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Biomedical subjects

C V Ford

Publications and source records attributed to C V Ford.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Internship: what is stressful?

We periodically evaluated 27 interns for mood states and psychophysiologic functions during their internship year. At the end of the year they were questioned as to what they had found to be stressful and/or supportive during the year. Stressful issues were inadequate sleep, inadequate time to pursue personal matters, and inadequate personal interest and support from attending physicians. Helping to reduce stress were support from, and camaraderie with, fellow house officers. Those interns who had more emotional distress experienced less support from others and felt more isolated. The amount of sleep did not differentiate those who were more dysphoric from those who had less distress. We conclude that the major issue in determining the amount of distress experienced during the internship is the quality of the individual's social support system.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1985

Psychiatric disorders in geriatric medical/surgical patients. Part I: Report of 195 consecutive consultations.

We reviewed psychiatric consultations (N = 195) for patients aged 60 years or more from a consecutive series of 1,000 psychiatric consultation requests. Consultations for geriatric patients were requested disproportionately less frequently than for nongeriatric patients and significantly more frequently for elderly women than for elderly men. The most frequent primary psychiatric diagnoses were organic psychiatric and depressive spectrum disorders. The referring primary care physician had either misdiagnosed or failed to recognize an underlying organic psychiatric disorder in more than half the patients with organic psychiatric illness. The study highlights the prevalent psychiatric disorders of the elderly medical/surgical patient, and opines that psychiatric consultants can be of significant assistance in the medical care of these patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Psychiatric disorders in geriatric medical/surgical patients. Part II: Review of clinical experience in consultation.

Of a consecutive series of 1,000 psychiatric consultation requests, 195 were for patients 60 years of age or older. The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses assigned by the consultant were organic psychiatric and depressive spectrum disorders. This communication reviews frequently encountered syndromes and the other major clinical issues relevant to geriatric psychiatry and provides illustrative cases. The mental status examination is a sensitive diagnostic tool that can improve the clinician's diagnostic skills. We conclude that screening the elderly medically ill patient for these psychiatric disorders will improve patient care and significantly diminish morbidity.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

A brief history of the internship.

The internship is the focal point of the transition of medical student to physician. From its origins in hospital apprenticeships, this experience of professionalization and initiation into direct patient responsibility has followed an erratic path. Modern US internships began in the late 19th century, and evolution of many of their characteristics has been determined more by socioeconomic-political issues than by consideration of educational objectives. The recent move to incorporate internships into residency programs is currently being reconsidered because there is a new appreciation of the role that the internship experience can play in the professional maturation of the physician.

Accreditation↗
PubMed1984

Factitial aplastic anemia.

A 29-year-old married nurse with pancytopenia was discovered to be surreptitiously ingesting alkylating agents. Despite her life-threatening behavior, there was no evidence that she was psychotic, depressed, or cognitively impaired. Psychological testing was indicative of a sociopathic personality. The patient and her behavior elicited considerable affect and controversy among members of her health team. It is hypothesized that the patient's behavior resulted from longstanding low self-esteem. The production of a dramatic illness gratified dependency needs and fooling physicians gave her a sense of power.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The internship year: a study of sleep, mood states, and psychophysiologic parameters.

Previous reports have suggested that first-year graduate physicians have a high incidence of psychologic distress and may show cognitive impairment as a result of sleep deprivation. We periodically evaluated 27 interns during their training year to determine amount of sleep, mood states, reaction time, critical flicker fusion, and symptoms of depression. We found the incidence of major depression in our subjects (four of 27) to be lower than previously reported but higher than expected for that age group in the general population. Risk factors for depression during the internship year were history of major depression, female sex, and unmarried status. The only significant change in average mood state was that anger progressively increased during the year. Subjects slept an average of 5.95 hours per 24-hour day during the year. Correlational analysis indicated that, contrary to predictions, performance on reaction time and critical flicker fusion improved with less sleep. At the end of the year, subjects regarded the year as stressful but not more so than had been anticipated.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Anxiety and mitral valve prolapse syndrome.

The diagnosis of Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome (MVPS), even though symptomatically similar to anxiety neurosis, may prompt pharmacological treatment only, neglecting any underlying emotional problems. If only a dichotomy were considered, one diagnosis might be seen as mutually exclusive of the other. A case history is presented illustrating features of both clinical syndromes. We consider the interaction of both etiologies, as well as the possibility of both being unrelated and coincidental. As physiological factors are explored when the diagnosis of anxiety neurosis is considered, so should psychological factors be examined with MVPS.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Computerized axial tomograms and dementia in elderly patients.

A correlational study comparing CT findings with the degree of dementia in 59 elderly patients revealed that cortical atrophy was related to age but not to dementia. Ventricular enlargement was also related to age but was statistically correlated with dementia. There was no relationship between cortical atrophy and ventricular size. These data suggest that CT findings of cortical atrophy in elderly patients should not be accepted as evidence of senile dementia.

Aged↗