George Shuster

Mindfulness meditation in older adults with postherpetic neuralgia: A randomized controlled pilot study

This parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot study examined daily meditation in a diverse sample of older adults with postherpetic neuralgia. Block randomization was used to allocate participants to a treatment group (n = 13) or control group (n = 14). In addition to usual care, the treatment group practiced daily meditation for six weeks. All participants completed questionnaires at enrollment in the study, two weeks later, and six weeks after that, at the studys end. Participants recorded daily pain and fatigue levels in a diary, and treatment participants also noted meditation practice. Results at the 0.10 level indicated improvement in neuropathic, affective, and total pain scores for the treatment group, whereas affective pain worsened for the control group. Participants were able to adhere to the daily diary and meditation requirements in this feasibility pilot study.

Health and Health Behaviors Among Elderly Hispanic Women

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the relationship between health and health behaviors among elderly Hispanic women who were lifetime U.S. residents. The number of elderly Hispanics is expected to grow faster than any other segment of the population within the United States. A random sample of 132 elderly Hispanic women enrolled in a health maintenance organization participated in this cross-sectional survey of health prevention, promotion, and protection behaviors and dimensions of health as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36. Results indicated that more than half of this group did not exercise regularly, one fourth did not eat regularly scheduled meals, and many had not participated in health screening. Among the women in this study, those whose lifestyles incorporated the more frequent practice of positive health behaviors also had better scores on 6 of the 8 specific health dimensions measured.

Telling smokers their "lung age" promoted successful smoking cessation.

G Parkes Dr G Parkes, The Limes Surgery, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, UK; parkesko@hotmail.co.uk Does describing to patients how smoking has accelerated their age-related decline in lung function (“lung age”) increase smoking cessation rates? ### Design: randomised controlled trial. ### Allocation: concealed. ### Blinding: blinded (outcome assessors). ### Follow-up period: 12 months. ### Setting: 5 general practices in Hertfordshire, UK. ### Patients: 561 current smokers ⩾35 years of age (mean age 53 y, 54% women, mean 17 cigarettes/d, mean 33 pack-y of smoking). Patients receiving oxygen or with a history of lung cancer, tuberculosis, asbestosis, silicosis, bronchiectasis, or pneumonectomy were excluded. ### Intervention: all patients had spirometry at baseline to measure forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1). Patients in the intervention group (n = 280) were immediately given their results verbally and graphically as “lung age” (the age …

A home based intervention reduced the frequency of hospital readmissions and out of hospital deaths after discharge

Patients 4100 patients, of whom 22% met eligibility criteria, were screened over 12 months. 762 medical and surgical inpatients (mean age 66 y, 50% women) who had been prescribed medication for a chronic condition and were about to be discharged home agreed to participate. Exclusion criteria were terminal malignancy or residence outside the hospital catchment area. Patients were designated at high risk for readmission if they had several of the following risk factors: >60 years of age; >2 prescription medications; an unplanned hospital admission within the previous 6 months; lived alone; and limited English language skills.