Clinical Health Promotion Research Articles

Melioidosis presenting as knee joint septic arthritis: a case report

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.Cover Image: Computed tomography perfusion (CTP) brain image of a left-sided ischaemic stroke.The image shows time to peak (TTP) perfusion map of the brain with prolongation of TTP in hypoperfused regions of the left hemisphere identified as patchy areas highlighted in red.Dr. Hemal Senanayake

Nutrition competencies for medicine: an integrative review and critical synthesis

ObjectiveGlobally, 11 million deaths are attributable to suboptimal diet annually, and nutrition care has been shown to improve health outcomes. While medically trained clinicians are well-placed to provide nutrition care,...

Do Spiritual Health Connections Protect Adolescents When They Are Bullied: A National Study of 12,593 Young Canadians.

It has long been established that bullying has many negative impacts on the mental health of adolescents. Young people who are victimized by bullying may cope by drawing on available assets to protect themselves from harm. One such asset with ancient roots but with the potential for contemporary application is the concept of spiritual health—the idea that the connections in our lives (whether to ourselves, others, nature, or something transcendent) affect our well-being. In this study, we examined 12,593 Canadians aged 11–15 years to determine the effects of being victimized by bullying on their mental health, as measured by frequent subjective health complaints. We then explored whether strong spiritual health connections were effect modifiers that buffer such negative pathways, thereby acting as protective health assets. Data were obtained from the 2017/18 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Generalized linear regression models were used to estimate associations and evaluate effect modification in different age and gender groups. Approximately 21% of participants reported being victimized by bullying. Strength of “connections to self” (i.e., a sense of meaning/purpose or joy and happiness in one’s life) was found to act as an effect modifier, but in girls alone. Contrary to expectations of a buffering effect, the strongest associations between victimization and frequent health complaints were identified for girls with high connections to self. Relative risks for poor mental health among these highly self-connected girls were 1.63 [95% CI: 1.26–2.12] and 1.25 [1.06–1.47] for younger and older girls, respectively. We interpreted this unexpected finding in light of cognitive theories of trauma, which suggest that adverse events may lead to worse health outcomes among those who place particular value on their world being meaningful, controllable or benevolent. Implications for clinical intervention and health promotion are considered.

Health promotion actions in the School Health Program in Ceará: nursing contributions.

to compare health promotion actions carried out by Family Health teams in Ceará, linked to the School Health Program. a cross-sectional study involving the first and second cycles of an external assessment of 910 and 1,626 teams from 184 municipalities, which joined the Brazilian National Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care. Eight clinical assessment and seven health promotion indicators were assessed, together with health professionals working in schools. the interviewees were nurses (95.6% and 98.3%). Between the cycles, there was an increase in clinical assessment (78.7% and 91.3%), health promotion and disease prevention (82.5% and 89.3%) and survey of students for follow-up (41.4% and 66.4%) in schools. health actions at school advanced between cycles, with nurses as protagonists in school health, which can reduce vulnerabilities in children and adolescents and qualify Primary Care.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: easy to miss at an early stage; easy to halt progression if caught early; a success story presented as a case report

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.

Sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in medical students of a state university of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.

A case of the first presentation of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia as posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome: A case report

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis complicated with haemorrhagic venous infarction and seizures, successfully treated with oral anticoagulation for one year: a case report

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.

Non-communicable diseases care model & its integration with the primary health care system in Norway

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.

Idiopathic acquired haemophilia with inhibitors to factor VIII and IX in an elderly female: a case report

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, biannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS). The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ. Cover Image:Mixed cholesterol gallstonesLight microscopic appearance of a cross-section of a mixed cholesterol gallstone. The distinct light and dark layers demonstrate cholesterol and pigment deposits respectively. Bottom right: Morphological characteristics of mixed cholesterol gallstones. The cross-sections of mixed cholesterol gallstones show multiple cholesterol layers deposited around a pigment nidus in the center. Dr. Harshi Weerakoon

Comments on New Research on Clinical Health Promotion

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem all over the world and responsible for both acute and longterm sick leave. Over time, numerous intervention studies have been performed, however, ranging widely in research quality. Professor Robin Christensen comments on the new systematic review: A systematic review highlights the need to improve the quality and applicability of trials of physical therapy interventions for low back pain.

Reintegrate Empowerment and Health Literacy to Advance Public Health and Healthcare Delivery.

Empowerment has been described as a prerequisite for health and the ultimate goal of health literacy in both clinical practice and health promotion. Improving health literacy and empowerment is central to national and international public health and healthcare policies. While initially merged in the construct of critical health literacy, and currently linked without question in policy and discourse, health literacy and empowerment have been dichotomized - treated as two separate fields of study and practice - and partitioned further into condition-based lines of inquiry. Few studies have addressed both concepts. Indeed, references to empowerment in health literacy studies have decreased over the last decade. This chapter summarizes and interprets the significance of these fault lines for current and future research. Divergent clinical and health promotion perceptions of health empowerment, its expected outcomes, processes, interventions and measures are reviewed. Gaps in the literature are identified and recommendations are suggested to build a more robust science around health literacy and empowerment by addressing those limitations. The chapter reinforces recent calls for increased attention to empowerment in health literacy research and the reintegration of the critical health literacy concept to better reflect policy, achieve global public health goals, advance healthcare delivery, and foster multidisciplinary career opportunities for students, researchers, and practitioners.

Cut-off point for high dysphonia risk in children based on the Child Dysphonia Risk Screening Protocol: preliminary findings

OBJECTIVES:The objective of the study was to establish a cut-off point for high dysphonia risk in children using the Child Dysphonia Risk Screening Protocol (DRSP-C).METHODS:Through a preliminary study, voice recordings of 59 children (4-12 years of age) were collected during an auditory-perceptual analysis using the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice protocol. Thirty of the patients had voice disorders (patient group), and 29 did not (control group). A risk score for dysphonia was then calculated, and data were compared between groups. The relationship between overall degrees of deviation and questionnaire scores was analysed. The questionnaire’s validity was verified from the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, and cut-off points were obtained based on diagnostic criteria for screening procedures.RESULTS:The DRSP-C score was found to be higher for the patient group, as was the partial score for vocal behaviour. No correlation was found between overall degrees of dysphonia and questionnaire scores. The area under the ROC curve was measured as 0.678, denoting limited diagnostic capacity. The cut-off point was set at 16.50. Thus, above this value, dysphonia risk is higher.CONCLUSION:A cut-off point for high dysphonia risk was calculated. The DRSP-C proved to be a promising tool for children’s clinical vocal and health promotion and should be used in conjunction with General Dysphonia Risk Screening.

PERSON-CENTERED INTEGRATIVE DIAGNOSIS: CONCEPTS AND PROCEDURES

The person-centered integrative diagnosis (PID) is a model that aims at putting into practice the vision of person-centered medicine affirming the whole person of the patient in context as the center of clinical care and health promotion at the individual and community levels. The PID is a novel model of conceptualizing the process and formulation of clinical diagnosis. The PID presents a paradigm shift with a broader and deeper notion of diagnosis, beyond the restricted concept of nosological diagnoses. It involves a multilevel formulation of health status (both ill and positive aspects of health) through interactive participation and engagement of clinicians, patients, and families using all relevant descriptive tools (categorization, dimensions, and narratives). The current organizational schema of the PID comprises a multilevel standardized component model integrating three main domains. Each level or major domain addresses both ill health and positive aspects of health. The first level is the assessment of health status (ill health and positive aspects of health or well-being). The second level includes contributors to health, both risk factors and protective factors. The third major level includes health experience and values. Experience with the PID through a practical guide in Latin America supported the usefulness and adequacy of the PID model.

Troubling the non-specialist prescription of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): the views of Australian HIV experts

ABSTRACTThe broadening of access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Australia has rekindled debates about which types of clinicians are best suited to deliver HIV prevention innovations: specialist HIV services or primary care physicians and general practitioners (GPs). We conducted 21 semi-structured qualitative interviews in 2017 with Australian HIV sector experts working across policy, advocacy, clinical service provision, research, and health promotion. These interviews took place before a national policy commitment to subsidising access to PrEP was achieved. We explored how participants conceptualised PrEP, patients and GPs at this key turning point in the history of HIV prevention. Participants expressed varied views regarding GPs’ anticipated ability to successfully navigate the potential complexities associated with PrEP roll-out. While participants were supportive of greater patient access to PrEP, they expressed concerns about non-specialist GPs’ cultural competence and expertise regarding sexuality and clinical practice, and the potential for patients to experience discrimination and homophobia from non-expert GPs. This study has broad implications for thinking about experts and expertise, the implementation of previously specialised medicine into mainstream settings, and the anticipated challenges of LGBTIQ+ inclusive healthcare.

Uncovering strengths within community dwelling older adults: What does it mean for health care practice?

The aim of this paper is to present the psychological strengths we identified from interviews with community dwelling older adults. Data for this paper is drawn from participants in a community dwelling older adult study. The latter involved qualitative in-depth interviews with the participants exploring their well-being. All participants were community dwelling and living in a region in the North Island of New Zealand. Interviews took place between March 2017 to September 2017. Thirty-seven older adults between the ages of 66-99 took part in semi-structured interviews and all interviews were audio-recorded. Interviews ranged from 1 to 3hr. Analysis was informed by the Values in Action Character strengths framework. We were able to identify strengths within the VIA conceptual framework comprising; cognitive strengths, emotional strengths, social and community strengths, protective strengths and transcendental strengths. Throughout this study we found that participants experienced difficulties in identifying and talking about their strengths. In many ways this may reflect participants' strength of humility, demonstrating modesty in talking about themselves. This study has highlighted the challenges older adults experienced in identifying their own strengths. However, the study has demonstrated how narratives can be one way of uncovering psychological strengths with older adults. In particular, these findings highlight the range of strengths, for example, bravery, gratitude, hope, humour, kindness, perseverance, spirituality, that older adults have and give a voice in highlighting these. However, more practical ways of making strength-based practices workable in daily practice, for example, in clinical assessment and health promotion programs are required.

Access to Evidence-Based Clinical Health Promotion for All Patients in Need Future – and Follow-up for Effect

Access to Evidence-Based Clinical Health Promotion for All Patients in Need Future – and Follow-up for Effect

Comments on New Research on Clinical Health Promotion

Comments on New Research on Clinical Health Promotion

Frailty, Successful Aging, Resilience, and Intrinsic Capacity: a Cross-disciplinary Discourse of the Aging Process

The relationship between successful aging, frailty, intrinsic capacity, and resilience is explored, in terms of underlying physiology, indicators, and utility. Frailty may be regarded as the reverse of successful aging conceptually, but more appropriate for clinical management and health promotion programs. Intrinsic capacity may be used as indicator of healthy aging, and the concept of resilience more relevant in research efforts to understand the heterogeneous age-related changes. In prevention of geriatric syndromes and diseases, as well as in the formulation of health policies, the use of a negative undesirable state (such as frailty) may elicit more response than the alternative approach of maintaining intrinsic capacity. For example, smoking cessation strategies heavily use negative images, as opposed to “maintaining good lung function.” Similarly, in hospital management, frailty assessment has rapidly become incorporated into management in various specialties such as cardiology, renal medicine, and oncology, in addition to Geriatric Medicine and primary care. Successful aging, frailty, resilience, and intrinsic capacity share many common features; the use of these terms represents different approaches towards describing age-related changes at all levels: from cellular, physiological systems, to whole persons and community.

Mutlicentric Castleman’s disease presenting in a young patient

The AMJ is a peer-reviewed, triannual health journal published by Anuradhapura Clinical Society (ACS).The Journal strives to be a forum for all health professionals to publish original research and review articles in their area of expertise. The AMJ publishes articles in clinical medicine, public health and health promotion. Our priority is given to manuscripts on health related issues which affects the communities living in rural tropical communities. Established as a journal in 2006 as a publication parallel to ACS annual scientific sessions, the journal was relaunched as a proper journal in 2013. Anuradhapura Medical Journal is a member of COPE and is included on DOAJ.