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People with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience significant barriers to diabetes self-management (DSM), yet there remains a paucity of research within this population. An overview of the literature on people with ID and their caregivers' experiences of living with and self-managing type 2 diabetes is provided. Meta-aggregative methods were adopted to synthesize results, and an appraisal was reported of rigor. A total of eight studies met the inclusion criteria and four themes were extracted: (i) "Frustration over lifestyle adjustments," (ii) "Limited understanding and inadequate educational resources," (iii) "Limited training and knowledge in staff," and (iv) "Potential for effective DSM with appropriate support." Current support is inadequate to meet the needs of people with ID and their caregivers self-managing diabetes. Structured education to improve health literacy and diabetes knowledge in people with ID is required, together with training for caregivers which leads to a culture of nurturing autonomy.

Background: People with intellectual disabilities remain at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to lifestyle-associated risk factors. Educational programmes have been adapted for people with intellectual disabilities targeting ongoing T2D self-management. However, there are no adapted programmes which aim to prevent T2D through reducing risk factors. The present study initiates addressing this gap. Methods: Further education (FE) colleges in Scotland were recruited for feasibility study using the Walking Away (WA) from Diabetes programme. Process evaluation assessed recruitment, retention, baseline physical activity levels, and acceptability and accessibility using focus groups. Results: Ninety six percent of invited students agreed to participate. WA was positively received, and some short-term impact was described. Suggestions for further adaptations regarding materials, delivery and content were provided, including delivery embedded within FE college curriculum. Conclusions: Recruitment, retention and acceptability provide rationale for further research on T2D prevention in FE colleges.

Background: Risk reduction and self-management programs for type 2 diabetes (T2D) are commonplace. However, little is known about their appropriateness for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). This review evaluates successful components and theoretical basis of interventions and preventions in relation to the needs of people with ID with or at risk of T2D. Method: Characteristics of 23 randomised controlled trialled T2D educational programs were systematically assessed alongside the needs of people with ID, and evaluated in terms of study design and theoretical application. Results: Successful components of programs align to the needs of people with ID. Further adaptations are required to ensure accessibility of materials and social support to enable reflection on illness perceptions and self-efficacy, as underpinned by Self-regulation and Social-cognitive theories. Conclusions: Support is provided for further trials of self-management and preventative adaptations under development. Impact may be enhanced through preventions aimed at younger groups in educational settings.

Objective: Young children living in socioeconomically deprived areas of Scotland have an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese. To enhance understanding of the wider contexts within which family food practices are developed, this study examined the experiences of low-income mothers with young children. Design: Qualitative longitudinal design. Setting: The Lothians, Scotland. Method: Two waves of individual interviews were conducted with 13 mothers at two time points within an 18-month period. All the mothers lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in Eastern Scotland, and had at least one child aged 6 years and under. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted, through which the data were analysed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Findings: Women experienced socioeconomic challenges which limited the financial and emotional resources, and the time they were able to commit to healthy eating practices. For some, change and instability were part of their lives, over which they had little control. Despite insecure socioeconomic contexts, women positioned themselves as expert mothers, evidenced through their strategies in dealing with the problem of "fussy eaters" and their challenges of "expert" advice. Conclusion: This research demonstrates the significance of the broader difficulties that living in poverty presents to mothers, beyond the issue of cost, and which preventive health interventions should address.

This study aimed to identify vulnerability and protective factors for suicidal histories among adults experiencing psychological trauma. Adults seeking treatment for psychological trauma (N = 113) completed self-report questionnaires measuring childhood trauma history, self-concept, relational functioning, emotion regulation, living arrangements, employment status, marital status, and suicidal history. Independent samples t-tests were used to determine variables on which those with and without suicidal histories differed significantly. These variables were then entered into a binary logistic regression model to identify factors which independently distinguished between those with and without a suicidal history. Univariate differences were found for childhood emotional abuse (CEA), childhood emotional neglect (CEN), emotion deactivation, and employment status, with those in the suicidal history group scoring higher on all of these. CEA (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.01–1.27) and employment status (OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.23–13.73) remained significant predictors of suicidal status in the multivariable logistic regression. CEA was an independent vulnerability factor for suicidal risk, highlighting the need for clinicians to assess exposure to such trauma in those presenting with proximal traumatic experiences. Being in employment was an independent protective factor against suicidal risk, highlighting the importance of social buffers or networks when faced with traumatic situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to explore the lived experience of patients with hepatitis C virus infection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven male participants living with hepatitis C virus and were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Two master themes were identified: (1) diagnosis and the search for meaning and (2) impact of stigma on disclosure. Participants reported fears of contaminating others, feelings of stigma and concerns of disclosing the condition to others. Response to diagnosis, stigma and disclosure among the participants appeared to be interrelated and directly related to locus of blame for virus contraction. More specifically, hepatitis C virus transmission via medical routes led to an externalisation of culpability and an openness to disclosure. Transmission of hepatitis C virus as a direct result of intravenous drug use led to internalised blame and a fear of disclosure. The inter- and intra-personal consequences of hepatitis C virus explored in the current study have potential implications for tailoring future psychological therapy and psychoeducation to the specific needs of the hepatitis C virus population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Risk reduction and self‐management programs for type 2 diabetes (T2D) are commonplace. However, little is known about their appropriateness for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). This review evaluates successful components and theoretical basis of interventions and preventions in relation to the needs of people with ID with or at risk of T2D. Method: Characteristics of 23 randomised controlled trialled T2D educational programs were systematically assessed alongside the needs of people with ID, and evaluated in terms of study design and theoretical application. Results: Successful components of programs align to the needs of people with ID. Further adaptations are required to ensure accessibility of materials and social support to enable reflection on illness perceptions and self‐efficacy, as underpinned by Self‐regulation and Social‐cognitive theories. Conclusions: Support is provided for further trials of self‐management and preventative adaptations under development. Impact may be enhanced through preventions aimed at younger groups in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a qualitative longitudinal design study which examines the experiences and food practices of low-income mothers with their young children prone to obesity in The Lothians, Scotland. The study involved an inductive thematic analysis and individual interviews of mothers with at least one child aged six years and below. Results show that preventive health interventions are important to lessen the difficulties experienced by mothers due to poverty.

Pain is a significant problem for many people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This exploratory study investigated the extent to which severity of pain was related to coping strategies and post-traumatic symptomatology in people with CFS/ME. Participants comprised 27 individuals with CFS/ME and 27 healthy controls. All participants completed the CFS/ME Symptom Questionnaire, the brief pain inventory, the impact of event scale-revised and the brief-COPE. It was found that CFS/ME participants present with significantly more post-traumatic stress symptoms and report significantly less emotion focused strategies and problem focused coping strategies compared with healthy controls. Severity of pain in the CFS/ME subgroup was not associated with traumatic symptomatology, although those with severe pain reported less use of self-distraction, positive re-framing and acceptance than those with mild pain. Our results suggest that the enhancement of certain coping strategies (facilitated by psychological interventions such as acceptance and commitment therapy) may be beneficial in alleviating pain in people with CFS/ME. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: Adult-to-adult living liver donation (LLD) is a controversial procedure due to the risk to the healthy donor. The decision to proceed with LLD is an important, yet under-researched area. This study aims to explore the decision-making process of the donor and recipient independently, and within the donor–recipient dyad. Design: A longitudinal, qualitative analysis of the LLD decision from the perspective of a LLD donor–recipient dyad. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with the donor and recipient separately on three occasions: pre LLD, six weeks post and six months post LLD. Transcripts were subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: During the pre-LLD interviews, a series of intra- and interpersonal negotiations were reported as both the donor and recipient grappled to make a decision about LLD. Following the decision, the focus then centred on the consequences of the decision and making sense of unanticipated outcomes. By six months post LLD, both were able to reflect on adapting to the changes their decision had ultimately caused. Conclusions: This case study offers a unique insight into the risk assessment and decision-making demands of LLD and the results can help support future LLD candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]