collecting-hair-samples-for-hair-cortisol-analysis-african

Collecting Hair Samples for Hair Cortisol Analysis in African Americans

The hormone cortisol is typically assessed in saliva, serum, or urine samples. More recently, cortisol has been successfully extracted from hair, ...

University of Cincinnati

People frequently use the internet to obtain information, including information about health, but we lack understanding of how people living with HIV (PLHIV) use the internet in their care and treatment decisions. In this secondary analysis, interviews with 23 individuals who initiated HIV care at an urban, Midwestern medical center and mentioned internet use were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to explore how they used the internet during the process of initiating HIV care. HIV care had been initiated by this sample from less than one month to three years post-diagnosis. Participants discussed the internet as a source of information about their diagnosis that influenced their care and treatment decisions. Five themes were predominant: (i) The internet alerted me to the possibility of HIV, (ii) the internet showed me a solution is available, (iii) the internet influenced my decisions about care, (iv) the internet empowered me to participate in my treatment decisions, and (v) the internet gave me hope for my future. The results suggest that the internet has the potential to provide information that can profoundly influence PLHIVs' acceptance of care and treatment decisions. Clinicians face a new reality in which patients use internet resources to obtain information and shape opinions about HIV treatment and care initiation decision-making. Guiding PLHIV in their selection of online resources is one approach to educating and empowering individuals as they cope with their diagnosis and contemplate decisions regarding HIV care and treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of the Internet in Care Initiation by People Living With HIV.

An intervention was conducted providing access to clinic-verified HIV test results via a secure, web-based informatics platform to facilitate sexual partner HIV-status communication. Participants (N = 28) were men who have sex with men (MSM; HIV- n = 8, HIV+ n = 8) and heterosexuals (Non-MSM, n = 12). Focus groups with same-group members explored interest in using the intervention and baseline attitudes and practices relevant to serosorting. HIV-negative participants overwhelmingly expressed interest, regardless of MSM status. Interest among HIV-positive MSM was mixed. Six month follow-up interviews (n = 16) indicated 94% of all groups accessed the website, 69% had shown documented results to a sexual partner to initiate HIV-status discussion, and 88% reported future interest in using the 24/7 web-based tool with prospective sexual partners. Implications for future interventions facilitating HIV serosorting and sexual partner communication are discussed.

The Know∗Now Project: Facilitated Serosorting in HIV-Status Sexual Partner Communication.

Family caregiver involvement may improve patient and family outcomes in the intensive care unit. This study describes critical care nurses' approaches to involving family caregivers in direct patient care.

A qualitative study of factors that influence active family involvement with patient care in the ICU: Survey of critical care nurses.

To examine the effect of a lifestyle behavior intervention (SystemCHANGE) on physical activity and diet quality among sedentary people living with HIV (PLHIV). All participants expressed a desire to improve lifestyle health behaviors.

Joseph Perazzo

College of Nursing

University of Cincinnati

Collecting Hair Samples for Hair Cortisol Analysis in African Americans