BACKGROUND: The predictive validity of the Low Back Pain Perception Scale is determined in two studies in general practice and showed sufficient discriminative ability, although the psychometric properties of the scale have never been established until now. OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability and …

Objective: To use a qualitative approach to examine the perceptions of policy makers, general dental practitioners, dental hygienists, dental students and dental hygiene students in the Netherlands following the introduction of a direct access policy in 2006. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and focus …

Background: Determining what constitutes an excellent allied health care professional (AHCP) is important, since this is what will guide the development of curricula for training future physical therapists, oral hygienists, speech therapists, diagnostic radiographers, and dietitians. This also determines …

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine how the use of diagnostic resources influences nurses' communication during admission interviews. Methods A randomized controlled trial was performed. Actors simulated patients based on case studies. We analyzed transcriptions of 60 interviews and video …

Since the introduction of Family Group Conferences (FGCs) in the Netherlands, there has been a steady growth in conferences being organised each year. Government policy emphasises the importance of empowering families to strengthen their ability to take responsibility for their own well-being. A recently …

From January 2011 until December 2012, forty Family Group Conferences (FGCs) will be studied in the public mental health care (PMHC) setting in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands. Research should yield an answer to whether FGCs are valuable for clients in PMHC as a means to generate social support, …

Last year we published a randomised trial demonstrating that stretching before sleep reduces the frequency and severity of nocturnal leg cramps in older adults (Hallegraeff et al 2012). The results of that study align perfectly with the uncontrolled study of Daniell (1979). In a recent letter to this …

Because physical fitness and health are related to physical activity, it is important to gain an insight into the physical activity levels of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). The purpose of this study was to examine heart rate patterns to measure the activity levels …

QUESTIONS: What are the perceived reasons for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to be physically active or sedentary? Are those reasons related to the actual measured level of physical activity? DESIGN: A mixed-methods study combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. PARTICIPANTS: …

BACKGROUND:: Physical activity is the only nonpharmacological therapy that is proven to be effective in heart failure (HF) patients in reducing morbidity. To date, little is known about the levels of daily physical activity in HF patients and about related factors. OBJECTIVE:: The objectives of this …