, often without rehabilitation follow-up. We aimed to examine the recovery trajectory for male patients and their wife-caregivers during the 12 months postdischarge.

Methods: A descriptive study was undertaken to examine functional outcomes, quality of life (QOL), depression, caregiver strain, and marital function in a prospective cohort of male survivors of mild stroke and their wife-caregivers during the 12 months postdischarge.

Achieving interprofessional practice in cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose: Cardiac rehabilitation staff members consider interprofessional practice to be the standard for delivering effective care. However, it is not known how interprofessional teams collaborate or what they consider to be important elements of collaboration. Thus, it is important to investigate how healthcare professionals plan and communicate care, work together, and define their roles as members of the cardiac rehabilitation teams.

Risk-taking attitudes and their association with process and outcomes of cardiac care: a cohort study.

Background: Prior research reveals that processes and outcomes of cardiac care differ across sociodemographic strata. One potential contributing factor to such differences is the personality traits of individuals within these strata. We examined the association between risk-taking attitudes and cardiac patients' clinical and demographic characteristics, the likelihood of undergoing invasive cardiac procedures and survival.

Using the cardiac depression scale in men recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery.

Aims: To examine the utility and validate the use of the Cardiac Depression Scale in patients who had first-time coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: The Beck Depression Inventory, though frequently used, may not be sufficiently sensitive for use in cardiac patients. The Cardiac Depression Scale has been shown to identify the range of depression in medical cardiac patients.

Ethnic variation in acute myocardial infarction presentation and access to care.

Given the growing ethnic diversity in Canada, it is essential to recognize potential ethnic variability in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) symptoms to increase timely and effective treatment. We thus examined ethnic variation in symptom presentation and access to care of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with AMI. A random sample of 406 health records of Caucasian, Chinese, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and First Nations patients discharged from hospitals in the Calgary Health Region (Alberta, Canada) was audited.

Experiences of male patients and wife-caregivers in the first year post-discharge following minor stroke: a descriptive qualitative study.

Background: Most patients with minor stroke are discharged directly home from acute care, under the assumption that little will be required in the way of adaptation and adjustment because informal caregivers will manage the stroke recovery process. We explored male patients with minor stroke and their wife-caregivers' perceptions of factors affecting quality of life and caregiver strain encountered during the first year post-discharge.

Methods: Data were obtained from responses to two open-ended questions, part of quality of life and caregiver strain scales administered to participants in a larger descriptive study.

The influence of coronary artery bypass graft harvest site on women's pain, functional status, and health services utilization throughout the first post-operative year: a longitudinal study.

Background: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is a commonly performed procedure aimed at managing coronary symptoms and prolonging life. Researchers have typically examined morbidity and mortality outcomes of predominantly male populations. Less is known about the influence of graft harvest site on recovery outcomes such as surgery-related pain, functional status, and health services utilization, especially in women.

Elevated body mass index and use of coronary revascularization after cardiac catheterization.

Background: Obese persons suffer discrimination in society that may extend to health care use. We investigated whether overweight and obese patients are as likely to undergo coronary reperfusion or revascularization as patients of normal body weight.

Methods: Detailed clinical data were collected for an inception cohort of patients from Alberta, Canada, who underwent cardiac catheterization between April 2001 and March 2004.

A randomized trial of the effect of community pharmacist and nurse care on improving blood pressure management in patients with diabetes mellitus: study of cardiovascular risk intervention by pharmacists-hypertension (SCRIP-HTN).

Background: Blood pressure (BP) control in patients with diabetes mellitus is difficult to achieve and current patterns are suboptimal. Given increasing problems with access to primary care physicians, community pharmacists and nurses are well positioned to identify and observe these patients. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of a community-based multidisciplinary intervention on BP control in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Examining oral intake temperature in cardiac surgery patients.

The effect of restricting the temperature of cardiac surgery patients' oral intake to room temperature or warmer, over the first 3 postoperative days, on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms was examined. In all, 57 patients were randomly assigned to receive the intervention or usual care. GI symptoms were measured daily over the first 5 postoperative days.

A descriptive examination of the impact of sternal scar formation in women.

Formation of abnormal scars is a significant source of morbidity following sternotomy. We undertook a descriptive exploratory mixed methods study of women (n=13) who participated in the Women's Recovery from Sternotomy Trial to examine the: (1) qualitative impact of the cosmetic result of sternotomy, and (2) quantitative association between subjective satisfaction and objective ratings of the sternal scar. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data generated from semi-structured interviews.

Smell and taste dysfunction following minor stroke: a case report.

Smell (olfactory) and taste (gustatory) are key senses in the regulation of nourishment and individual safety. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions have been infrequently reported together in patients following stroke (Landis et al., 2006; Leopold et al.

First Nations people's challenge in managing coronary artery disease risk.

First Nations peoples bring a particular history and cultural perspective to healing and well-being that significantly influences their health behaviors. The authors used grounded theory methods to describe and explain how ethnocultural affiliation and gender influence the process that 22 First Nations people underwent when making lifestyle changes related to their coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. The transcribed interviews revealed a core variable, meeting the challenge.