Pain

This paper describes a three‐phase study to investigate the experience and management of menstruation for women with learning disabilities. It focuses on the findings of the second phase of the study, which looked at the experiences of carers and health professionals. It describes the difficult issues that can arise when providing assistance around menstruation. The findings are discussed in relation to ideologies and sensitivities that exist around gender, sexuality and menstruation.

Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate the economic validity of using a psychological intervention in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD). Thomas et al . ( Br J Health Psychol 1999; 4: 209-29) concluded that cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) appears to be immediately effective for the management of SCD pain in terms of reducing psychological distress pain as well as improving coping. Method. The costs of management of SCD were evaluated using a societal viewpoint.

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a condition that causes individuals considerable distress. It also presents a significant challenge to the health service and is often viewed by clinicians as frustrating to manage. The purpose of the present paper is to explore the experiences of individuals in the immediate social sphere of those suffering from CLBP and their role in care-giving for their partner. An approach was taken using two qualitative research methods to gather data: journals and focus groups.