Diane Cronin-Stubbs

Complementary and Alternative Therapies to Manage HIV-Related Symptoms

Persons with HIV infection report substantial use of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies for symptom management. Anecdotal reports from patients indicate that CAM approaches are helpful; however, there is limited scientific information on the safety and efficacy of these therapies in the HIV population. The purpose of this review is to critically appraise the scientific evidence for selected CAM therapies that are used by HIV-infected persons to manage three common symptoms: nutritional alterations, pain, and depression.

The Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Adapting to Physical Disability: A Review of the Research Literature

&NA; Physically disabled persons are challenged to cope with a wide range of stressors in maintaining meaningful lives. Adjustment depends, in part, on psychological and social factors that promote effective coping with old and new demands. This article is a review of current research on the relationship of social support, self‐concept, locus of control, and hardiness to the adjustment of persons with physical disabilities. Implications and a psychosocial assessment guide are presented to help rehabilitation nurses evaluate patients’ psychosocial status and formulate interventions.

Discharge planning for psychiatric inpatients: Evaluation of one technique

Therapeutic passes, or authorized leave from hospitals for more than two hours, have long been an element of inpatient psychiatric treatment. Though traditionally granted, there is little in the literature that describes their merit and whether they promote discharge readiness or community adjustment. This descriptive study explored: (a) aspects of an inpatient treatment program that related to discharge readiness and community adjustment; (b) the perceived use and effectiveness of one aspect of the treatment program, therapeutic passes; and (c) nursings role in helping patients use passes to plan for discharge and community adjustment.

Cognitive changes associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

T HE ACQUIRED immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a result of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), disrupts immunological and neurological functioning (Merrill C Rosenberg & Fauci, 1991; Swanson, Cronin-Stubbs, & Colletti, 1990). Cognitive or neuropsychological impairment has been reported in 40% to 60% of persons with AIDS and in a subset of persons with AIDS-related complex (ARC), an HIV-induced syndrome involving the central nervous system (CNS) that is characterized by fever and weight loss. However, it is not clear whether or not cognitive impairment is present in asymptomatic HIV-infected persons. Therefore, the purposes of this study were (a) to determine the number and percentage of individuals exhibiting neuropsychological impairment at four stages of HIV infection and (b) to determine if a relationship exists between stage of HIV infection and cognitive functioning.