Objective: 1) To describe the prevalence of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and depressive symptoms in hypertensive men and women below 65 years of age, and 2) to describe the association of OSA to subjective sleep complaints, depressive symptoms and global perceived health. Design: Cross-sectional design focusing on nursing care outcomes of obstructive sleep apnea. Setting: Four primary care health centres in Sweden. PATIENTS: 411 consecutive patients (52% women), mean age 57.9 years (SD 5.9 years), with diagnosed hypertension (BP > 140/90). Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of OSA and depressive symptoms, and association of OSA to sleep complaints, depressive symptoms and global perceived health. RESULTS: Mild, moderate and severe OSA was seen among 29%, 16% and 14% of patients, respectively. Depressive symptoms were seen in 16% of the total group, with a higher prevalence among men, compared to women, 21% vs. 12%. No differences were found regarding blood pressure, estimated sleep need, sleep sufficiency index, insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness or depressive symptoms with respect to different degrees of OSA. Apnea-hypopnea index was significantly associated to perceived health after adjustment for gender and comorbidities, but when depressive symptoms and non-restorative sleep were added to the model, 33% of the variance in global perceived health was explained. Conclusion: OSA is highly prevalent among patients with hypertension in primary care and does together with sleep complaints and depressive symptoms have a negative impact on global perceived health. Hypertensive patients without subjective sleep complaints or depressive symptoms may still have OSA.
Introduction: Previous studies have shown that a light sedation level is beneficial for intubated patients in the Intensive care unit (ICU).
Aim: This study aimed to describe intensive care nurses’ experiences of caring for intubated patients under light sedation.
Methods: This study was an explorative descriptive qualitative study. Data were collected from 12 intensive care nurses by three focus group interviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Findings: Five categories emerged from the data: 1) the importance of verbal communication and the nurses’ presence, 2) feelings of frustration and heavy workload, 3) assessment of patients’ pain and anxiety, 4) the nurses’ desire for the development of guidelines, and 5) being inspired by the care.
Conclusion: The study found that intensive care nurses were positive towards light sedation care but the organization of care did not support them as the patients cared for with light sedation treatments demanded their physical presence at patients’ bed site.
Social and physical activities can improve sleep in older people. However, living in a residential care facility has been associated with a limited potential for activities and increased inactivity, reflected in poor sleep among residents. In turn, poor sleep can impair physical and mental functions. This paper explores sleep habits and everyday activities at three residential care facilities and investigates the link between sleep habits and everyday activities from the perspective of the residents. Data were collected through observations of daily life and interviews with residents.
The results showed that fixed times during the day reduced daytime sleep and motivated them to go to the day room, thus enabling social interaction. More impaired residents spent more time in the day room napping or being less active. The residents stated that going outdoors was a desired activity, thought to improve sleep. However, the activity did not occur to the extent the residents wished for. Maintaining mobility and influence over daily activities together with regularity seemed to improve sleep. Awareness among staff of the need for stimulating and enriching activities, as well as access to bright light is requisite. Specific consideration should be given to residents who have difficulties communicating their wishes and/or impaired mobility.
Patients with chronic diseases, such as those with pacemakers, have shown that they have a worsened well-being, which means an increased interest in investigating how relatives of patients with pacemakers experience their situations and how the disease affects their life situations. The aim of this study was to explore the main concerns for the relatives of patients with a pacemaker and how they resolve these issues. A classic grounded theory was used throughout the study for data collection and analysis. Interviews were conducted with ten participants. Striving for normalcy emerged as the main concern for relatives of patients with a pacemaker and was handled through a process of regaining normalcy where the relatives strive to find a way to live as normal as possible. Regaining normalcy is done through developing trust, dwindling and finally life stabilizing, in which they are either holding back or new normalizing. Distinguishing signs are constantly done during the process to quickly notice possible symptoms of the patient. Increased knowledge and understanding of how the relatives of patients with a pacemaker regain normalcy can be used as a guide in order to support and inform the patient as well as their relatives in conjunction with implantation occasions but also in connection with recurring and lifelong follow-up occasions.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psy- chometric properties of a Swedish version of The Krantz Health Opinion Survey (KHOS). A conven- ience sample of 79 persons (47 men and 32 women) was recruited from The Heart and Lung Patients’ National Association at ten local meeting places in different areas in Sweden. The questionnaire was examined for face and content validity, internal con-sistency and test-retest reliability. The findings showed that the Swedish version of KHOS is accept- able in terms of face and content validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability over time among 79 individuals >65 years of age and with a cardiac disease. In conclusion, wider evaluations of the psy- chometric use of KHOS for other populations and settings are recommended.