Disorder In Hospital Settings Research Articles

Effect of Aloe vera gel versus olive oil in the prevention of pressure ulcers among bedridden patients: A pilot study

Given the high occurrence of pressure ulcers in healthcare settings, this research sought to determine the efficacy of using Aloe vera gel or olive oil to prevent them in bedridden patients. Nurses often work long hours to avoid pressure ulcers, making it critical to investigate alternate remedies. Previous research revealed that Aloe vera gel and olive oil might accelerate pressure ulcer healing by lowering microbial presence and maintaining skin integrity, making them possible preventative strategies. The research included thirty volunteers who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Aloe vera gel, olive oil, or regular skincare. Over an 11-day period, the efficacy of each therapy in avoiding pressure ulcers was measured using the EPUAP (European Pressure Ulcers Advisory Panel) and Braden scales. Although direct comparison between the two treatment groups was restricted due to the small sample size, the Aloe vera gel and olive oil groups revealed a considerably decreased incidence of pressure ulcers compared to the control group. In conclusion, using olive oil and Aloe vera gel to the skin of bedridden patients showed promise in lowering the incidence of pressure ulcers. More study is needed to validate these results and make herbal treatments essential to preventative skincare practices for skin disorders in hospital settings.

Mental health presentations to acute psychiatric services: 3-year study of prevalence and readmission risk for personality disorders compared with psychotic, affective, substance or other disorders.

The relative burden and risk of readmission for people with personality disorders in hospital settings is unknown.AimsTo compare hospital use of people with personality disorder with that of people with other mental health diagnoses, such as psychoses and affective disorders. Naturalistic study of hospital presentations for mental health in a large community catchment. Mixed-effects Cox regression and survival curves were generated to examine risk of readmission for each group. Of 2894 people presenting to hospital, patients with personality disorder represented 20.5% of emergency and 26.6% of in-patients. Patients with personality disorder or psychoses were 2.3 times (95% CI 1.79-2.99) more likely than others to re-present within 28 days. Personality disorder diagnosis increases rate of readmission by a factor of 8.7 (s.e. = 0.31), marginally lower than psychotic disorders (10.02, s.e. = 0.31). Personality disorders place significant demands on in-patient and emergency departments, similar to that of psychoses in terms of presentation and risk of readmission.Declaration of interestNone.

Medication prescribing patterns for patients with bipolar I disorder in hospital settings: adherence to published practice guidelines

The purposes of this paper were to examine the medication prescribing patterns for bipolar I disorder in hospital settings and to compare them to recently published expert consensus guidelines for medication treatment of bipolar disorder. Data were obtained from the 1996-2000 CQI+SM Outcomes Measurement System, on patients age 18 or older admitted to psychiatric inpatient units from over 100 medical-surgical hospitals. A total of 1864 patients with a primary discharge diagnosis of bipolar I or II disorder were identified from a large cohort of hospitalized patients. Patient characteristics were assessed at hospital admission and medication usage, at discharge. The medication analysis focused on the 1471 individuals with bipolar I mania or bipolar I depression (with or without psychotic features), representing 54% and 25% of admitted bipolar patients, respectively. At admission, the typical bipolar patient (mean age 57) had experienced a relatively severe and chronic course of illness. The array of psychotropic agents used was broad, with no single prescribing pattern predominant. Only one in three bipolar I (manic or depressed) patients with psychotic features was discharged on medications recommended by expert guidelines as preferred or alternate recommended treatment. Absent psychotic features, this dropped to one in six patients. Surprising was the relatively high use of antidepressants for patients with mania, particularly those without psychotic symptoms. Results suggest that a substantial proportion of patients with bipolar I disorder are discharged from hospitals on medications not generally recommended by current practice guidelines.

Medication prescribing patterns for patients with bipolar I disorder in hospital settings: adherence to published practice guidelines

Medication prescribing patterns for patients with bipolar I disorder in hospital settings: adherence to published practice guidelines

Course and outcome in bipolar affective disorder: a longitudinal follow- up study

A number of recent studies have questioned whether, despite modern treatment, the natural course of bipolar illness today still involves multiple relapses and impaired psychosocial functioning. This prospective follow-up study examined longitudinal outcome in a large group of inpatients with affective disorders. Fifty-one bipolar manic patients and 49 unipolar depressed patients were interviewed three times: 1) during hospitalization, 2) approximately 2 years after discharge, and 3) approximately 4.5 years after discharge. Subjects were treated under routine conditions and assessed for global adjustment, rehospitalization, and work and social functioning. Only 41% of the bipolar group had a good overall outcome by the time of the 4.5-year follow-up. The bipolar patients had more severe work impairment than the unipolar group. More than one-half of the bipolar patients were rehospitalized at least once during the 4.5-year follow-up period. Outcome for both diagnostic groups improved significantly over time. Many contemporary bipolar patients demonstrate gradual improvement in the first several years after hospitalization. However, a subgroup approaching 60% still experience poor posthospital adjustment in one or more areas of functioning.