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Potential Participants (potential + participant)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	44%
Humanities and Social Sciences	33%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	11%

Selected Abstracts

Repeat participation in colorectal cancer screening utilizing fecal occult blood testing: A community-based project in a rural setting

JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 10 2010
Monika Janda
Abstract Background and Aim:, To investigate participation in a second round of colorectal cancer screening using a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in an Australian rural community, and to assess the demographic characteristics and individual perspectives associated with repeat screening. Methods:, Potential participants from round 1 (50,74 years of age) were sent an intervention package and asked to return a completed FOBT (n = 3406). Doctors of participants testing positive referred to colonoscopy as appropriate. Following screening, 119 participants completed qualitative telephone interviews. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated the association between round-2 participation and other variables. Results:, Round-2 participation was 34.7%; the strongest predictor was participation in round 1. Repeat participants were more likely to be female; inconsistent screeners were more likely to be younger (aged 50,59 years). The proportion of positive FOBT was 12.7%, that of colonoscopy compliance was 98.6%, and the positive predictive value for cancer or adenoma of advanced pathology was 23.9%. Reasons for participation included testing as a precautionary measure or having family history/friends with colorectal cancer; reasons for non-participation included apathy or doctors' advice against screening. Conclusion:, Participation was relatively low and consistent across rounds. Unless suitable strategies are identified to overcome behavioral trends and/or to screen out ineligible participants, little change in overall participation rates can be expected across rounds. [source]

WHAT SHOULD RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH?

BIOETHICS, Issue 4 2008
DAVID WENDLER
ABSTRACT To give valid informed consent to participate in clinical research, potential participants should understand the risks, potential benefits, procedures, and alternatives. Potential participants also should understand that they are being invited to participate in research. Yet it is unclear what potential participants need to understand to satisfy this particular requirement. As a result, it is unclear what additional information investigators should disclose about the research; and it is also unclear when failures of understanding in this respect undermine the validity of potential participants' informed consent. An analysis of individuals' interests suggests that potential participants need to understand three additional facts to understand that they are being invited to participate in research: 1) research contribution: those who enroll in the study will be contributing to a project designed to gather generalizable knowledge to benefit others in the future; 2) research relationship: the investigators will rely on participants' efforts to gather the generalizable knowledge to benefit others; and 3) research impact: the extent to which participating in the study will alter what participants do and what happens to them. [source]

A European methodology for sustainable development strategy reviews

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 2 2010
Joachim H. Spangenberg
Abstract In 2005 the EU Environment Directorate initiated the production of a guidebook for peer reviews of national sustainable development strategies (NSDSs), which was published in 2006. Its objective is to support EU member states planning to evaluate their respective NSDS, supporting and stimulating all potential participants. It describes how to initiate, start, lead and conclude an evaluation process, and suggests, based on European experiences, a spectrum of methods available for this purpose. During a Commission-sponsored trial period, 2006/2007, the Netherlands was the only country to make use of this offer. However, the renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EUSDS) calls for regular (peer) reviews of NSDS. Using this specific review instrument is recommended as part of a mutual learning exercise, which might stimulate a self-organized convergence of NSDSs, and better vertical integration, without establishing new competences and mechanisms on the EU level. Two new elements are suggested, a simple ,pressure,policy matrix' (PPM), supporting comprehensiveness control, and the possibility of patchwork evaluations, based on the systematique of the matrix. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

Mutation of residues in the coenzyme binding pocket of Dopa decarboxylase

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 10 2001
Effects on catalytic properties
Residues D271, H192, H302 and N300 of l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine decarboxylase (DDC), a homodimeric pyridoxal 5,-phosphate (PLP) enzyme, were mutated in order to acquire information on the catalytic mechanism. These residues are potential participants in catalysis because they belong to the common PLP-binding structural motif of group I, II and III decarboxylases and other PLP enzymes, and because they are among the putative active-site residues of structural modelled rat liver DDC. The spectroscopic features of the D271E, H192Q, H302Q and N300A mutants as well as their dissociation constants for PLP suggest that substitution of each of these residues causes alteration of the state of the bound coenzyme molecule and of the conformation of aromatic amino acids, possibly in the vicinity of the active site. This supports, but does not prove, the possibility that these residues are located in the coenzyme-binding cleft. Interestingly, mutation of each residue generates an oxidative decarboxylase activity towards l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l -Dopa), not inherent in the wild-type in aerobiosis, and reduces the nonoxidative decarboxylase activity of l -Dopa from 3- to 390-fold. The partition ratio between oxidative and nonoxidative decarboxylation ranges from 5.7 × 10,4 for N300A mutant to 946 × 10,4 for H302Q mutant. Unlike wild-type enzyme, the mutants catalyse these two reactions to the same extent either in the presence or absence of O2. In addition, all four mutants exhibit an extremely low level of the oxidative deaminase activity towards serotonin with respect to wild-type. All these findings demonstrate that although D271, H192, H302 and N300 are not essential for catalysis, mutation of these residues alters the nature of catalysis. A possible relationship among the integrity of the PLP cleft, the productive binding of O2 and the transition to a closed conformational state of DDC is discussed. [source]

Personal characteristics and depression-related attitudes of older adults and participation in stages of implementation of a multi-site effectiveness trial (PRISM-E)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 10 2005
Marsha N. Wittink
Abstract Background No study has assessed attitudes about depression and its treatment and participation at each step of recruitment and implementation of an effectiveness trial. Our purpose was to determine the association between personal characteristics and attitudes of older adults about depression with participation at each step of the Primary Care Research in Substance Abuse and Mental Health for the Elderly (PRISM-E) treatment effectiveness trial. Methods Information on personal characteristics and attitudes regarding depression and its treatment were obtained from all potential participants in PRISM-E. Results Persons who reported better social support were more likely to complete a baseline interview, but were less likely to meet with the mental health professional carrying out the intervention. Attitudes about taking medicines were significantly associated with uptake of the intervention, but not with earlier phases of recruitment. Persons were much more likely to have a visit with the mental health professional for treatment of depression if they were willing to take medicine for depression but did not endorse waiting for the depression to get better [odds ratio (OR),=,3.16, 95% confidence interval (CI),=,1.48,6.75], working it out on one's own (OR,=,5.18, 95% CI,=,1.69,15.85), or talking to a minister, priest, or rabbi (OR,=,2.01, 95% CI,=,1.02,3.96). Conclusion Social support and other personal characteristics may be the most appropriate for tailoring recruitment strategies, but later steps in the recruitment and implementation may require more attention to specific attitudes towards antidepressant medications. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Organisational climate, organisational commitment and intention to leave amongst hospital nurses in Taiwan

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 11-12 2010
Shwu-Ru Liou
Aims and objectives., To examine: (1) Taiwanese nurses' perceptions of organisational climate, levels of organisational commitment and intention to leave, as well as relationships between these three variables; (2) demographic differences in the levels of these variables; and (3) mediating effects of organisational commitment on the relationship between organisational climate and intention to leave. Background., Organisational climate is related to organisational commitment and affects nurses' performances and attitudes towards an organisation. Design., A cross-sectional, descriptive design. Method., Registered nurses working in eight hospitals in southern Taiwan for more than six months were recruited. Data were collected using the Litwin and Stringer's Organisational Climate Questionnaire, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and a five-item scale measuring intention to leave. Questionnaires were distributed to 612 potential participants; 486 valid returned questionnaires were analysed. Results., The study's participants were generally satisfied with their hospital's climate and yet claimed low commitment to their organisation and, nevertheless, reported low intention to leave their job. Single nurses were more satisfied with their hospital's climate and were more committed to their hospital and had a lower intention to leave their job compared to married nurses. Nurses working in district hospitals perceived a better hospital climate and had a lower intention to leave than nurses working in teaching or regional hospitals. Staff nurses perceived a better organisational climate than did nurse managers. Organisational climate, organisational commitment and intention to leave were intercorrelated. Organisational climate had almost 60% indirect effect on organisational commitment related to intention to leave. Conclusions., Creating a good organisational climate may increase nurses' organisational commitment and, in turn, decrease their intention to leave. Relevance to clinical practice., To motivate nurses' positive organisational behaviours and to address their diverse needs, hospital administrators are encouraged to understand nurses' work-climate perceptions and to address nurses' varied demographic factors. [source]

Factual memories of ICU: recall at two years post-discharge and comparison with delirium status during ICU admission , a multicentre cohort study

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 9 2007
Brigit L Roberts RN, IC Cert
Aims and objective., To examine the relationship between observed delirium in ICU and patients' recall of factual events up to two years after discharge. Background., People, the environment, and procedures are frequently cited memories of actual events encountered in ICU. These are often perceived as stressors to the patients and the presence of several such stressors has been associated with the development of reduced health-related quality of life or post-traumatic stress syndrome. Design., Prospective cohort study using interview technique. Method., The cohort was assembled from 152 patients who participated in a previously conducted multi-centre study of delirium incidence in Australian ICUs. The interviews involved a mixture of closed- and open-ended questions. Qualitative responses regarding factual memories were analysed using thematic analysis. A five-point Likert scale with answers from ,always' to ,never' was used to ask about current experiences of dream, anxiety, sleep problems, fears, irritability and/or mood swings. Scoring ranged from 6 to 30 with a mid-point value of 18 indicating a threshold value for the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress syndrome. A P -value of <0·05 was considered significant for all analyses. Results., Forty-one (40%) out of 103 potential participants consented to take part in the follow-up interview; 18 patients (44%) had been delirious and 23 patients (56%) non-delirious during the ICU admission. The non-participants (n = 62) formed a control group to ensure a representative sample; 83% (n = 34) reported factual memories either with or without recall of dreaming. Factual memories were significantly less common (66% cf. 96%) in delirious patients (OR 0·09, 95%CI 0·01,0·85, p = 0·035). Five topics emerged from the thematic analysis: ,procedures', ,staff', ,comfort', ,visitors', and ,events'. Based on the current experiences, five patients (12%, four non-delirious and one delirious) scored ,18 indicative of symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome; this did not reach statistical significance. Memory of transfer out of ICU was less frequent among the delirious patients (56%, n = 10) than among the non-delirious patients (87%, n = 20) (p = 0·036). Conclusion., Most patients have factual memories of their ICU stay. However, delirious patients had significantly less factual recall than non-delirious patients. Adverse psychological sequelae expressed as post-traumatic stress syndrome was uncommon in our study. Every attempt must be made to ensure that the ICU environment is as hospitable as possible to decrease the stress of critical illness. Post-ICU follow-up should include filling in the ,missing gaps', particularly for delirious patients. Ongoing explanations and a caring environment may assist the patient in making a complete recovery both physically and mentally. Relevance to clinical practice., This study highlights the need for continued patient information, re-assurance and optimized comfort. While health care professionals cannot remove the stressors of the ICU treatments, we must minimize the impact of the stay. It must be remembered that most patients are aware of their surroundings while they are in the ICU and it should, therefore, be part of ICU education to include issues regarding all aspects of patient care in this particularly vulnerable subset of patients to optimize their feelings of security, comfort and self-respect. [source]

A pilot study of PTSD symptoms among Kalahari Bushmen

JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2003
George J. McCall
Abstract This study reflects an attempt to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a radically nonwestern culture, that of the Kalahari Bushmen, the Ju/'hoansi. After translating DSM-IV PTSD symptoms into their difficult and click-laden language, potential participants were nominated by village elders who were aware of domestic violence and symptoms during the preceding year. Ten men and 10 women, identified as meeting Criteria A, E, and F, were interviewed regarding their symptoms. Thirty-five percent of the sample met the criteria for PTSD for incidents occurring within the past year. All participants met the reexperiencing and arousal criteria but many otherwise distressed participants did not meet the avoidance criterion for PTSD. These results compare closely with PTSD assessments in other non-Western societies, while providing some empirical support of two new ideas about how the avoidance behaviors in such societies might be reconciled with information-processing theories of PTSD. [source]

Teaching Healthy Anger Management

PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 2 2001
Sandra P. Thomas PhD
TOPIC. Teaching anger management in the community. PURPOSE. To describe anger management and offer guidelines for assessing potential participants and teaching healthy behaviors. SOURCES. Drawing from the literature, more than 10 years of quantitative and qualitative studies by our research team, and 5 years of experience in conducting anger management groups, the author presents basic principles of teaching anger management. A model is described for a 4-week group for women. CONCLUSIONS. Anger management has wide applicability to a variety of constituencies for both primary and secondary prevention. Advanced practice psychiatric nurses are well-qualified to provide this psychoeducational intervention. [source]

A prospective qualitative exploration of views about attending pulmonary rehabilitation

PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2009
Catherine Bulley
Abstract Background and Purpose.,Pulmonary rehabilitation has been found to be an effective strategy for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, attendance at such programmes is not optimal, therefore, this study aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of views regarding attendance at pulmonary rehabilitation and experiences which may have shaped these views.,Methods.,An inductive qualitative study was carried out within the framework of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five female and four male individuals with COPD who had been referred for pulmonary rehabilitation participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted prior to participation in pulmonary rehabilitation.,Results.,Three main themes were identified that related to views about attending pulmonary rehabilitation. The first is entitled ,Desired benefits of attending pulmonary rehabilitation', which described realistic hopes about impact on daily life. The second theme was called ,Evaluating the threat of exercise', and it encompassed both positive and negative evaluations; some interviewees described fear and avoidance of exercise, while others were determined to overcome symptoms. These attitudes extended to views about pulmonary rehabilitation. The third theme was called ,Attributing value to pulmonary rehabilitation'. Contrasting opinions about the value of attending pulmonary rehabilitation appeared to be influenced by the nature of prior interactions with health personnel and systems as well as information about the programme provided at referral. The referrer's attitude towards pulmonary rehabilitation appeared to be particularly influential.,Conclusion.,In summary, when considering rehabilitation attendance, potential participants are able to identify possible benefits, but previous experiences of symptoms and attitudes towards their condition can influence views both positively and negatively. Information and enthusiasm conveyed by the referring clinician, as well as previous interactions with health professionals can have powerful impact on views about attending. Referral practices should be informative and enthusiastic to increase the likelihood of uptake. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Modifications of Graduate Public/ Community Health Nursing Internships to Facilitate Compliance with Institutional Review Board and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Regulations

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2005
Gwendolyn F. Foss
ABSTRACT, This paper describes the changes that were made to a two-semester graduate internship course to facilitate student compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) and agency requirements for compliance with the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Students now spend the first semester of the internship developing collaborative relationships with the agency and conceptualizing, planning, and developing all aspects of the project, including preparing materials for an IRB review. A series of workshops about the IRB process, the Privacy Rule of HIPAA, and on-line resources have been developed. A password-protected web site and other resources were developed for preceptors. The result of the changes has been primarily positive. By having to conceptualize and develop the entire project at the beginning, students demonstrate a better understanding of program development and evaluation. Their writing has markedly improved. Preceptors like the course revisions, the convenience of on-line resources, and the enhanced course focus on the protection of health care information and of potential participants in health education programs or program evaluation projects. [source]

What Have We Learned from Market Design?,

THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 527 2008
Alvin E. Roth
This article discusses some things we have learned about markets, in the process of designing marketplaces to fix market failures. To work well, marketplaces have to provide thickness, i.e. they need to attract a large enough proportion of the potential participants in the market; they have to overcome the congestion that thickness can bring, by making it possible to consider enough alternative transactions to arrive at good ones; and they need to make it safe and sufficiently simple to participate in the market, as opposed to transacting outside of the market, or having to engage in costly and risky strategic behaviour. I will draw on recent examples of market design ranging from labour markets for doctors and new economists, to kidney exchange, and school choice in New York City and Boston. [source]

Monetary integration in the ex-Soviet Union: A ,union of four'?*

THE ECONOMICS OF TRANSITION, Issue 1 2006
Vladimir Chaplygin
F02; F15; E58 Abstract The governments of four ex-Soviet countries recently discussed forming a currency union. To examine the economic feasibility of this proposition, we use conventional techniques and show that the arrangement is likely to find it difficult to handle the lack of structural symmetry, the asymmetric pattern of shocks, and the lack of market flexibility among the potential participants. Moreover, the union would be a unilateral one. It would require an unusual degree of political commitment to survive. Nonetheless, there are some subtleties in the timing and pattern of mutual dependence between Russia and Kazakhstan, and to a lesser extent in Belarus, which may reduce the strain from a currency union in those countries. Otherwise, the black market will have to provide the necessary market flexibility. [source]

WHAT SHOULD RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH?

Recruiting Black/African American men for research on prostate cancer prevention,,

CANCER, Issue 5 2004
V. Diane Woods M.S.N.
Abstract BACKGROUND Black/African American men die of prostate cancer at a greater rate relative to other males. During the period from 1992 to 1998, prostate cancer incidence rates in the United States were 234.2 per 100,000 persons among non-Hispanic black males and 144.6 per 100,000 persons among white males. The reasons for these increased rates of prostate cancer among black males are largely unknown, but increased mortality is associated with late detection. The authors conducted a longitudinal study of black men that investigated prostate cancer prevention behaviors within this population. The purpose of the current article is to identify successful recruitment strategies that were reported by participants in this study of prevention behaviors. METHODS Qualitative research methods were used to elucidate men's thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding prostate cancer prevention behaviors and to identify strategies for attracting black men to research programs and retaining them in these programs. RESULTS Ethnocentric recruitment strategies that were identified included the development of tailored printed materials; the use of targeted locations; and a personalized, participatory approach for engaging potential participants. We contacted 498 black men and enrolled a cohort of 277 non-Hispanic black males (75% of whom were recruited within a 9-week period) in the current study. CONCLUSIONS Unlike other studies that reported difficulty in recruiting African American men, the current study did not encounter such difficulties. The authors attribute their success to culturally attractive Afrocentric materials; cultural sensitivity; a caring, professional, personalized ethnic approach; respect; and participatory involvement of the target population. Nonetheless, the authors did encounter barriers, such as lack of physician interest and lack of trust in quality medical care. These barriers must be overcome before black males can be engaged and retained in research studies on prostate cancer prevention. Cancer 2004;100:1017,25. © 2004 American Cancer Society. [source]

Reconceptualizing Collective Action in the Contemporary Media Environment

COMMUNICATION THEORY, Issue 4 2005
Bruce Bimber
Collective action theory, which is widely applied to explain human phenomena in which public goods are at stake, traditionally rests on at least two main tenets: that individuals confront discrete decisions about free riding and that formal organization is central to locating and contacting potential participants in collective action, motivating them, and coordinating their actions. Recent uses of technologies of information and communication for collective action appear in some instances to violate these two tenets. In order to explain these, we reconceptualize collective action as a phenomenon of boundary crossing between private and public domains. We show how a reconceptualized theory of collective action can better account for certain contemporary phenomena, and we situate traditional collective action theory as a special case of our expanded theory. [source]

Seeking the "Counter," in Counterpublics

COMMUNICATION THEORY, Issue 4 2000
Robert Asen
As conceptual models of the public sphere have moved toward multiplicity, "counterpublic" has emerged as a critical term to signify that some publics develop not simply as one among a constellation of discursive entities, but as explicitly articulated alternatives to wider publics that exclude the interests of potential participants. This essay attempts to forestall potential reductionism in future counterpublic theory by considering through 3 "ominous examples" how the "counter" in counter-publics may be reduced to persons, places, or topics. Instead, this essay seeks to orient critical attention to the discursive quality of counterpublics. It argues that the ways in which counterpublics set themselves against wider publics may be most productively explored by attending to the recognition and articulation of exclusion through alternative discourse norms and practices. [source]