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Reference section
Reference section The following were provided by the informarion service o f the Research Council for C o m p l e m e n t a r y Medicine (RCCM). The information was obtained from CISCOM, a bibliographic database o f research in c o m p l e m e n t a r y medicine. Listing over 30000 references to papers published worldwide since the m i d sixties, CISCOM contains a wide variety o f data on c o m p l e m e n t a r y medicine, m u c h o f which is o f interest to nurses, midwives and other health professionals. Literature searches o f CISCOM can be organised by R C C M staff for a moderate fee, typically between s To organise a search o f CISCOM, call the R C C M on 0171 833 8897 and ask for the 'Information Service'. Fraser J, Kerr JR 1993 Psychophysiological effects of back massage on elderly institutionalized patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing 18(2): 238-245 An experimental design was used to measure the effects o f back massage on anxiety levels of elderly residents in a long-term care institution. Twenty-one residents, 17 females and four males, participated in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to three groups which received 'back massage with normal conversation', 'conversation only' and 'no intervention' respectively. The dependent variable, anxiety, was measured prior to back massage, immediately following, and 10 minutes later, on four consecutive evenings. The Spielberger SelfEvaluation Questionnaire (STAI), electromyographic recordings, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate were used as measures o f anxiety. Analysis o f variance was used to examine differences in group mean scores over the pre-test to posttest, post-test to delayed time interval, and pretest to delayed time intervals, Scheffe comparisons being made where indicated. With the exception of mean DBP which showed no change from pre-test to post-test and H R which increased from post-test to delayed time interval, there was a statistically insignificant decrease in mean scores on all variables in the back massage group from pre-test to post-test and from post-test to delayed time interval. ComplementaryTherapiesin Nursing& Midwifery(1995) I, 95-96
9 1995 Pearson Professional Ltd
There was a statistically significant difference in the mean anxiety (STAI) score between the back massage group and the no intervention group. The difference between the back massage group and the conversation only group approached statistical significance. Sarkis JM, Skoner MM 1987 An analysis of the concept of holism in nursing literature. Holistic Nursing Practice 2(1): 61-69 The word 'holism' is used extensively within the medical and nursing professions, but the authors question whether there is a commonly understood definition of the word in nursing literature. To answer this they conducted a literature investigation over the past twentyfive years using four widely read nursing journals, two of which are written and read by nurse educators and researchers, Nursing Outlook, Nursing Research, American Journal of Nursing and R N . Sakala C 1988 Content of care by independent midwives: assistance with pain in labor and birth. Social Science & Medicine 26(11): 1141-1158 The proliferation o f alternative health care systems in the United States raises numerous policy issues involving (1) those providing and receiving alternative services and (2) the established medical care system. This paper identifies some of these issues by examining an alternative system o f independent (lay) midwifery and in particular, midwifery approaches to pain during uncomplicated labour and birth. The paper summarizes medical care system approaches to pain in labour and birth: leading textbooks, prevailing topics in the journal literature, and empirical research reports are consistent in giving primary emphasis to analgesic and anaesthetic drugs, accepting childbirth preparation, and questioning the efficacy of other approaches. The practices of independent midwives working in metropolitan areas of Utah are strikingly different. The midwives, who oppose any use of conventional obstetric pain medications, have a diverse repertoire of alternative approaches, including prenatal preparation, various physical manipulations, hydrotherapy, administration o f herbs and nutritive substances, breathing and relaxation techniques, and psychological techniques. The midwives emphasize responsiveness to the needs of a particular woman at a particular time. They enhance and mobilize the resources of the mother and her support network for therapeutic ends. Their work emphasizes innovation and exploration. Relative to medical practices, midwifery practices seem to
96 Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery involve low iatrogenic risks, to be costeffective, and to be appreciated by those seeking empowerment and minimal intervention in childbirth. It is recommended that these practices be formally evaluated for safety, efficacy, consumer acceptability, costeffectiveness, and their potential for favourable impact on the practice of medical obstetrics.
Hu HH, Chung C, Liu TJ et al 1993 A randomized controlled trial on the treatment for acute partial ischemic stroke with acupuncture. Neuroepidemiology 12 (2): 106-113 The effectiveness o f acupuncture in acute stroke remains largely untested and unproved. A randomized, controlled trial was carried out to study the feasibility o f acupuncture in combination with conventional supportive treatment for acute stroke patients. A total o f 30 patients, aged 46-74, with the onset o f symptoms within 36 h were enrolled into the study after appropriate screening. All patients gave informed consent. Based on the same supportive treatment, patients were randomly assigned to a treatment with or without acupuncture. The procedure and acupoint selection were discussed and decided through several meetings o f a group o f senior acupuncture doctors in Taiwan. Acupuncture was applied 3 times per week for 4 weeks. During the study period, there were no problems in conducting this trial in terms o f patient availability and acceptance, and physician cooperation. A significantly better neurologic outcome was observed in the acupuncture group on day 28 and day 90. The improvement in neurologic status was greatest in patients with a poor neurologic score at baseline. There were no important side effects except for one episode o f dizziness related to acupuncture treatment. The data and results o f this study will be used as a guideline for
planning a full-scale clinical trial, e.g. sample size calculation, method of randomization with stratification of prognostic factors, choosing acupuncture points and technique o f acupuncture.
Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS 1992 Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australasian Journal o f Dermatology 33(3): 145-149 Tea tree oil (an essential oil derived from the Australian native Melaleuca Alternifolia) has been used as a topical antiseptic agent since the early part o f this century for a wide variety of skin infections; however, to date, the evidence for its efficacy in fungal infections is still largely anecdotal. One hundred and four patients completed a randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy o f 10% w / w tea tree oil cream compared with 1% tolnaftate and placebo creams in the treatment o f tinea pedis. Significantly more tolnaftate-treated patients (85%) than tea tree oil (30%) and placebotreated patients (21%) showed conversion to negative culture at the end of therapy (p <0.001); there was no statistically significant difference between tea tree oil and placebo groups. All three groups demonstrated improvement in clinical condition based on the four clinical parameters o f scaling, inflammation, itching and burning. The tea tree oil group (24/37) and the tolnaftate group (19/33) showed significant improvement in clinical condition when compared to the placebo group (14/34; p=0.002 and p=0.018 respectively). Tea tree oil cream (10% w/w) appears to reduce the symptomatology of tinea pedis as effectively as tolnaftate 1% but is no more effective than placebo in achieving a mycological cure. This may be the basis for the popular use o f tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis.
9 1995 Pearson Professional Ltd
There was a statistically significant difference in the mean anxiety (STAI) score between the back massage group and the no intervention group. The difference between the back massage group and the conversation only group approached statistical significance. Sarkis JM, Skoner MM 1987 An analysis of the concept of holism in nursing literature. Holistic Nursing Practice 2(1): 61-69 The word 'holism' is used extensively within the medical and nursing professions, but the authors question whether there is a commonly understood definition of the word in nursing literature. To answer this they conducted a literature investigation over the past twentyfive years using four widely read nursing journals, two of which are written and read by nurse educators and researchers, Nursing Outlook, Nursing Research, American Journal of Nursing and R N . Sakala C 1988 Content of care by independent midwives: assistance with pain in labor and birth. Social Science & Medicine 26(11): 1141-1158 The proliferation o f alternative health care systems in the United States raises numerous policy issues involving (1) those providing and receiving alternative services and (2) the established medical care system. This paper identifies some of these issues by examining an alternative system o f independent (lay) midwifery and in particular, midwifery approaches to pain during uncomplicated labour and birth. The paper summarizes medical care system approaches to pain in labour and birth: leading textbooks, prevailing topics in the journal literature, and empirical research reports are consistent in giving primary emphasis to analgesic and anaesthetic drugs, accepting childbirth preparation, and questioning the efficacy of other approaches. The practices of independent midwives working in metropolitan areas of Utah are strikingly different. The midwives, who oppose any use of conventional obstetric pain medications, have a diverse repertoire of alternative approaches, including prenatal preparation, various physical manipulations, hydrotherapy, administration o f herbs and nutritive substances, breathing and relaxation techniques, and psychological techniques. The midwives emphasize responsiveness to the needs of a particular woman at a particular time. They enhance and mobilize the resources of the mother and her support network for therapeutic ends. Their work emphasizes innovation and exploration. Relative to medical practices, midwifery practices seem to
96 Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery involve low iatrogenic risks, to be costeffective, and to be appreciated by those seeking empowerment and minimal intervention in childbirth. It is recommended that these practices be formally evaluated for safety, efficacy, consumer acceptability, costeffectiveness, and their potential for favourable impact on the practice of medical obstetrics.
Hu HH, Chung C, Liu TJ et al 1993 A randomized controlled trial on the treatment for acute partial ischemic stroke with acupuncture. Neuroepidemiology 12 (2): 106-113 The effectiveness o f acupuncture in acute stroke remains largely untested and unproved. A randomized, controlled trial was carried out to study the feasibility o f acupuncture in combination with conventional supportive treatment for acute stroke patients. A total o f 30 patients, aged 46-74, with the onset o f symptoms within 36 h were enrolled into the study after appropriate screening. All patients gave informed consent. Based on the same supportive treatment, patients were randomly assigned to a treatment with or without acupuncture. The procedure and acupoint selection were discussed and decided through several meetings o f a group o f senior acupuncture doctors in Taiwan. Acupuncture was applied 3 times per week for 4 weeks. During the study period, there were no problems in conducting this trial in terms o f patient availability and acceptance, and physician cooperation. A significantly better neurologic outcome was observed in the acupuncture group on day 28 and day 90. The improvement in neurologic status was greatest in patients with a poor neurologic score at baseline. There were no important side effects except for one episode o f dizziness related to acupuncture treatment. The data and results o f this study will be used as a guideline for
planning a full-scale clinical trial, e.g. sample size calculation, method of randomization with stratification of prognostic factors, choosing acupuncture points and technique o f acupuncture.
Tong MM, Altman PM, Barnetson RS 1992 Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis. Australasian Journal o f Dermatology 33(3): 145-149 Tea tree oil (an essential oil derived from the Australian native Melaleuca Alternifolia) has been used as a topical antiseptic agent since the early part o f this century for a wide variety of skin infections; however, to date, the evidence for its efficacy in fungal infections is still largely anecdotal. One hundred and four patients completed a randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy o f 10% w / w tea tree oil cream compared with 1% tolnaftate and placebo creams in the treatment o f tinea pedis. Significantly more tolnaftate-treated patients (85%) than tea tree oil (30%) and placebotreated patients (21%) showed conversion to negative culture at the end of therapy (p <0.001); there was no statistically significant difference between tea tree oil and placebo groups. All three groups demonstrated improvement in clinical condition based on the four clinical parameters o f scaling, inflammation, itching and burning. The tea tree oil group (24/37) and the tolnaftate group (19/33) showed significant improvement in clinical condition when compared to the placebo group (14/34; p=0.002 and p=0.018 respectively). Tea tree oil cream (10% w/w) appears to reduce the symptomatology of tinea pedis as effectively as tolnaftate 1% but is no more effective than placebo in achieving a mycological cure. This may be the basis for the popular use o f tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis.