Disease relevance of Self-Help Groups

• RESULTS: Men attending support groups had higher annual income and education levels, lower median serum prostate specific antigen and higher cancer grades than men in Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urological Research Endeavor [1].
• BACKGROUND: Expert groups support periodic colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for persons aged 50 and older but not for persons younger than 50 [2].
• In gender-stratified multivariate models, factors associated with worse adherence in men included not belonging to an HIV support group (P < .0001), crack/cocaine use (P < .005), and medication side effects (P = .01) [3].
• Subjects were 88 women with facial hirsutism due to PCOS recruited from hospital outpatient clinics and a patient support group in 2001-2002 [4].
• This report describes a pilot support group intervention based upon a modified version of Cain and colleagues' (1986) thematic counseling model for patients who have been treated for soft tissue sarcoma and are free of disease [5].

Psychiatry related information on Self-Help Groups

• Results showed that support groups do not provide consistent improvement in quality of life or depression in patients with MS and suggest that patients who have better mental health functioning could be at risk for deterioration in support groups [6].
• Smoking cessation programs that employ advice, support groups, nicotine replacement therapy, or some anti-depressants have been used successfully in many situations and should be used to discourage smoking preoperatively [7].
• Eighty-six patients, over 53 percent of the sample, met the DSM III-R criteria for cocaine abuse, but only five (3%) of the patients were referred to substance abuse clinics or support groups upon discharge [8].
• Possible treatment measures include phenytoin, aversion therapy, psychotherapy and self-help groups [9].
• The study showed that relatives of severely mentally ill male patients with high levels of expressed emotion (EE) were most likely to join self-help groups [10].

High impact information on Self-Help Groups

• Members only: electronic support groups closed to the average surfer [11].
• The Database of Individual Patients' Experience of illness (DIPEx) is a multimedia website and CD-ROM that links patients' experiences with evidence-based information about treatments and the illness itself and with a range of other resources that may be useful, including support groups and links to other websites [12].
• METHODS: Novel lateral wedged insoles with elastic subtalar strapping (the subtalar strapping support group) and ankle supporters with a lateral wedged heel insert (the sock-type ankle support group) were prepared [13].
• Specifically, they allow access to CFTR nucleic predicted protein sequences, pages for medical doctors and researchers, and support-group sites directed towards CF patients, their families and friends [14].
• Stress management and mutual support groups in rheumatoid arthritis [15].

Chemical compound and disease context of Self-Help Groups

• One hundred eighteen volunteers were studied in a hospital-based smoking cessation program in which nicotine polacrilex (Nicorette) was used as an adjunct to behavioral modification (group support) [16].
• The intervention group was reviewed at least four times in the six month period and received spirometry, ambulatory oxygen assessment, smoking cessation advice, nebuliser assessment, a steroid trial, advice about nutrition/exercise, and introduction to a patient support group [17].

Biological context of Self-Help Groups

• METHODS: Men (n=233) and women (n=99) living with HIV-AIDS were randomly assigned to receive either (1) a five-session group intervention focused on strategies for practicing safer sexual behavior, or (2) a five-session, contact-matched, health-maintenance support group (standard-of-care comparison) [18].
• The acceptability and utility of clonidine, acupuncture, methadone, counseling, support groups, and other medical services are discussed [19].
• Eighty-two general practitioners were randomised from 75 general practices in Sydney's Western Metropolitan Region to (i) routine care (n = 25), (ii) video group (n = 29) or (iii) video + self help group (n = 28) [20].

Anatomical context of Self-Help Groups

• These striking anatomical features of the adrenergic C1 and C2 cell groups support the proposal that adrenergic neurons in the rostral medulla oblongata play an important role in the integration of visceral functions (Fuxe et al., '80) [21].
• Differences in distal nephron chloride, potassium and bicarbonate reabsorption among the groups support the hypothesis that the enhanced distal sodium reabsorption in the newborn occurred largely in the ascending loop of Henle with NaCl expansion, while it occurred in the late distal and cortical collecting tubules with NaHCO3 expansion [22].

Associations of Self-Help Groups with chemical compounds

• The intervention involved 3 months of weekly instructional sessions on nutrition, self-monitoring of blood glucose, exercise, and other self-care topics and 6 months of biweekly support group sessions to promote behavior changes [23].
• The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of worksite group counselling interventions designed to prevent smoking relapse after abstinence has been achieved following 3 months therapy using group support and/or transdermal nicotine replacement therapy [24].
• While these activities incorporate education, counseling, outreach to families and exposure to self-help groups (e.g. Cocaine Anonymous), numerous pharmacological approaches have been tested [25].
• Of these, 1469 attended Next Step Specialist Drug and Alcohol Services (928 received methadone and 541 attended counselling or support groups) and 2811 had no contact with this service [26].
• SUBJECTS: Adult stroke survivors attending stroke support groups within the community of Nottingham (U.K.). MAIN MEASURES: The Balance Performance Monitor used to measure sitting symmetry and weight-shift activity [27].

Gene context of Self-Help Groups

• Counseling by an expert dietitian and association with a celiac support group are important in helping the patient embark on a healthy gluten-free diet [28].
• CONCLUSIONS: Raised TIMP-1 levels in the SSc groups support the hypothesis that matrix accumulation occurs in SSc at least in part owing to decreased degradation [29].
• In addition, referrals for a psychoeducation group, community support group, or psychotherapy may be useful for individuals, couples and families who are considering genetic testing for BRCA mutations [30].
• The political profile of patients with COPD is increasing as patient support groups develop the confidence to campaign for better services [31].
• A bereavement support group intervention is longitudinally associated with salutary effects on the CD4 cell count and number of physician visits [32].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Self-Help Groups

• Compared with the control group (n = 35 cycles), the luteal support group (n = 44 cycles) had a significantly higher PR per retrieval (control: 2% versus luteal support: 16%) and were older (control: 33 +/- 4 versus luteal support: 35 +/- 4 years; mean +/- SEM) [33].
• Suggestion of a dual diagnosis of autism in a small minority of individuals led to a more detailed survey of parents belonging to the Cohen Syndrome Support Group, based in the UK [34].
• Both support groups, relative to the Regular Treatment Group, made greater improvements on the Sickness Impact Profile. CONCLUSION: This study provides little evidence that support groups, as a complement to regular treatment, enhance long-term outcome for subacute musculoskeletal pain problems [35].
• The data also suggest the need for ongoing patient care by IVF teams and for support groups to be established exclusively for IVF parents of twins [36].
• PARTICIPANTS: Participants were recruited through Command Trust Network, an international support group for women with breast implant problems [37].

References