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Biomedical subjects

B Isaacs

Publications and source records attributed to B Isaacs.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Some issues in the clinical, social and economic evaluation of new nursing services.

This paper describes a study of a new nursing post, that of the adviser on incontinence. Some of the difficulties encountered in the study were the composition of a study and control group and evaluation of change in urinary incontinence. Retrospective checks on the two groups showed that the items in which they differed did not have any relationship with changes in incontinence or its management. The findings were unable to support the Regional Health Authority's hope that hospital admissions would be reduced or the more general belief that overall resource use would decline. In addition to improvements in incontinence half the subjects identified other benefits such as increased understanding of the problem and the opportunity to discuss it with someone with a knowledge of incontinence. Issues were also raised of the organization and nature of the advisers work load.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

A new approach to course development in geriatric medicine.

A new course in Geriatric Medicine was initially conducted in four District General Hospitals, ten students attending each centre. The course, in the second clinical year, was established in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Birmingham University by Professor Isaacs. The interview technique described was used from the outset as a means of formative evaluation. Undergraduates were randomly selected from each centre at the end of a course, and the results incorporated into a written report which was corrected by the students and distributed to the tutors. The results proved invaluable in evaluating students needs, attitudes and responses to the course. The interview gave unique information not obtainable from questionnaires, essays or exam questions, and enhanced the students feelings of participation in course development. Overall the information seems reliable and consistent and a valuable tool in curriculum design. The time involved was not excessive and leads us to recommend this approach as one method for continuing curriculum development which involves both the students and the tutors.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1983

Domiciliary physiotherapy for old people who have fallen.

One hundred patients aged 65 and over who had recently fallen were allocated to a short or a long course of domiciliary physiotherapy. Mobility, gait and balance were measured before, and 2 and 4 months after, completion of treatment. Falls occurred in fewer than one-half of the patients following treatment, and improvement in mobility and balance was recorded in one-third to one-half of patients. There was no difference in outcome between patients treated for short or for longer periods. If domiciliary physiotherapy is beneficial in this type of patient no advantage is conferred by prolonging the course of treatment.

Accidents↗
PubMed1983

The relationship of allergies and allergy treatment to school performance and student behavior.

The purposes of this project were to study the relationship of allergies and allergy treatment to school behavior. Parents of allergic and nonallergic children (grades K-12 and from different socioeconomic status) completed a survey form. The 400 parent respondents reported no significant difference between allergic and nonallergic children in terms of academic and language performance, retention, diagnosis as handicapped, or behavior problems; allergic children were absent from school more. Eustachian tube dysfunctions were significantly related to academic and behavior problems. Certain medications were related to overactive types of behavior. Parents who considered their children's behavior as inappropriate tended to contribute a portion of it to side effects of medication. 65% of the parents reported positive results from treatment on behavior at home; they tended to be unsure of the impact on school behavior. Direct relationship of allergy and allergy treatment on academic performance is questionable, except for the impact of upper respiratory problems on listening and attention. Use of certain medications with already behavior disordered children requires caution. Better communication among physicians, teachers and parents is advised.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1982

The post-fall syndrome. A study of 36 elderly patients.

36 patients aged 65 and over who were admitted to hospital after suffering a fall were examined soon after admission and followed for 4 months. 10 patients developed a severe tendency to clutch and grab and were unable to walk unsupported; 9 of these died or were still in hospital 4 months later. 16 patients showed similar signs but were able to walk independently; 5 of these died or were still in hospital after 4 months. 10 patients had no features of the post-fall syndrome; only 1 of these died within 4 months, and one of the survivors remained in hospital. The syndrome may represent the end result of a positive feed-back relationship between disturbed balance and falls.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1981

How dangerous are falls in old people at home?

From a survey in six general practices information was obtained on 125 people aged 65 and over who fell in their own homes. Three fractured their femurs and 15 had other fractures; most of the rest suffered only trivial injuries. Twenty lay on the floor for more than one hour; none were known to have suffered hypothermia. One-quarter of these patients died within one year of the fall, five times as many as in an age- and sex-matched control group; while of those who lay on the floor for more than one hour, half died within six months of the fall. Factors associated with mortality from falls were impaired mobility, abnormal balance, and a disturbed pattern of gait. Falls at home in old age are often indicative of the presence of severe ill health.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1981

Description, classification and prevention of falls in old people at home.

One hundred and twenty-five people aged 65 and over who reported to their doctors that they had suffered falls at home were seen shortly after the fall by a research nurse who obtained a detailed history, based as far as possible on the patient's own statements and on an attempted reconstruction of the fall. Analysis of this description led to a classification of falls based on the nature of the displacing force. In turn, this classification can be used to highlight the necessary preventive action.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1981

Prognosis of falls in old people at home.

One hundred and twenty-five people aged 65 and over in the Birmingham area who fell at home were followed up for one year after the fall had been reported by the general practitioner. They were compared with 125 control subjects matched for age and sex and drawn from the same doctors' lists. Two months after the fall, one control and 11 fallers had died. One year after the fall, eight controls and 32 fallers had died. The main factor associated with increased mortality was impaired mobility before the index fall.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1980

The prevention of falls in a geriatric hospital.

All falls which occurred in a geriatric hospital in period of one year were carefully recorded by nursing staff. Falls occurred most often in admission wards, less in rehabilitation wards and even less in long-stay wards. The incidence of falls was very much lower when patients were confined to bed as a result of industrial action by staff. Very few falls resulted in bone injury. The completion of accident reports by nurses after non-injurious falls is unproductive.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1980

Characteristics of the gait in old people who fall.

Observations were made of the gait of 30 people aged 65 and over who were admitted to hospital shortly after suffering a fall without bone injury. These were compared with 22 patients of similar age admitted to the same hospital who had not suffered a recent fall; with 23 normal active old people of whom 7 had fallen recently; and with 24 normal young subjects. The gait of the hospitalized fallers differed from all other groups, and had the following characteristics: slow speed, short step length, narrow stride width, wide range of stepping frequency, large variability of step length, and increasing variability with increasing frequency. These characteristics may reflect loss of automaticity of gait, and this finding may have implications for pathogenesis and rehabilitation.

Accidents↗