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Biomedical subjects

A S Demi

Publications and source records attributed to A S Demi.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Maternal drug use during pregnancy: are preterm and full-term infants affected differently?

This study examined whether preterm infants are more vulnerable to the effects of prenatal drug exposure than are full-term infants. The sample of 235 low-income African American mothers and their infants included 119 cocaine-polydrug users, 19 alcohol-only users, and 97 nonusers; 148 infants were full term and 87 were preterm. Direct effects of exposure on birth weight, birth length, ponderal index, and irritability were moderated by length of gestation: Fetal growth deficits were more extreme in later-born infants, whereas increases in irritability were more extreme in earlier born infants. Effects of exposure on cardiorespiratory reactivity to a neonatal exam were not moderated by length of gestation. In general, effects of exposure occurred for both cocaine-polydrug and alcohol only users and so could not be unambiguously attributed to either of these drugs alone.

Arousal↗
PubMed1995

Issues in conducting research with vulnerable families.

This article explores methodological and ethical issues in the conduct of research with vulnerable families. Some methodological and ethical issues are common to all family research, regardless of the families' vulnerability; however, many research issues are more problematic in vulnerable families, and a few issues are relatively unique to vulnerable families. Vulnerable families are defined as families that are susceptible to harm because of their socioeconomic status, their minority status, or other stigmatizing status. Methodological issues include definition of family; recruitment and retention of participants; reliability and validity of instruments; and racism, classism, and sexism. Ethical issues include confidentiality, reporting abuse and neglect, conflict of research ethics and personal ethics, identifying problems nobody can fix, balancing demands and benefits, and interpretation of data. Examples of methodological and ethical issues are drawn from several research studies in which the primary author was or is currently involved.

Data Collection↗
PubMed1995

Functional status and the use of formal home care in the year before death.

A national sample of persons who died in 1986 was analyzed to obtain a valid estimate of the relationship between functional status and the provision of formal home care during the last year of life. Community-based care has become increasingly important as the size of the elderly population increases and the cost for institutional care rises. When people need help in caring for themselves because of illness, frailty, or disability, community-based care may be more appropriate than acute or institutional care. The year before death is often a time of dependence and a high intensity of health service consumption. Although care at home is provided primarily by families, formal home care is also a critical component in any continuum of care.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Effectiveness of an intensive partial hospitalization program for treatment of anxiety disorders.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a partial hospitalization program for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The 5-week program was based on an integration of biological, cognitive, and behavioral theories. Neuman's systems theory provided the framework for the study. The 32 participants were tested pre- and posttreatment. All three hypotheses were supported; "fear of fear," severity of impairment, and general emotional distress were all significantly lower posttreatment than pretreatment. The limitations, including the lack of a comparison group, possible sample bias, and the lack of long-term follow-up, are addressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Hiding and healing: resolving the suicide of a parent or sibling.

The purpose of this study was to describe the long-term effects of suicide of a parent or sibling during childhood or young adulthood. A grounded theory approach was used to discover the respondents' perceptions of the meaning of the event and the effects that it had on them. The themes that emerged from the data were experiencing the pain, hiding the pain, and healing the pain. The need to hide the pain often interfered with the process of healing the pain. Findings indicate that many survivors of suicide during childhood experience painful, unresolved grief that affects their well-being in adulthood.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Durable power of attorney for health care: planning for substitute decision making.

Too frequently a relative who is not emotionally close to the patient and who does not know the patient's desires related to health care is authorized to make decisions for the unconscious or incompetent patient, while a non-relative who is intimately involved with the patient and knows the patient's health care desires has no authority to make these decisions. Health care providers must too often stand by helplessly as disinterested or malevolent relatives make these decisions, while caring, competent non-relatives are shut out of the decision-making process. Planning for substitute decision-making can reduce stress and uncertainty for the patient, for the family and for health care providers.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Older adults' attitudes toward suicide: are there race and gender differences?

Suicide among older persons in the United States is a major problem that has increased dramatically during the past decade. Little is known about older nonsuicidal adults' attitudes toward suicide. The purpose of this study was to identify attitudes of older persons toward suicide and to explore the relationship of race and gender to attitudes toward suicide. The Suicide Attitude Vignette Experiences for the Elderly (SAVE-L) scale, which consists of 16 vignettes, was used to measure empathy toward suicidal people and agreement with suicidal actions as portrayed in 16 vignettes. The sample consisted of 54 low-income, inner city residents, aged 65 or older. Participants reported a moderate level of empathy with suicidal behavior (M = 2.82 on a 5-point scale) and a low level of agreement with suicidal actions (M = 1.31 on a 5-point scale). There were no differences in empathy toward suicidal people nor in agreement with suicidal people's actions based on race (African American or White) or gender; nor was there a significant interactional effect of race and gender on attitudes toward suicide.

Black or African American↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Music listening preferences and preadmission dysfunctional psychosocial behaviors of adolescents hospitalized on an in-patient psychiatric unit.

This study investigated the relationship between music listening preferences and preadmission, dysfunctional psychosocial behaviors (PDPB) of 60 adolescents who were hospitalized on an in-patient psychiatric unit. Findings were that hospitalized adolescents who primarily listened to music with negative lyrics/themes had a history of more PDPB than hospitalized adolescents who primarily listened to music that did not contain negative lyrics/themes; and hospitalized adolescents who primarily listened to heavy metal music had a history of more PDPB than hospitalized adolescents who primarily listened to other types of music.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A primary prevention group for latency age children dealing with adoption issues.

The authors describe an eight-session primary prevention group program for latency age children who were dealing with adoption issues. The structure and the process of the group are described and the effectiveness of the program is evaluated. One of the authors, who is both an adoptive parent and a nurse psychotherapist, was the group leader. The group served to facilitate the lifelong process of dealing with adoption issues.

Adaptation, Psychological↗