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In cancer care, there are emerging information and communication technology systems being developed, enabling real-time information sharing between patients and health professionals. This study explored health professionals' and patients' perceptions of their engagement with an information and communication technology system for pain management to understand the mechanisms that could support implementation into routine palliative care practice. This was a qualitative study, embedded within a randomised control trial, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The role of health professionals was a key component to patient engagement with the information and communication technology system. Where patients engaged with the information and communication technology system, both patients and health professionals reported benefits to system use in addition to usual care. Implementation issues were identified that can be used to guide future system development to support pain management in the context of routine clinical care in palliative care services. Where interventions are dependent on multiple providers, collaborative working and consideration of the context within which they are set are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain experienced by advanced cancer patients is often poorly controlled due to inadequate assessment. We aimed to test an electronic pain monitoring system (PainCheck) with advanced cancer patients and health professionals. In all, 29 participants (13 patients and 16 health professionals (n = 16)) used PainCheck while thinking their thoughts aloud. After the think aloud, both groups were asked about their experiences. Think-aloud and semi-structured interview data were analysed using framework analysis. Both groups were generally positive about PainCheck and found it easy to understand but they had concerns about clinical integration. Their concerns related to impact on workload, how lack of response may affect patient care and ability to engage with and use the technology. PainCheck has the capacity to be useful in clinical practice. For integration to be successful, patients and health professionals need guidance on how to use PainCheck and the expectations of users need to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to pain management using electronic systems are being developed for use in palliative care. This article explores palliative care patients' perspectives on managing and talking about pain, the role of technology in their lives and how technology could support pain management. Face-to-face interviews were used to understand patient needs and concerns to inform how electronic systems are developed. A total of 13 interviews took place with a convenience sample of community-based patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care through a hospice. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Four metathemes emerged: Technology could be part of my care; I'm trying to understand what is going on; My pain is ever-changing and difficult to control; and I'm selective about who to tell about pain. Patients described technology as peripheral to existing processes of care. To be relevant, systems may need to take account of the complexity of a patient's pain experience alongside existing relationships with health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor pain assessment is a barrier to effective pain control. There is growing interest internationally in the development and implementation of remote monitoring technologies to enhance assessment in cancer and chronic disease contexts. Findings describe the development and testing of pain monitoring systems, but research identifying the needs of health professionals to implement routine monitoring systems within clinical practice is limited. Aim: To inform the development and implementation strategy of an electronic pain monitoring system, PainCheck, by understanding palliative care professionals’ needs when integrating PainCheck into routine clinical practice. Design: Qualitative study using face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using framework analysis Setting/participants: Purposive sample of health professionals managing the palliative care of patients living in the community Results: A total of 15 interviews with health professionals took place. Three meta-themes emerged from the data: (1) uncertainties about integration of PainCheck and changes to current practice, (2) appraisal of current practice and (3) pain management is everybody’s responsibility Conclusion: Even the most sceptical of health professionals could see the potential benefits of implementing an electronic patient-reported pain monitoring system. Health professionals have reservations about how PainCheck would work in practice. For optimal use, PainCheck needs embedding within existing electronic health records. Electronic pain monitoring systems have the potential to enable professionals to support patients’ pain management more effectively but only when barriers to implementation are appropriately identified and addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Social Norms Approach, with its focus on positive behaviour and its consensus orientation, is a health promotion intervention of relevance to the context of a Health Promoting University. In particular, the approach could assist with addressing excessive alcohol consumption. Aim: This article aims to discuss the link between the Social Norms Approach and the Health Promoting University, and analyse estimations of peer alcohol consumption among European university students. Methods: A total of 4392 students from universities in six European countries and Turkey were asked to report their own typical alcohol consumption per day and to estimate the same for their peers of same sex. Students were classified as accurate or inaccurate estimators of peer alcohol consumption. Socio-demographic factors and personal alcohol consumption were examined as predictors for an accurate estimation. Results: 72% of male and 51% of female students were identified as having accurate estimations about the amount of alcoholic drinks consumed per day by their peers. Male students, older students, those studying year 3 and above, and Turkish and Danish students were more likely to accurately estimate their peers’ alcohol consumption. Independent from these factors, students’ accurate estimation of peers’ drinking decreased significantly with increasing personal consumption. Conclusions: As accurate estimates of peer alcohol consumption appear to affect personal drinking behaviour positively, Social Norms interventions targeted at correcting possible misperceptions about peer alcohol use among students may be a useful health promotion tool in the context of a Health Promoting University. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To assess the extent to which university students are following UK Government advice regarding appropriate consumption of alcohol, and to investigate if students can be placed into distinct clusters based on their drinking behaviour.Design: A descriptive questionnaire study.Setting: One hundred and nineteen undergraduate students from Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.Method: An online survey, which included a diary to record daily alcohol consumption over the previous week, was completed during the winter of 2007/08. Cluster analysis was used to classify students into subgroups based on comparable alcohol-drinking characteristics. National recommended sensible drinking behaviour guidelines in terms of total weekly alcohol intake, maximum daily alcohol intake, number of alcohol-free days and estimated blood alcohol levels were used to compare drinking behaviour the previous week by age, sex and cluster group.Results: Consuming weekly alcohol levels considered hazardous was common (58%) with nearly 70% of responders binge drinking at least once over that period; most students (80%) were, however, following the government’s recommendation for two consecutive alcohol-free days per week. No significant differences in drinking behaviour by sex were found, but binge drinkers tended to be younger. Four distinct alcohol-drinking behaviour clusters were identified based on alcohol consumption frequency and quantity. Only students in the non or light drinkers group all remained within national recommended guidelines for weekly intake and alcohol-free days.Conclusion: Students who consume alcohol are commonly drinking daily and weekly alcohol levels in excess of national sensible drinking guidelines; most students, however, abstain from alcohol on at least two consecutive days. The four distinct drinking clusters suggest that students would benefit from targeted interventions. In particular, personalization of interventions to reflect the distinct patterns of drinking behaviour could increase intervention effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]