Search

The article presents a study that explores the public perceptions of palliative care and identify strategies to raise awareness. The study included semi-structured telephone interviews with members of the public who volunteered to participate in the study. It suggests that most participants had a general knowledge of palliative care, largely influenced by their own personal experience.

Lower limb length differences of up to 10mm exist in 60% - 95% of the population. There are usually no symptoms or functional effects. Following Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA), satisfactory clinical results can be spoiled by dissatisfaction due to a change in leg length. Although the change in leg length may be modest in comparison to the normal variation, the patient may perceive this as a leg length discrepancy. To study the average threshold for perception, artificial leg length discrepancies of 5 mm to 25 mm were created in 30 young healthy adults using calibrated wooden blocks. Responses were recorded and analysed using a chi-squared test for independence and an independent measures t-test. Awareness of leg length discrepancy was related to the magnitude of the discrepancy (χ2 (15)= 156.6, p<0.05 on the right side, and χ2 (15)= 178.725 p<0.05 on the left side). It was shown that no subject reported a 5mm increase in leg length to be uncomfortable while all subjects were aware of leg length discrepancies of 20 mm and 25 mm. When there was a discrepancy of 10 mm in either lower limb, 29 out of 30 subjects (96.7%) thought there was a difference in leg length. Consequently it is suggested that during total hip arthroplasty the surgeon should aim for a leg length discrepancy of less than 10 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on mothers' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to breastfeed. One study introduced the concept of intrinsic motivation in the structural and substantive senses, which means the goal to perform the behavior is one in itself with the behavior. Mothers may enjoy breastfeeding but may have no real long-term goal that their behavior will fulfill.