Disability and rehabilitation
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Feeding and swallowing impairments are key predictors of increased morbidity and mortality in adults with learning disabilities. This postal survey and interview study sought to identify risk factors in adults with learning disabilities who have histories of choking. ⋯ Choking is a serious hazard for many adults with learning disabilities. This study establishes many of the characteristics associated with swallowing problems in this population. Clinicians and carers should benefit from awareness of these predictors, leading to better management of eating behaviours and habits. A choking and swallowing risk assessment should be included in routine health assessments of adults with learning disability, paying especial attention to the condition of a person's teeth; possible side effects from prescribed medication, and abnormal eating behaviour.
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Psychosocial factors are likely to play a crucial role in adjustment to upper limb amputation and prosthesis use, and yet have received only minimal exploration within the literature. This study therefore, sought to gain a rich understanding of the experience of living with an upper limb amputation and of using a prosthetic arm and hand. ⋯ The findings offer a greater psychological insight into adjustment from an upper limb amputation and the role of prostheses. These findings have implications for both the clinical rehabilitation of patients who undergo upper limb amputations, as well as for future research into the use and value of prostheses in facilitating the adjustment to this experience.
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To evaluate the functional status of patients within the first week of discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU), and to identify predictors and explanatory factors of functional status. ⋯ In the first week after discharge from the ICU, the majority of the patients had substantial functional disabilities in activities of daily living. These disabilities were more severe in patients who experienced ventilation for a longer period of time. There is a need for prospective studies focusing on functional recovery to support informed decision-making concerning the care of critically ill patients after ICU discharge.